During periods of extreme weather, every landscaping choice is tested, whether you opt for stone pavers, asphalt or graded hoggin as your main drive and pathway surface.
A natural alternative to many common drive surfaces, hoggin is a combination of clay, sand and gravel that forms a tightly bound mortar once effectively mixed together.
Its self-binding surface, sustainable drainage properties and natural construction have made it an increasingly popular material beyond its more heritage, rustic and traditional roots.
In the wake of a heatwave, however, with heat island considerations and the potential for melting and cracking, does hoggin make for an effective alternative?
Here is the case for and against hoggin.
What Are Hoggin’s Greatest Benefits In Hot Weather?
As a natural, self-binding material, hoggin does not need to be cured, nor does it need consistent temperatures in order to properly maintain its strength when it is laid. Once the hoggin mix is laid, it binds together strongly and compactly.
This is in contrast to concrete, which requires a lengthy curing process and can form cracks if the temperatures during cooling oscillate too extreme, as can be the case at the end of a heatwave when hot weather often suddenly ends, or there is a downpour.
What Are Hoggin’s Greatest Downsides During Hot Weather?
Hoggin is self-binding, which means it needs to be regularly raked to maintain an even surface level and avoid the risk of erosion.
As well as this, when the surface is dry, it can generate dust, which can travel to nearby surfaces and require additional cleaning both to the exterior walls and inside a home if the dust is tracked inside.
As well as this, it can be prone to rutting if used as a driveway for heavier vehicles, as the track the car follows can create indentations and lost hoggin material.
However, because it retains its shape in dry weather with few downsides, it can be an ideal natural alternative to other surfaces.
