Diane

Locating a tar and chip contractor is done one of two ways. Open your Yellow Pages and call each and every blacktop contractor. If you strike out, contact large paving contractors who do public roadways. They just might have a division that does smaller commercial or residential tar and chip jobs. Finally, contact the blacktop plants. Any contractor who does tar and chip must buy their tar from these businesses. Call the plants on a rainy day when they are slow. Don't bother them on sunny days when the demand for blacktop is high.

If I do wind up with a T&C drive, at least it'll be won't be like everyone else's driveway!

Ellen

My road was done this year and, because of the dry weather, the dust adversely impacted my asthma (and my dog's asthma, believe it or not!). I don't think this would be a problem on a private drive, but on our country road, where the the chip was not dropped evenly, it's not been pleasant during the dry spells.

I am, however, not certain the an outside contractor did the work - at least not here in Tewksbury. I believe the township did the work.

I've also heard complaints from bike riders about the amount of chip left alongside the road - it makes it difficult for them to negotiate the road out of the way of traffic (not the I'm a great fan of bike riders, though).

I do believe it's not the best surface if you have young ones who want to ride their bikes or play games in your driveway.

"Loretta, I believe it is from a brown shale used as the road aggregate. I remember going down a road in Virginia about 10 years ago, where the road changed color every mile for about 10 miles. Quite a rainbow. Turns out they were testing different aggregates for durability and the stone had different colors. Red, brown, green, gray, many shades."

I thought this was interesting but didn't even attempt to find someone to do it. I am suppose to talk to someone tomorrow though and I will bring it up though expectations are low. And in anycase, I hope to do an addition some day and whatever driveway we put in will be crushed by trucks.

Another thing I always thought would be fun to try for the front walk is using mica as an aggregate in the concrete. You ever see some of those sidewalks in front of some of the buildings in NY and they sparkle like snow at night? I don't know if its glass or mica since they have been around before recyling and mica is plentiful in and around NY. At least it use to be. I never did get a spec on that. Still might get to play with that someday though the front walk will be pavers now.

I, too, have had some second thoughts (though I still like the look) and think the exposed aggregate can give a somewhat similar look with better adhesion of the topmost layer. More pricey, though.

He doesn't travel far, but if anyone would like contact information for the contractor I spoke with here in Monmouth County who does tar & chip, email me and I'll provide it ... though I'll ask you to do your own reference-checking.

our contractor is in hunterdon county; for his contact information (plus a few photos of our driveway), see the link i'm attaching.

hope this helps!

Here is one NJDEP certified concrete provider, called Holes Solutions. Thier contact details are:

Mailing Address

1A Passaic Street
Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075
Telephone: 973.779.4653
Toll-Free: 1.866.55.HOLES
Fax: 973.779.4657