How Much Does It Cost to Reseal a Driveway in the UK?

Last updated on November 11, 2026 by Emma Collins

A faded, mossy driveway makes the whole front of a house look tired, in the same way worn-out garden fencing can. Resealing is one of the cheapest ways to fix that — a professional seal on a standard driveway usually costs £200 to £400. But that headline figure does not always include the cleaning, and on a dirty driveway the cleaning can cost as much as the seal itself. Here is what each surface costs, what a quote should include, and how to work out the real total for your drive.

How Much Does It Cost to Reseal a Driveway in the UK in 2026?

For most UK homes, a professional driveway seal costs between £200 and £400. Checkatrade’s 2026 guide (updated April 2026) puts a small driveway at around £200, a medium one at £300 and a large one at £400. MyBuilder’s 2026 guide (updated October 2026) agrees: a standard 40 m² driveway costs £200–£400 for a single coat. The exact price depends on the surface, the sealant and — most of all — whether cleaning is included.

Surface	Sealing cost per m²	Typical total, 40–50 m²	Notes
Tarmac	£3–£6	£120–£300	Cheapest to seal; sprayed or rolled on in one or two coats
Block paving (seal only)	£4–£8	£160–£400	Joints must be cleaned out before sealing
Block paving (re-sand and seal)	£6–£10	£240–£500	Kiln-dried sand brushed back into the joints before the sealant goes on
Pattern-imprinted concrete	£2–£3.50	£80–£175	Cheapest per m²; the smooth surface takes sealant quickly
Plain concrete	£3–£5	£120–£250	Printed or patterned concrete needs a specialist sealant, which costs more

Those are sealing-only prices, and that is where quotes catch people out. Cleaning is not always included. Checkatrade’s seal-coat guide says some contractors wrap preparation into the quote and some do not — and its cleaning guide puts a professional clean at roughly £8.50–£15.50 per square metre, or £250–£400 for a medium driveway priced by the job. MyBuilder says the same thing in plainer terms: if the driveway needs cleaning first, or block paving joints need re-sanding, those are typically priced separately.

Take a typical 45 m² tarmac driveway. Two-coat resin acrylic sealant at Checkatrade’s average of £4 per square metre is £180 for the sealing itself. If the quote includes a basic jet wash, the job can land near Checkatrade’s £200–£400 headline. If cleaning is charged separately, add roughly £250–£400 for a medium driveway clean — so the real total is more like £430–£580. Checkatrade’s own combined figure for power washing and sealing a medium driveway is around £700. Either way, ask before you book: does this price include cleaning, and does it include re-sanding? If the answer is no, the cheap quote is not cheap.

Larger double driveways usually cost £350–£600 for the sealing, and very large drives £500–£800 or more (MyBuilder). These are 2026 guide prices. The final quote depends on the size of your driveway, its condition and where you live, with London and the South East usually costing 10–20% more than the North and Midlands.

What Affects the Price of Resealing a Driveway?

The size of your driveway is the biggest factor, because most companies charge by the square metre. The condition matters just as much. A driveway covered in weeds, moss or oil stains needs more cleaning before sealing, and that adds to the bill. Cracks and damaged areas may need repairing first — small crack repairs typically add £50–£150 (MyBuilder). The type of sealant also changes the price. A basic acrylic sealant is the cheapest option, at around £3–£5 per square metre, but it wears off fastest and usually needs redoing every one to three years. Polyurethane sealants cost around £6–£10 per square metre and last longer. Resin-based and penetrating sealers cost around £7–£12 per square metre and are the most durable, typically lasting three to seven years (all MyBuilder). Access plays a part too. If the driveway is hard to reach with equipment, or the contractor has to carry materials a long way, expect a higher quote. Finally, prices vary by region. The same job often costs 10–20% more in London and the South East than in the North of England or Scotland.

Tarmac, Block Paving or Concrete: Which Costs More to Seal?

Tarmac driveways are the cheapest and simplest to seal. The sealant is usually sprayed or rolled on in one or two coats, and the job is often finished in a day. A good acrylic sealant protects tarmac from water, frost and oil, and it brings back the deep black colour that fades over time.

