Traditional kerb appeal
The aggregate dressing creates texture and visual interest that works well with rural or period settings.
Tar & chip driveways
Traditional aggregate texture with practical strength.
Tar and chip is ideal when you want a driveway or entrance with a more natural, estate-style appearance while still keeping the practicality of a bound surface.
Made for character-led settings
Tar and chip brings a textured aggregate finish that feels at home on longer approaches, larger plots, rural entrances and properties where plain tarmac would feel too stark.
Where it fits
A natural-looking finish for larger approaches.
- Long private driveways, country homes and estate-style entrances.
- Projects where a textured surface suits the setting better than smooth tarmac.
- Driveways where aggregate colour and edging need to blend with brickwork, gates or planting.
- Clients who want a traditional look without relying on fully loose stone.
Why choose tar & chip
Character, scale and practical performance.
Tar and chip is not just a cheaper alternative to other finishes. Specified properly, it gives a distinctive driveway surface that suits the right property beautifully.
Suited to scale
It can be a strong option for longer drives and wider approaches where surface character matters over distance.
Edges still matter
Neat containment, kerbs, thresholds and drainage details keep the driveway looking intentional and tidy.
Specification note
The right aggregate choice makes a big difference.
Tar and chip can be warmer, lighter, darker or more rustic depending on the aggregate selected. Bonwycks can help compare the finish against the house, boundary walls, gates, kerbs and surrounding landscaping.
Aggregate tone
Choose the colour and texture around the property rather than from a sample in isolation.
Water movement
Falls and surrounding drainage still need to be assessed before installation.
Traffic use
Regular use, turning points and heavier vehicles should all shape the specification.
Tar & chip FAQs
Useful answers before you enquire.
A few practical points about tar and chip driveways.
It is a bound surface dressed with aggregate, creating a more textured and traditional look than smooth tarmac.
It often works best on long driveways, rural entrances, estate-style approaches and larger private properties.
No. Shingle is loose stone, while tar and chip has aggregate bonded into the surface.
Ready to enquire
Talk to Bonwycks about tar & chip.
Get advice on aggregate colour, driveway scale, edging and whether a textured surface is right for your property.