Up here, a driveway does not just face winter. It faces dozens of small winters, every time the temperature drops below zero and climbs back up again.
The freeze-thaw cycle
Water expands when it freezes. If it has found its way into a crack, a joint or a soft patch of base, it pushes outward every frost. Then it thaws, more water gets in, and the next frost pushes harder.
A crack you can fit a coin in this autumn can be a pothole by spring.
Your autumn checklist
- Look for cracks and get small ones repaired before the first frosts
- Clear drains and channels so water has somewhere to go
- Sweep leaves, which hold moisture and make surfaces slippery
- Re-sand block paving joints that have washed out
- Fill potholes while they are small
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Surface by surface
Tarmac copes well with freeze and thaw when it is laid on a well-compacted base. Resin bound drains water away, which helps. Block paving depends on full joints and a sound base.
Gritting and snow
Use a plastic shovel where you can, and check with whoever laid your drive which de-icer suits the surface. If your drive is already struggling, it is better to look at it before winter than after. Book a free check.