Tarmac "setting"

[Nigel Molesworth]

I've just had a tarmac drive laid. The man told me to water it to help it set. Anyone else heard of this?

Does tarmac "set", or does it just cool down and go hard?

As an aside: I've watered it a couple of times a day, and I'm longing for the call from Mid Kent Water...

MKW: "We understand you are using a hosepipe." NM: "Quite so. Is there a problem?" MKW: "Are you aware that there is a hopepipe ban?" NM: "Yes. A hosepipe is prohibited 'for the purposes of watering private gardens or washing private motor cars'. I am doing neither!"

[Phil L]

It just cools down and hardens, the water will simply speed this up a bit.

I wouldn't bother with it any more...it's as cool as it's going to be for a while at least, once we get August out of the way it'll be as hard as a dogs head.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I believe the hardening is a process of evaporation of the lighter tar fractions.

Indeed.

>

[Andrew Gabriel]

So do I, in which case it will set faster if you leave it hot.

[John]

Now that made me laugh!!! Good job I wasn't drinking at the time!

Cheers

John