If you’re thinking of making some changes to your house and you’re not sure what you want to do, one solution might be to change your driveway. Many types of access are possible and they certainly play an important role in terms of impressions and style.
As with any other thing, there are a lot of ways you can create it here too. In fact, there are several different types of driveway that you can use to transform the entire look of your home.
If you get it right, the chances are great that even your home’s value will go up. Therefore, you have to be careful when deciding.
Key factors when planning a new driveway
Image source: SYNLawn
Installation of driveways should only be done by you if you have done this type of work in the past. If not, it’s probably better to leave it to the professionals. This doesn’t mean you have to give up responsibility for looks. It just means that you have to hire professionals to do the work for you.
Before we get to this step, however, you need to do some research to understand the different types of accesses.
How to use the driveway
Image source: Adams Construction Services, Inc.
Do you think your family might need a driveway? Do you have children who like basketball and want to play with your friends, or sometimes you like to repair old cars and have a passion for them? A driveway can certainly help and the best choice is for solid and durable surfaces like concrete or asphalt.
Some surfaces may be more difficult to keep clean and may need to be maintained better than others. This may not be your lifestyle. Ask your contractor what type of maintenance is required for each type of surface and consider which is appropriate for your driveway options.
budget
Regardless of what types of access you want to consider as an option, the budget for one is pretty big. Homeowners on a budget may not be able to afford one, especially if they work with a large area. The cost of an ascent option depends on:
- Driveway dimensions
- Drainage features
- Design elements that you want to add
- adjacent landscaping
- Plasters
- paid work, if any
The cheapest paving material for the driveway is gravel, followed by asphalt, concrete, and paving stones. If you are installing your driveway on a budget, gravel can be your best bet. When you have more space than you can play around with more driveways.
Local climate and the impact on the driveway
The temperature will certainly affect the climatic conditions in your region and can also affect the lifespan of the driveway. If you are in an area that typically has 2-3 seasons, you can drive more or less for each type of driveway. Incidentally, however, you have to think about snow, excessive heat and other conditions.
Local regulations
Another important aspect to be careful with is before you make sure you can create one. There are many regulations and laws that could prevent you from doing this. Check this aspect out.
So the main idea here is to ask before you start planning, otherwise you might run into problems and lose some money in the process.
aesthetics
Since there are many options, you don’t have to be in a hurry to choose the types of accesses you want to use. Make sure to check out different colors, patterns, etc. as these will be around your home for at least a few years.
Gravel is mostly the material of choice in rural areas. When we review civic areas, asphalt and concrete are going to give preference to gravel and stone, and the real thing is to make sure you check different sources and find the one that works for you.
8 types of driveways for your home
Concrete driveway
Image source: Scale building design
Concrete is one of the most common driveways used in recent times. This is pretty easy to spot and one of the main reasons is that it is pretty easy to install. If you take durability into account, you need to know that it can take a long time. There is also some flexibility in its appearance and it can be stamped or colored. You can also change the color or texture if you want.
Image source: Exceed Group Pty Ltd.
You don’t really have to invest a lot in maintenance. The only thing you have to do is seal it after installing it. Otherwise, the idea of heavy use can potentially lead to cracks or breaks, especially if freezing occurs frequently.
Chanceling broken or damaged sections is a complicated process in which power tools must be properly executed.
Gravel driveways
Image source: Woodburn Company Landscape Architecture llc
These types of driveways are made with gravel poured into a barrier to keep things in check. Gravel can look really good, especially if you have a long, winding driveway that has a lot of landscaping.
Image source: McKEE CARSON
However, the look isn’t special as it’s loose and you really should remember to swap it out every few years.
Since gravel is more easily damaged, it is recommended that some kind of drainage system be used on steep slopes so as not to channel the water directly into the driveway.
Brick driveway
Image source: OzScape Landscaping
Other driveway materials such as bricks have also been used for many households and businesses. What bricks do is that they give a sense of a certain class. It’s pretty easy to see why bricks come in a myriad of colors and can be customized to look different from virtually any other driveway made from the same composition.
Image source: swab
Brick driveways feel good and should be one of the types of driveways you are thinking of. As a result, you get a timeless look that brings character to the front of your home. It’s more expensive, but if you have the budget for it, you need to be aware that they have been known for decades.
Pavement driveways
Image source: katie_shoemaker23
Cobblestone feels more ancient and its budget is also quite high. It looks very interesting and will take decades, and homeowners who prefer simplicity are sure to enjoy it very much.
Image source: Monarch Stone International
Stone is actually the most expensive option when we consider driveway materials. This also makes it one of the most attractive. Stones can be combined well with other landscape and design elements such as fountains, driveway islands and stone walkways or xeriscapes.
Asphalt driveway
Image source: sensitive design inc.
Another popular option when we talk about driveways is the asphalt. This allows a potential party to save money on installation costs, and as an added benefit, you also get the black, which is very helpful in melting snow.
Image source: Highgate Builders
Experts recommend sealing the asphalt within a year of installation and after three to four years. Depending on the quality, a patch may also sometimes be required.
Recycled glass driveway
As a first impression, you might think that this is really a strange choice for your driveway. Interestingly, class entrances can be a pretty practical solution and they also look very good. This is not an ordinary glass and it won’t cut any of your tires, so don’t think about it.
They are environmentally friendly compared to the type of recycled glass material used. People who certainly appreciate this may consider it a real option. The resin in the mixture also gives the product a great durability factor, making the maintenance driveway slim.
Pressed concrete entrance
Image source: NanDro Concrete & Sealants
If we delve deeper into the types of driveways, we will also find some decorative options. To have Stamped concrete in Fort Lauderdale is a great way to make your driveway look a lot better. You can change the color or pattern of the concrete.
Image source: Creative Concrete Inc.
This means that using it gives you a lot of variety and that is the only material that offers it. You can start by creating driveway options that look good and are unique.
Green driveway
Image source: European landscapes & design
Another cool option that is eco-friendly is the green driveway, which comes in two shapes. One is an entire expanse of grass over a plastic base and the second option is a concrete grille with small holes through which the grass can exit. This gives you more green space and it will look great too.
What it does take in the long run is the fact that you have to take care of the grass because if you don’t, it certainly won’t look that good. So see if this could work as an option for you.
Final thoughts on the types of access
In summary, there are many types of driveways that homeowners can choose from, and choosing one can be challenging. Depending on the region you live in and the budget you have for it, you can really play around with different ideas. The hard part will be making your final decision. Therefore, explore all of the options before doing this.
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