Block paving costs more because there is extra work involved. The joints between the blocks need to be cleaned out, treated for weeds, and re-sanded with kiln-dried sand before the sealant goes on. The sealant then locks the sand in place, which stops weeds growing back and keeps the blocks from moving. Marshalls’ guide to sealing block paving explains the same clean, re-sand and seal sequence.

Concrete is the most variable. A plain concrete driveway is straightforward to seal, but printed or patterned concrete often needs a specialist sealant to protect the colour and pattern, which pushes the price up. Whichever surface you have, the sealant should be matched to it. Using the wrong product is one of the most common reasons a seal fails early. Do not seal a brand-new driveway straight away. New surfaces need time to cure and settle — MyBuilder says wait 6–12 months, Checkatrade says a few months — or the sealant can trap moisture and stop the surface hardening properly.

DIY vs Professional Driveway Sealing

Doing it yourself is possible and much cheaper on paper. A 25-litre tub of budget driveway sealant costs around £30 to £80 and covers roughly 50 to 100 square metres, so the materials for a standard driveway can cost under £100. You will also need a stiff brush or pressure washer for cleaning, a roller or sprayer, and a dry day with no rain forecast for at least 24 hours. That only holds for budget acrylic, though. A premium sealant costs far more: Resiblock Superior, for example, is around £60 for five litres, and the manufacturer says you need 3 m² of coverage per litre on the first coat and 6 m² per litre on the second (Checkatrade). For a 45 m² driveway that is 15 litres (£180) for the first coat and 7.5 litres (£120) for the second — about £300 in sealant before you buy or hire any tools.

The risk is the finish. DIY sealing often goes on patchy, pools in low spots, or peels within a year if the surface was not cleaned properly. A professional job costs more, usually £200 to £400 for a standard driveway, but it includes proper jet washing, weed treatment, repairs and a guarantee on the work. For most homeowners, a professional is worth it for block paving and concrete. DIY makes more sense for a small, flat tarmac driveway in good condition.

How Often Should You Reseal a Driveway?

Most driveways need resealing every two to five years. Tarmac usually needs it every two to three years, because the sealant wears away under tyres and weather. Block paving lasts a little longer, around three to five years, especially if the joints were sealed properly. Concrete can go four to five years between coats. The sealant itself matters too: basic acrylic typically lasts one to three years, while polyurethane and resin-based products last three to seven years (MyBuilder). The signs that your driveway needs resealing are easy to spot:

• The colour looks faded or grey instead of deep black or rich brown.
• Weeds start growing through the joints.
• Sand washes out from between the blocks after rain.
• Water soaks into the surface instead of beading on top.

If you can see any of these signs, it is time to book the work. Leaving it too long lets water and frost get into the surface, which causes cracks and makes the next repair much more expensive.

How to Get a Fair Quote for Driveway Sealing

Start by getting two or three quotes from local companies, and make sure each one is quoting for the same work. A good quote should list cleaning, weed treatment, any repairs, re-sanding for block paving, the sealant brand and the number of coats. Ask how long the work will take and whether there is a guarantee. Most reputable firms offer at least a one-year guarantee on their work. The same habit of comparing like-for-like quotes is worth using for other jobs around the house, such as the cost to replace a tap.

Check reviews on Google or Checkatrade before you agree to anything, and be wary of anyone who knocks on your door offering a cheap same-day deal. These cold callers often use watered-down sealant or vanish before problems appear.

A fair price for a standard driveway in 2026 is roughly £200 to £400 for the sealing, plus cleaning if it is not included. If a quote comes in far below that, ask what has been left out. And if it comes in far above, get another quote before you decide. If you are replacing the driveway rather than resealing it, the government’s guidance on permeable surfacing for front gardens explains the planning rules that apply. If you are also replanting the borders, our guide to the best plants for a north-facing garden may help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Budget £200–£400 for the sealing on a standard driveway, then check whether cleaning is in the price — if it is not, add roughly £250–£400 for a medium driveway clean. Tarmac is the cheapest surface to seal; block paving costs more once re-sanding is counted. Get two or three quotes for the same scope, ask for the sealant brand and number of coats in writing, and book a dry spell — sealant needs a dry surface and at least 24 hours to cure before you walk on it, two to three days before you drive on it.