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At a Glance

Farm roads are critical to agricultural operations but often overlooked in maintenance and design. Proper surface dressing enhances skid resistance, waterproofing, and durability, preventing costly damage and ensuring safe, efficient transport. Regular resurfacing and correct drainage extends road life, improves sustainability, and maintains farm productivity year-round.

Farm Roads Need More Maintenance Than Your Average Driveway

If you own or manage farmland or an estate, you know how important farm roads are for everyday operations. However, they are often more neglected than their urban counterparts, like highways and city roads or even residential driveways. Farm roads serve as a connection between fields, barns, and outhouses and are used by tractors, lorries, pickup trucks, pedestrians, vehicles and even animals. 

These agricultural roads must be robustly built to handle heavy traffic and all-weather conditions. Farm track construction must be done meticulously, even though its use is localised, it can have a significant effect on your farms efficiency.

For instance, a potholed or sinking road can cause issues for tractors, livestock, and people, increasing the risk of accidents and delays. During farm road construction, you need to pay attention not only to the actual construction process (making a sub-base layer, cambering, having the right gradient, and proper drainage) but also when choosing the right surfacing.

Whether you are in the market for surfacing a new farm road or resurfacing an existing one, connect with us at LSL Surfacing. Our experts provide a free consultation and will assist you in choosing the right material for your agricultural road.

Benefits of Surface Dressing for Farm Road

Are you undecided if you should invest in surface dressing roads on your farm? Before we explore the benefits, let’s begin by understanding what surface dressing is. 

To prevent water seepage and oxidation by UV rays, roads are covered by a protective layer of asphalt, tarmac or tar and chip. Resurfacing is for roads constructed previously, where a portion of the damaged road is removed and then reconstructed.

Let’s look at some advantages of surface dressing in farm track construction:

• When you have heavy vehicles and machinery driving on farm tracks during periods of heavy rain, skidding is common. Surface dressing improves skid resistance of your farm roads and avoids accidents.
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  It waterproofs the base and sub-base layer protecting the road from water damage.
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  Surface dressing makes the farm road safer to drive on during icy and frosty conditions.
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  It extends the lifespan of roads, offering a higher return on investment.
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  It is a sustainable solution in farm track construction, as it reduces the need for frequent repairs.
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  Surface dressing during farm track construction improves longevity and protects the road from chemical damage from oil spillage and chemical fertilisers.

When Should Farm Roads Be Surface Dressed?

Once you’ve understood the benefits of surface dressing roads on your farm, it’s time to look for the tell-tale signs that you need to get in touch with us at LSL Surfacing:

Pothole Formation

While small cracks are normal, large potholes that damage tyres or affect suspension are a clear sign it’s time to resurface the road. Rainwater can seep into the sub-dermal layer, damaging the road, leading to pothole formation and rutting. Timely intervention by surface dressing your road can help avoid costly repairs and accidents while maintaining operational efficiency.

Water Not Flowing After a Rainy Spell

Frequent rain is common in the UK, and if you find water pooling on your farm track, it indicates your cambering and drainage have been impacted. Poor drainage leads to structural damage, slippery surfaces and reduced durability.

Resurfacing allows you to avoid water damage to the sub-dermal layers, leading to better-performing agricultural roads.

General Wear and Tear

Tarmac surface dressing can last for an average of 10 years, while asphalt surfaces last for 10-15 years. The longevity will depend on your road, local weather conditions and the soil structure. Farm roads usually need maintenance work every few years to avoid more costly repairs in the long run. 

The Process of Surface Dressing

If you are building a new road on your estate, be mindful of the farm road construction specification. Before any construction begins, it’s important to understand the land you’re working with. Start by carrying out soil testing to assess the topography and ground conditions. Once that’s done, clear away the topsoil and vegetation to prepare a solid base. For added stability geogrids can be installed to reinforce the foundation and support long-term durability.

For new farm road construction, the sub-base layer should be about 400mm thick. For softer ground, the thickness of this layer should be increased; otherwise, when heavy vehicles drive on it, the road can sink. It’s important to ensure proper grading to allow for adequate drainage. This will be followed by the construction of the base layer.

Once the road is constructed, the process of surface dressing can begin. Here is what you can expect:

• The road will first be swept to remove any dust and debris. The road surface must be dry. If it has rained within a day or two, surface dressing cannot be done.
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  A coating of hot, liquid bitumen is sprayed on the clean road surface.
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  Stone chips are then placed over the bitumen layer before a roller embeds the chips into the bituminous layer.
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  Usually, the road is opened to traffic after a day or two, but at a reduced speed, which further accelerates the embedding process.
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  Any loose chipping is swept away after a few days.

Contact LSL Surfacing for an Agricultural Surface Dressing Solution

Are you considering farm track construction and surface dressing? At LSL Surfacing, we will ensure your farm operations aren’t stopped, even when the resurfacing work is being conducted. We are a sustainable company that ensures minimal damage to nearby fields, crops and animals, while using recycled aggregates wherever possible and low-emission equipment.

LSL Surfacing is a family-owned business with over two decades of expertise offering farm road resurfacing solutions across Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. 

Call us on 01223 420369 or 07899 756373 for more information.