Black used to be the only option. These days red, buff and grey tarmac are all genuine choices, and they suit a lot of the homes we work on across Ashford and its surrounding Kent areas better than people expect.
What is coloured tarmac, and how does it differ from standard black?
Standard tarmac is black because of the binder coating the stone underneath, and it softens to grey over years in the sun. Coloured tarmac isn’t paint on top; the colour comes from either pigment added to the mix or coloured stone used in the surface layer instead of the usual dark aggregate. Either way, the colour runs through the material rather than sitting on it, so it won’t peel or chip the way paint would. Everything underneath is laid exactly the same as one of our standard black driveways.
Red tarmac: why it’s the go-to choice after black
Red is the colour we get asked for most, and it’s easy to see why. It’s warm without being loud, and it suits red and buff brick houses, which describes a lot of the properties we tarmac across Kent. Red brick is one of the most popular design choices when it comes to homes. Pair it with a darker charcoal edge and it looks like a deliberate choice rather than a block of colour dropped in the middle of the drive.
What if red isn’t right for your house?
It often isn’t, and that’s fine; there’s more range than most people assume. Buff and terracotta suit stone or render-fronted houses and age gracefully, fading to a softer version of themselves rather than looking tired. Grey is the safest step away from black; it hides dirt and marks well and looks clean if you’re selling up. Green shows up occasionally on leafier plots but fades faster than most colours, so it asks more of you in upkeep. Blue is rare and really only for homeowners who want a statement. We can also do speckled or mixed finishes, blending two stone colours together for texture rather than one flat tone, if you want something a bit different from any of the above.
How much does it cost?
Standard black tarmac runs roughly £45–£90 per m² installed in 2026. Colour adds around £8–£20 per m² on top, or 10–20% depending on the shade. Kent sits in the South East pricing band, which tends to run a little higher than the national average, so £70–£90 per m² for a coloured install is a more realistic starting figure than the £45 low end you’ll see quoted for other parts of the country. These are guide figures rather than a fixed quote; get in touch for a free written estimate based on your actual driveway.
Fading is the thing nobody tells you about upfront
Structurally, a coloured driveway lasts exactly as long as a black one, 15 to 20 years. What changes is how it looks over that time. All coloured tarmac fades as it weathers. Red and terracotta hold their colour best; green and blue lose noticeable saturation within five to ten years, more if the driveway gets full sun most of the day. Resealing every three to five years is the standard advice, and it’s worth budgeting for as an ongoing cost rather than something you do once and forget. Skip it, and a red driveway drifts toward a dull, washed out version of itself rather than staying anywhere near the shade it started as.
FAQs
Is coloured tarmac more expensive than block paving? It is usually cheaper, though block paving lasts longer and is easier to patch.
Does it need more upkeep than black tarmac? Yes, mainly resealing every few years to slow the fading.
Can I mix colours on one driveway? You can; people most commonly go for a coloured surface with a black or charcoal border.
Do I need planning permission for a coloured driveway? Colour makes no difference to the rules; drainage does. Driveways over 5m² draining onto a public road generally need a permeable surface, whatever colour it is. We can talk you through this as part of your quote.
Family-run for 45 years and based just outside Ashford, we’ve laid coloured and standard tarmac driveways right across Kent, from Ashford and Tenterden to Canterbury and the Romney Marsh towns. Get a free written estimate or call the team on 01233 733735.