If you live in a detached single-family home, there’s a good chance you’ve got your own driveway, which means that you are responsible for its maintenance and upkeep.
Although nothing is guaranteed in the real estate world, upgrading or resurfacing your driveway is one of many home improvement projects that can reduce your homeownership costs. A well-done upgrade to the driveway may even increase the resale value of your home.
FIVE MATERIALS TO PAVE THE WAY
1. Exposed aggregate
This is a type of concrete finish that is obtained by removing a thin layer from the top of the laid concrete to reveal the pebbles, shells, stones, and/or sand near the surface. This shows the natural textures and colors of aggregates with a smooth (and fixed) gravelly surface.
Considerations:
- The exposed aggregate is durable and skid-proof.
- It requires little maintenance, although it usually needs to be resealed every few years to keep its appearance.
- This material is available in a variety of aggregate mixtures for a variety of color and texture combinations to suit the house and the property.
- The surface looks very effective in contrast to other paving materials. At this house in Perth, two strips of tumbled bluestone rubble add visual interest to the exposed aggregate driveway and connect to the strong lines of the house, the garage door, and the better block fence.
2. Concrete
Concrete is a very versatile material that can be used to create pavements for the driveway, and it can produce a variety of looks to suit the style of a house. Here, the smooth concrete driveway complements and contrasts with the textured concrete panels that enclose the house.
Considerations:
- Concrete is strong, durable, durable and easy to maintain; however, it may crack over time.
- Since it is a versatile material, many different patterns can be made of stamped concrete.
- In order to achieve different colors, a variety of chemical stains and concrete dyes can be used. This Port Macquarie home has a concrete driveway painted in a medium-grey color.
- Concrete is one of the most affordable paving materials.
3. Bluestone Pavers
Bluestone is a form of sandstone that is used to create extremely elegant driveways. It comes in different shapes and sizes and offers a variety of appearances due to the fact that it can be crushed into gravel, cut into tiles for intricate patterns or left in larger slabs.
Considerations:
- Bluestone is long-lasting and can be cut and shaped to suit almost any need.
- It has a beautiful color that begins as deep blue but fades over time, with constant exposure to the sun, to a light shade of gray.
- Bluestone can be combined with other flooring materials. Here, for example, bluestone was laid around the edges of the exposed aggregate driveway for a smart and stylish look.
4. Clay Brick Pavers
Clay brick pavers have been used as a surface material for centuries. Made of clay, shaped and baked in a kiln (like pottery), the brick pavers are placed on a sand or mortar base on the driveway. They are rich in color, texture, and character and can be arranged in different color combinations and patterns.
Considerations:
- Clay brick pavers come in a variety of shapes and colors, and can be laid in different patterns, such as basket weave, running bond, or herringbone, in order to achieve different visual effects.
- Somewhat more fragile than other materials, brick pavers can chip or crack over time. However, with a good base and regular maintenance, they can easily cope with the normal use of the driveway.
- Brick pavers are to be washed once or twice a year.
- They are an environmentally friendly option as they are made from all-natural materials and can be recovered, cleaned, and reused.
5. Timber Sleeper
Timber is also an environmentally friendly option. New or recycled sleepers can be embedded in soil, mulch, and rough concrete pads and combined with gravel for a rough, casual look. They create an obvious yet robust driveway.
Considerations:
- Timber sleeper driveways may be cost-effective.
- They allow the driveway to be permeable from an esthetic and environmentally sustainable point of view. Stormwater run-off slows down with permeable ‘soft’ surfaces compared to hard surfaces.
- Permeable driveways may help to retain significant trees at a site that might otherwise have to be removed.
- The natural surface of the wooden sleepers may be more rural than a concrete driveway.
Are You Considering Pavers for Your Driveways?
At DPG Design and Build, we’ve been providing our customers with specialized Landscape and Hardscape Design and Build services for over 30 years. DPG Design and Build, headquartered in San Ramon, California is the best curb-appeal and outdoor living space designer and installer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Appearing on HGTV’s Curb Appeal and featured on Discovery Channel’s program Renovation Nation, our team of skilled designers and landscape engineers provide top-quality service and professionalism our customers love. DPG Design and Build offers 2-D and 3-D conceptual home and landscape design plans that allow you to visualize your dream space and make that dream concept a reality.
Have a driveway in need of an upgrade? Contact DPG Design and Build to schedule your free consultation today!
