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Tarmac v SMA (stone mastic asphalt)

  • 10-01-2020 6:44pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78 ✭✭


    Hi ,

    I'm Currently in the process of getting my driveway and around my house priced for tarmac. The area is approx 700m2.

    I've had 3 prices back so far.... for regular tarmac and SMA.

    All 3 suppliers have priced it similar. The regular tarmac is coming in around the 10,500 before vat....the sma is around 13,500 again before vat.

    Just wondering if any of you guys have experience with SMA and would you recommend it over regular tarmac considering the difference in cost? Is it really worth it?

    I'll be honest I didn't even hear of sma before I started pricing around :)

    Thanks for your help!


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 125 ✭✭selfbuild17


    SMA is the way to go if the budget allows. It’s much more resilient. What thickness are they pricing for? Makes sure you get a reputable company, there’s a lot of cowboys floating around in that trade

    There’s an excellent thread here:

    https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056809036/1


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78 ✭✭Rugger13


    Thanks for the reply selfbuild17 & the link to the thread - i'll check it out !

    One of the tarmac guys told me there is a sort of finishing treatment that can be done on top of the tarmac once its done. It really helps durability and is very good (cheaper than SMA). Anyone ever come across something like that?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 150 ✭✭landcrzr


    Rugger13 wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply selfbuild17 & the link to the thread - i'll check it out !

    One of the tarmac guys told me there is a sort of finishing treatment that can be done on top of the tarmac once its done. It really helps durability and is very good (cheaper than SMA). Anyone ever come across something like that?

    A surface course should not need any sort of finishing treatment. SMA is a common road surface course and is durable when done correctly. I'd stick with it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    Stick to the SMA, my suppliers will only stand over Tarmac for footpaths as it is not suitable/strong enough for Driveways where cars jeeps etc are turning in small areas and causing it to ravel. With SMA this should not happen, you may have some light scuffing, but the material will harden as it matures over the weeks after installation.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78 ✭✭Rugger13


    Thanks macadam, sound advise and good to hear from someone in the industry. Looks like SMA it is !


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21 clarechippy


    Hi Macadam,
    What estimate cost would I be looking for a 500m2 driveway supply and labour of SMA/Asphalt.What tonnage would cover that?Is 50mm enough where an oil truck or tractor could drive a few times a year.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    [QUOTE

    One of the tarmac guys told me there is a sort of finishing treatment that can be done on top of the tarmac once its done. It really helps durability and is very good (cheaper than SMA). Anyone ever come across something like that?[/QUOTE]

    I would really like this guy's name company name and address, to find out this finishing treatment.
    Can you PM me his details pls, Im interested in this product he has !!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    Hi Macadam,
    What estimate cost would I be looking for a 500m2 driveway supply and labour of SMA/Asphalt.What tonnage would cover that?Is 50mm enough where an oil truck or tractor could drive a few times a year.

    Its all down to your foundation/ sub base if its soild 50mm is the recommended minimum depth.
    500m2 at 50mm will require 60 tonnes of sma. Price cost etc will depend on your location and distance from supplier, and also on the amount of prep required and the access etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21 clarechippy


    macadam wrote: »
    Its all down to your foundation/ sub base if its soild 50mm is the recommended minimum depth.
    500m2 at 50mm will require 60 tonnes of sma. Price cost etc will depend on your location and distance from supplier, and also on the amount of prep required and the access etc.

    Cheers,
    I ll have it prepped myself,housed built 10 years ago,ground fairly compacted now,but will need a top up of 804 and whacking and some drainage work and services which I ll do as I'm on elevated site, I ve the Kerbs laid a few years ago.Luckily Lagan is only 2 or 3 miles away.3 truck loads at €2000 each roughly and a reputable contractor at €15/18 a square meter I d be looking at maybe ? thanks for your earlier swift reply ðŸ‘


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    Cheers,
    I ll have it prepped myself,housed built 10 years ago,ground fairly compacted now,but will need a top up of 804 and whacking and some drainage work and services which I ll do as I'm on elevated site, I ve the Kerbs laid a few years ago.Luckily Lagan is only 2 or 3 miles away.3 truck loads at €2000 each roughly and a reputable contractor at €15/18 a square meter I d be looking at maybe ? thanks for your earlier swift reply ðŸ‘

    Just sent you a PM..


