8 min read · Updated 29 August 2026
How to Maintain Your Driveway Year Round
A practical four season checklist, what to use and what to avoid, and the two winter habits that cause most of the spring repair calls we get.
Spring: inspect and reset
March and April are when winter damage becomes visible. Walk the drive and look for three things: rocking blocks, edges that have dropped away, and any dip that held water over winter.
This is the right time to top up kiln dried sand in block paving. Brush it in dry, on a dry day, and go over the whole drive twice with a stiff broom before compacting lightly. It is the cheapest and most effective single maintenance task there is.
Treat weeds now, before they seed. A glyphosate free path treatment or hot water works on joints. Never use rock salt as a weedkiller, because it damages the joint sand and corrodes reinforcement in concrete.
Summer: clean and seal
Jet washing is fine if you use a wide fan tip at low pressure and keep the lance moving, held around 200mm off the surface. A narrow zero degree tip will strip joint sand out of block paving and scour tarmac in seconds, and it is the reason many drives look worse after cleaning than before.
Resand immediately after any wash of block paving, once the surface has dried fully. If you skip that step you have removed the interlock that holds the drive together.
Summer is also the only sensible window for sealing tarmac, at around year ten. It needs several dry days and surface temperatures above about 10 degrees.
Autumn: clear the water paths
Leaf litter is the main cause of blocked channel drains and silted soakaways in this area, particularly on plots backing onto woodland around Frimley and Deepcut.
Lift the channel drain grating and clear the run. If there is a silt trap, empty it. Check gully covers and make sure downpipe shoes are still directing water where they should be, not onto the drive.
Clear moss from shaded sections now rather than in spring, because moss holds water against the surface all winter and that is what causes freeze damage.
Winter: what to grit with and what to avoid
Rock salt is fine on tarmac and concrete in moderation. On block paving, heavy salting accelerates efflorescence and can etch some concrete blocks, so use sparingly. On natural stone and clay pavers, use sharp sand or grit rather than salt.
The two winter habits that cause spring repairs are chipping ice off with a metal spade, which damages the arris of every block it touches, and parking a heavy vehicle on a saturated drive, which ruts the sub-base while the ground has no bearing strength.
The maintenance calendar at a glance
Print this and stick it in the garage.
| Task | When | Surfaces | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resand joints | Spring, and after any wash | Block paving | £15 - £30 DIY |
| Weed treatment | Spring and late summer | Block, gravel | £10 - £25 |
| Low pressure wash | Summer | All except resin bonded | £120 - £300 pro |
| Clear drains and silt traps | Autumn | All | Free DIY |
| Moss treatment | Autumn | Shaded areas, all | £15 - £40 |
| Seal coat | Year 10, summer | Tarmac | £8 - £14 per m² |
| Gravel top up | Every 2 - 3 years | Gravel | £70 per bulk bag |
When to call someone in
Call us if the drive rocks underfoot, if a dip holds water for more than a day after rain, if the edges have started shedding, or if a channel drain has stopped draining after being cleared. Those four symptoms are structural rather than cosmetic and they get more expensive the longer they run.
We do repair work as well as new installations, and on a sound base most repairs cost a fraction of a rebuild. Send a photo to 07538 218723 for an indicative figure.
Frequently asked questions
- How often should block paving be resanded?
- Once a year, and always after jet washing. Kiln dried sand in the joints is what gives block paving its structural interlock, and empty joints let the blocks rock and spread.
- Is jet washing bad for a driveway?
- Only if done badly. Use a wide fan tip at moderate pressure, keep the lance moving and hold it around 200mm off the surface. Never use a zero degree turbo tip on block paving or tarmac.
- Can I use rock salt on my driveway in winter?
- On tarmac and concrete, sparingly. On block paving, natural stone and clay pavers use sharp sand or grit instead, because salt accelerates efflorescence and can etch some surfaces.
- Should I seal my driveway?
- Tarmac benefits from a seal coat at around year ten. Block paving sealing is cosmetic and optional, resin bound should not be sealed, and sealing a drive that has a drainage or base fault simply hides the problem.