Are Resin Bound Driveways Permeable? What Homeowners Should Know About SuDS

Wednesday, 19 November 2025 Resin Bound Driveway, Driveway, Resin Bound.

Rain passes through resin bound surfacing rather than across it. That permeability depends on a free‑draining base and simple, regular maintenance. Before you pick a finish, decide how your driveway will handle rain: where it goes, how fast it moves and which layers carry it.

Resin bound driveways remain permeable when they sit on a free‑draining base and receive simple, regular maintenance.

SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) are design approaches that slow, store and filter surface water in a controlled way. In simple terms, they let water soak away naturally or release it slowly instead of sending it straight to drains. SuDS manages rain at source using permeable surfaces and storage layers, and it sets planned overflows to reduce street runoff. Our designs follow CIRIA/susdrain good practice: manage water at source, size the storage, and set a controlled outfall where needed.

On site we bucket-test the sub-base, check falls with a level, and note any downpipes that should discharge into the build-up, not across the surface. This prevents surface channels and slips while keeping water in the system. On surveys we also note utility covers, tree roots and any low door thresholds that need a check detail.

Quick definition

Resin bound = stones mixed with clear resin and trowelled to a smooth, porous finish. Not to be confused with resin bonded (stones scattered onto resin). Resin bonded is not permeable.

In residential settings, Resin Bound Driveways are often chosen for their clean finish and SuDS-friendly performance.

What makes resin bound different for drainage?

The wearing course has voids between the stones. Water passes through those voids into a porous base layer and then into a voided sub‑base. Instead of sending a surge of runoff to the street, the system encourages infiltration on site or holds water temporarily within the build‑up before release. Expect a steady trickle through the layers, not a gush. For a quick check, hold a hose on a gentle flow for a minute; water should disappear into the surface, not sheet across it. This quick check tells you if the base can accept water so you can correct issues before they become defects. If it sheets, the base is not free‑draining, or fines are clogging the pores.

Learn more about the resin bound surface.
See domestic driveway options.

How do Resin bound driveways reduce runoff?

They infiltrate rain where it lands and store excess in the sub‑base, which lowers peak flows leaving your plot.

Resin bound driveways work at two levels:

Infiltration at the surface. Rain passes through the resin bound layer instead of running off.
Storage in the layers below. The open‑graded base and sub‑base create air space that can hold water during a downpour. From there, water either soaks into the ground or leaves through a controlled overflow, depending on the design.

A good design lowers peak flows from your plot and eases pressure on gullies in heavy rain. If water tracks to the kerb, we adjust falls and add a threshold check. That keeps water on your plot and off the pavement.

System types you can choose

For Resin bound driveways, choose the approach that suits your ground and foundations:

Type A (infiltration). Water soaks into the ground through the sub‑base. Use where soils drain well and infiltration is acceptable.
Type B (partial infiltration). Part of the water soaks away and the rest leaves through a perforated pipe or gully.
Type C (tanked with controlled outfall). A liner holds water in the build‑up and an outlet releases it at a set rate. Use this when infiltration isn’t allowed or soils are heavy.

We confirm the right type after a short site check. Choosing the right type avoids ponding, soft spots and planning complications.

Want to know if your plot suits Type A, B or C? Email your postcode and two photos and we’ll mark up a simple options sketch with the likely overflow route. Book a short SuDS review.

What layers make the system work?

A typical SuDS‑ready build‑up looks like this:

Resin bound wearing course (porous)
Open‑graded binder course or porous asphalt (project dependent)
Voided sub‑base (Type 3 or similar) for storage
Geotextile and, if required, a liner for partial or tanked systems
Drainage details such as overflows or dispersion trenches where needed

When designed this way, resin bound driveways move water through the surface and into storage instead of sending it to the street.

Do I need Type 1 or Type 3 under resin bound?

Use Type 3 or another free‑draining sub‑base for storage and flow. Tight Type 1 can trap water and block movement through the build‑up. Using a free‑draining sub‑base keeps the surface permeable during heavy rain.

Open‑graded means voided stone that lets water move and store. Type 3 is a free‑draining sub-base used for SuDS storage. A check detail is a small, raised edge or channel that keeps water on the plot.

The surface only stays permeable if the layers beneath can accept the water and move it on. A good design matches the system to your ground and your levels. For storage, we specify a voided sub‑base rather than tight Type 1 so water can sit in the voids and release slowly. On steeper plots we reduce the sub‑base lift and increase plan area for storage so water stays on the plot. That reduces runoff to the street and helps paths stay dry. That is how resin bound driveways meet SuDS aims on typical plots.

Our gold standard for base layers would be to incorporate VubaMac by Vuba as well. It’s not just a base, it’s a system designed to perform with resin bound surfacing from the ground up.

What makes VubaMac different? Unlike traditional tarmac or concrete, VubaMac is purpose-built to support resin bound applications. Here is why we recommend it…

✅ Fully porous – ideal for SuDS-compliant installations

✅ Eco-conscious – made from recycled materials

✅ Quick curing time – fast to install, minimising site disruption

✅ Engineered for performance – excellent load distribution and long-term durability

Will it work on clay or near buildings?

Yes. Use a lined (tanked) build‑up with a controlled outfall when infiltration isn’t appropriate.

On heavy clays or where infiltration near foundations is not appropriate, choose Type C with a liner and a controlled discharge to a suitable point. Where we cannot infiltrate near foundations, we line the tray and set a controlled overflow point to a soakaway or another agreed discharge point.

On mixed soils, a Type B partial infiltration system may be the best fit. Properly detailed Resin Bound Driveways on clay can still manage rain safely using a lined build-up and a controlled discharge. In all cases, keep falls gentle and plan where excess water goes. Where roof downpipes cross the drive, we can route them into the storage layer instead of across the surface and provide an overflow to a safe point.

This tidies the layout, removes surface gulleying and improves winter safety. Within five metres of foundations, we usually choose a lined tray and a controlled discharge unless the engineer approves dispersed infiltration.

Talk to us about a SuDS‑ready design

We survey, design and install SuDS‑ready resin bound driveways. We size the sub‑base for storage, select the right system type, set details that keep the surface permeable, and after a site visit we provide a drawing pack with a programme and return‑to‑use plan. We will also confirm lead times and access needs so you can plan the work. You’ll know exactly what will happen and when, with no surprises on the day.