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 Gillerno1


    Hi all. Has anyone used MLP Tarmac, based near Navan? Just wondering if anyone can recommend them (or otherwise)?

    Many thanks


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15 moyvilla1


    Hello,
    Would anyone have a rough cost to do a fairly rectangular carpark 2000 m2 in SMA in the west of the country. Lining and drainage work can be done/priced separately.
    Thanks in advance


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    moyvilla1 wrote: »
    Hello,
    Would anyone have a rough cost to do a fairly rectangular carpark 2000 m2 in SMA in the west of the country. Lining and drainage work can be done/priced separately.
    Thanks in advance
    What part of the west you talking might have a contact or two for you


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15 moyvilla1


    macadam wrote: »
    What part of the west you talking might have a contact or two for you

    Athenry in Galway. Thanks for the reply


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    moyvilla1 wrote: »
    Athenry in Galway. Thanks for the reply

    PM sent


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 antocong


    Is there much difference between Sma and tarmac getting quotes of just over 12k for 600 sq meters


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21 clarechippy


    antocong wrote: »
    Is there much difference between Sma and tarmac getting quotes of just over 12k for 600 sq meters

    Hi there,have nt been on this forum in a long time.Still have nt my place done.Seemingly sma harder wearing and better,especially if doing a big area like yours,not sure price difference though,never got a detailed quote.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 53 ✭✭hero001


    Did anyone ever look at Resin Bonder Gravel as an alternative to Tarmac/SMA? The cost looks similar, but I'm not sure how it would hold up to cars turnings, etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    hero001 wrote: »
    Did anyone ever look at Resin Bonder Gravel as an alternative to Tarmac/SMA? The cost looks similar, but I'm not sure how it would hold up to cars turnings, etc.

    You need to lay tarmac or base course 1st so you may double the cost.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Quoted 9500 for 500sqm SMA including a couple of gulleys. Should I bite their hand off or look around a bit more. More or less ready to go but in no rush


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭macadam


    Quoted 9500 for 500sqm SMA including a couple of gulleys. Should I bite their hand off or look around a bit more. More or less ready to go but in no rush

    Finished depth? Guarantee and reputable contractor??


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    macadam wrote: »
    Finished depth? Guarantee and reputable contractor??

    50mm. Was expecting a bit more, but was from a crowd referenced herr. Was over the phone rather than on-site. Not easy at the moment to find someone to come out and see. It’s over compacted gravel so not a huge amount of prep to be done. County Galway


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 345 ✭✭peterofthebr


    planning to resurface part of farm laneway 300 meter long by 8ft wide. it was done 25 years ago by council. a few bad potholes in places but good base i believe. what kinda costing would i be expecting?cars, tractors and lorries would be driving on it and cows sometime would walk it. looking for approx idea of what i would need to do etc... grass and moss in centre part but mostly in good shape.

    I guess a few loads of scrapings (gravel from scraping and resurfacing some nearby public main road) would do...with tarmac or SMA to bind it all together and a vibrating roller? thanks



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29 BobC88


    Any reviews good or bad on Fitzpatricks Driveways in Louth? They have a FB page but very little else online about them. They are very reasonably priced & the man who came to measure up was absolutely sound.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 436 ✭✭Girl Geraldine


    If you are getting SMA then make sure you have someone around that can verify that you are actually getting SMA.

    This industry is awash with cowboys. If they though they could pass off cheap ass tarmac as SMA they would.

    Any shenanigans and fúck them out through the gate.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,208 ✭✭✭Richard308


    Bring back this thread as funds allow tarmac. I’ve 280m2 drive. What would love ball cost of black chip tarmac or sma? Straight forward drive way. Good base of stone been down 15 years.



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