A driveway is not just a strip of road that leads visitors to the house and provides access and parking space to vehicles. It can also double as a patio, garden, playground for kids and a smooth surface for rolling out the garbage or recyclables for pickup.
Given the important role a driveway plays, the amount of surface it needs and the substantial outlay it requires, it makes perfect sense to design a drive that complements the house, landscape and the neighbourhood. That way, it will not look out of place, will function at its best and will last for the years to come. As such, if you are thinking of building a driveway from scratch or you simply want to update the one you have, below are four tips you can follow to achieve a drive that is functional, durable and pleasing to the eyes.
Put it in the right place
Many driveways fail or do not function the way homeowners expects them to be because they are not built in the right place. As a result they become too steep, so they are scary to use or they catch too much runoff and eventually erode.
Of course, you do not want any of these happening to your drive. This is why it is important that you put it in the right place to begin with. If you do so, it will look natural in the landscape, will make the arrival experience more attractive and will also minimize problems down the road.
When choosing a location for your drive, there are three problem areas you need to avoid: wet soil, solid bedrock and large, mature trees. If you place a driveway on a location with wet soil, chances are, it will not be strong enough to support the combined weight of vehicle and foot traffic and will likely succumb to erosion and freeze-thaw damage. In the case of solid bedrock; while it may provide a perfectly stable and non-eroding surface, it rarely comes in the right shape and slope. It will also require more work as the bedrock will have to be removed to allow for the installation of the drive.
As for a site with large, mature trees, positioning your drive in this location can lead to two issues. First, since you will need to excavate the top inches of earth where most tree roots live, you will have to inevitably cut the tree roots, which means they will not have proper support that could cause them to topple over on your vehicle when there are winds or storms. Second, the weight of vehicles and foot traffic can compact the earth where trees receive their nutrition. As a result, surrounding trees will not be able to absorb air, water and nutrients.
As a rule of thumb, pick a location that is not too steep and does not receive a lot of runoff during heavy rains. The site should also conveniently access the garage, front door and parking and should allow for more clearance for safer entrance and exit towards the main road.
Mind the length and width
No matter what kind of driveway layout you have in mind, make sure to keep it at a workable size. How much space you need will depend on the number and size of cars you have. For most people with larger cars, a driving surface that is 10 to 12 feet wide (single-car driveway) is more comfortable as it provides enough space on both sides of the vehicle, making it easier to open the door. As far as length is concerned, this also depends on the vehicle you have. An 18 to 20 foot long drive is a good idea even if you have a small car to accommodate any larger vehicle of guests and to protect your car from errant driving on the adjacent paving.
Go for a safe layout
While a straight driveway is the easiest layout you can opt for and perhaps the cheapest one to build, it is not the safest one to have. This is because backing out is difficult, especially if your house sits near a public road or if you have limited visibility. If you are working with tight space, consider flaring the drive at the street, so you will have more room turn. You may also add a turnaround slot, so you will not have to back out into the street. A turnaround slot can even double as a parking space or patio.
If you have enough space, however, a circular or half-circle drive makes for an excellent layout. As this design has both an entrance and an exit, you will not have to worry about backing out into the traffic. It will also allow you to drive your care closer to the front door, which is convenient especially during rainy weather, when you are carrying groceries or for guests arriving at your house.
Choose your paving wisely
The material you pick for your drive will significantly influence its aesthetic appeal and service life. As such, it is crucial that you pick the right paving material. Your best choice should not be based on your budget alone. Rather, it should depend on the climate in your area, site conditions, size and expected use of your driveway and your maintenance requirements. At the most, you want to pick a paving material that is durable, visually pleasing, adds value to your property and is easy to maintain.
Robert Holmes, who wrote the post above, is a fulltime writer and a DIY enthusiast. Aside from writing a number of home improvement articles, he also currently writes about the driveways in Livingston by Ace Driveways.
image courtesy of F.D. Richards/Flickr