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Bringing a faded, greening tarmac drive back to black.
Tarmac is cleaned gently, not blasted. The moss and algae are killed with a treatment and lifted with low pressure, because high pressure tears the surface apart. Once it is clean, a restoration coat, often called re-blacking, can be applied to bring back the deep black colour and protect the tarmac. Treat it, clean it softly, then restore the colour.
Tarmac starts life a rich black because the stone chips are coated in bitumen. Years of sun, rain and frost gradually break that bitumen down, so the colour dulls to a washed-out grey and the surface can start to feel rougher as the loose stone shows through. At the same time, our damp climate encourages moss and algae to spread across it, adding green and black patches. The result is a driveway that looks tired and neglected even when the tarmac itself is still sound underneath. Fading and greening are age and weather, not necessarily a failing surface.
Tarmac is far more fragile than it looks. A powerful pressure washer held close to the surface strips out the fine material between the stones, dislodges the chippings and can leave bald, pitted patches that expose the base underneath. Once the surface is broken open like that, water gets in, frost works away at it, and potholes and crumbling edges follow. Where block paving can be re-sanded after an over-aggressive wash, damaged tarmac cannot easily be put back. This is why tarmac should only ever be cleaned with controlled low pressure and the right treatments, the same careful approach we use in our low-pressure softwash work.
The safe method leans on treatment rather than force. We apply a biocide that kills the moss, algae and lichen down to the root, then lift the dead growth and general grime with low pressure that cleans the surface without tearing it up. Because the growth is killed rather than just knocked off the top, the tarmac stays clean far longer than it would after a quick blast of water. This treat-first approach is the same principle behind our driveway and patio cleaning service, adapted to suit the fragile nature of tarmac.
Cleaning removes the green and grime, but if the tarmac has faded to grey, a restoration coat is what brings the colour back, the tarmac equivalent of the sealing we cover in our guide on whether driveway sealing is worth it. Re-blacking applies a bitumen-based sealer that restores the deep black finish, binds the loose surface stone back together and adds a protective layer against water and UV. It is a genuine lift for a sound but tired driveway, making an old surface look close to new again without the cost of relaying it. Restoration suits tarmac that is structurally fine but cosmetically worn. If the surface is badly broken up with potholes and crumbling, it may be past sealing and better replaced, and we will always tell you honestly which situation you are in.
For most tired tarmac driveways, cleaning and restoration is far cheaper than lifting and relaying, and the results are striking when the tarmac underneath is still solid. Keeping on top of moss with an occasional treatment, as set out in our guide on how often to clean your driveway, extends the life of the surface and delays the day it needs relaying. The cost depends on the size of the drive, its condition and whether it needs cleaning alone or full re-blacking, so the honest answer is to look at it. Get in touch for a free quote and we will tell you plainly whether your tarmac is worth restoring.
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