If you are thinking of doing some changes to your house and you are not sure what you want to do one solution could be to change your driveway. There are many types of driveways possible and for sure they play an important role in terms of impressions and style.
Like any other thing, there are also many ways into how you can create them. In fact, there are different types of driveway surfaces that can be used to change the entire look of your house.
On top of that if you do it right chances are big that even the value of your home might increase so this is why you need to be careful when making the decision.
Key Factors to Consider When Planning a New Driveway
Image source: SYNLawn
Installing driveways should be done by you only if you have done this type of job in the past. If not, it is probably better to leave it to the pros. This doesn’t mean that you need to give up responsibility for how it will look it just means that you need to hire professionals that will do the job for you.
However, before we reach that step you need to do some research in order to understand the different types of driveways.
How You Use the Driveway
Image source: Adams Construction Services, Inc.
Do you think your family might need a driveway? Do you have children that like basketball and want to play with your friends, or sometimes you like to repair old cars and have a passion for this? A driveway can surely help and the best choice is to go for solid and durable surfaces like concrete or asphalt.
Some surfaces might be harder to keep clean and might need more upkeep compared with others and this might not match the lifestyle that you have. Ask your contractor what kind of maintenance each type of surface requires and consider the one that is going to work for your driveway options.
Budget
No matter what types of driveways you want to consider as an option the budget for one is quite big. Homeowners that have a limited budget might not be able to afford one, especially if working with a large area. The costs of a driveway option depend on:
- driveway dimensions
- drainage features
- design elements that you want to add
- adjacent landscaping
- paving material
- paid work if any
The least expensive driveway paving materials is the gravel that is followed by asphalt, concrete and paving stones. If you are installing your driveway on a shoestring budget, gravel can be the best choice you go for. If you have more room than you can play around with more types of driveways.
Local Climate and the Effect on Driveway Choices
The temperature will surely impact the climate conditions of your area and can also affect how well the driveway is going to last. If you are in an area that usually has 2-3 seasons you can go more or less for any type of driveway. For the rest, however, you need to think about snow, excessive heat and other conditions.
Local Regulations
Another important aspect that you need to be careful with is before you begin to make sure that you are allowed to build one. There are many regulations and laws that could stop you from doing this so make sure you check this aspect out.
So, the main idea here is to start asking before you start planning because otherwise you might run into problems and lose some money in the process.
Aesthetics
As there are a lot of options you don’t have to be in a rush in choosing types of driveways that you want to use. Make sure to check different colors, patterns and so on because they are going to stay a few years for sure at least in front of your house.
Most of the times in rural areas gravel is the material of choice. If we check middle-class areas, asphalt and concrete start to outrank gravel and stone so it really is all about making sure you check different sources and find the one that works for you.
8 Types of Driveways for Your House
Concrete Driveway
Image source: Skale Building Design
Concrete is one of the most used types of driveways in recent times. This is quite easy to tell and one of the main reasons is that it is quite easy to install. If you consider its durability you need to know that it can last a lot of time. It also gives some flexibility in its appearance and it can be stamped or dyed. If you want you can also change it color or texture.
Image source: Exceed Group Pty Ltd
You don’t really have to invest a lot in its maintenance, the only thing you need to do is to seal it after installation but other than that maybe the idea of heavy use can lead to some cracking or breaking especially if freezing is common.
Chancing broken or damaged sections is an involved process that needs power tools to be done the right way.
Gravel Driveways
Image source: Woodburn Company Landscape Architecture llc
These types of driveways are done using gravel that is poured into a barrier in order to keep things contained. Gravel can look really well especially if you have a long, winding country driveway that has a lot of landscaping.
Image source: McKEE CARSON
However, what it brings in looks is not that special because it is loose and you should really think of replacing it every few years.
As gravel can be damaged easier it is recommended to use on steep slopes some kind of drainage system in order to help it out so that the water doesn’t go directly to the driveway center.
Brick Driveway
Image source: OzScape Landscaping
Other driveway materials like brick have been used for a lot of homes and businesses as well. What bricks do is that they give a feel of a certain class. It is quite easy to see why bricks come in a variety of colors and can be customized in such a way that it is quite unlike virtually any other driveway that is made out of the same composition.
Image source: Swaback
Brick driveways have a nice feel and should be one of the types of driveways that you think about. What you get as a result is a timeless look that brings character to the front space of your home. It is more expensive but if you have the budget for it to be aware that they are known for lasting decades.
Paving Stone Driveways
Image source: katie_shoemaker23
Cobblestone feels more antic and its budget is also quite high. It does give an interesting look and it is going to last for decades and for sure homeowners that prefer simplicity are going to enjoy it a lot.
Image source: Monarch Stone International
Stone is actually the most expensive options when we consider driveway materials. This also makes it one of the most attractive. Stones blend well with other landscaping and design elements like fountains, driveway islands, and stone walkways or xeriscapes.
Asphalt Driveway
Image source: sensitive design inc.
Another popular option when we talk about types of driveways is the asphalt. What it does is it allows a prospective party to save some money on installation costs and as an additional benefit you also get the black that assists a lot in melting snow.
Image source: Highgate Builders
Experts do recommend asphalt sealing to be done within a year of installation and after three to four years. Sometimes some patching might be required as well depending on the quality.
Recycled Glass Driveway
As a first impression, you might think that this really seems like an odd choice for your driveway. Interestingly enough class driveways can be a pretty handy solution and they look really nice too. This is not an ordinary glass and it is not going to cut any of your tires so don’t think about this.
They are environmentally friendly to the nature of the recycled glass material that is used. People that value this for sure can consider it a real option. The resin in the mixture also adds a great durability factor to the product making the maintenance driveway slim to none.
Stamped Concrete Driveway
Image source: NanDro Concrete & Sealants
If we dive deeper into the types of driveways, we also find some decorative options. Stamped concrete is a great way to make your driveway look a lot better. You can change the color or patterns of the concrete.
Image source: Creative Concrete Inc.
What this means is that you get a lot of variety by using it and is the only material that offers this. You can start creating driveway options that look nice and that will be unique.
Green Driveway
Image source: European Landscapes & Design
Another cool option that is environmentally friendly is the green driveway that comes in two shapes. One is an entire grass surface over a plastic base and the second option is a grid that is made of concrete with small holes in it that let the grass to get out. This will give you more green space and it is also going to look great.
What it requires on the long-term is the fact that you will need to take care of the grass because if you don’t it’s surely not going to look that good so see if this might work for you as an option.
Ending thoughts on the types of driveways
In conclusion, there are a lot of types of driveways that homeowners can choose and deciding for one can be challenging. Depending on the region where you are living and the budget that you have for this you can really play around with different ideas. The hard part is going to make your final choice so explore all the options before you do that.
If you liked this article on types of driveways, you should check out these as well:
- Driveway gate ideas: Different types that could look great for you
- Tips for Designing the Best Outdoor Kitchen And Backyard Kitchen Designs
- Outdoor House Lighting Ideas To Refresh Your House
The post The types of driveways that you could have for your house appeared first on Impressive Interior Design.
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