Besides improving your home’s curb appeal, your driveway also has to serve you for decades. The most crucial decision homeowners make when installing driveways is choosing the right material. The material you pick will depend on your compound’s terrain and the types of vehicles you plan on parking in your home.
Remember, the best materials for a slope won’t necessarily be ideal for a flat surface. Selecting the right driveway material involves weighing the maintenance requirements, appearance, durability, and costs. In this guide, we’ll show
Asphalt
Along with being a popular driveway material, asphalt lasts longer, is easier to install, and looks better. It’s also cheaper than pavers or concrete. Asphalt driveways can serve you for over two decades, and regular patching or sealing can extend their life. However, it is a high-maintenance option that can soften during the hot months.
Asphalt driveways are made up of bitumen (a tar-like liquid), aggregate, and sand. When installing this type of driveway, Coughlin Concrete contractors pour heated bitumen over compacted gravel that provides a solid base and drainage. Its main disadvantage is that it isn’t DIY-friendly, particularly in the installation phase.
Gravel
The best option for DIYers and the least expensive material is gravel. Gravel can be found in long driveways in areas where installing concrete or asphalt can be expensive. When installing this driveway, you only need to dump it on a flattened surface and spread it using a rake.
The installation process can be time-consuming, but it’s doable. Since it’s susceptible to potholes, homeowners should be ready to repair it regularly. Despite being high maintenance, this material can serve you for decades. Driveway gravel is sorted aggregate or crushed rock with a diameter of about 2 inches.
Gravel is available in different colors, but you can choose the type that is available in your region. People living in places with limestone bedrock use crushed limestone, while others use crushed granite. Another common type of gravel is river gravel, which is made up of smooth pebbles.
Concrete
Despite being more costly than most materials, concrete is the most durable option for homeowners. Considering its lifespan (25-50 years), concrete pavement or driveway can end up being the most cost-effective in the long run.
Concrete is an exceptional surface created by a mixture of gravel aggregate, sand, powdered cement, and water. This mixture is poured between wooden forms while wet, giving it enough time to harden. Installing concrete paving is labor-intensive as you’ll need some wooden forms to hold the concrete. You can also reinforce it with wire mesh or rebar before smoothing its surface.
Concrete may not be visually impressive, but it is low-maintenance and, unlike asphalt, a great temperature regulator. While DIY installation is possible, it is quite challenging, so homeowners prefer contracting professionals.
Stone Pavers
Stone pavers are the easiest to maintain and the most durable option. A great example is a cobblestone paver, which can serve you for over a century. Unlike asphalt and concrete, stone is composed of individual units; replacing a broken stone is easier. That’s because you’ll be replacing the dislodged stone and not the entire driveway.
Pervious Concrete
Commonly known as porous concrete, this material is permeable and can allow rainwater to pass through it, improving the groundwater table. It is the best option for reducing stormwater runoff. Porous material is a cement-based product that features a small amount of sand. It doesn’t retain heat, dries faster, and can absorb sound.
Unfortunately, it’s not a good option for places with high traffic. It has an extremely low load-bearing capability, so you’ll have to clean it regularly to keep it porous and functioning properly.
Endnote
If your compound is in very bad shape, then installing a driveway may not be a simple process. Tree roots can crack asphalt driveways, so you have to deal with the trees growing near your pavement before installing it. Before you pour the material of your choice, you should ensure that the subsoil is compacted. The size of the driveway also matters, so if you want a double driveway, you should expand your 12ft. wide space to about 20ft.
Photo by Julia on Pexels
Recent Comments