Despite being overlooked, the driveway of your house has a massive impact on the overall value and appearance of the property. As much as driveways need to be functional, they also need to be appealing since that is one of the first items a visitor or passerby sees in your house. Driveways occupy most of the front yard space yet are often the most disregarded and covered with loose gravel or concrete. Driveways should be considered together with the surrounding landscape to enhance the architecture of your property. The surface of the driveway should complement the aesthetic of the property’s exterior and be integrated into the landscape to create a harmonious look.
To achieve this harmonious look, one solution is to use paver stones for driveways, as concrete rather than asphalt. There are three distinctly different pavers best suited for driveways, each with its own merits.
Advantages of Pavers
Compared to asphalt and concrete, pavers offer many colors, designs, and overall appearance options. By choosing suitable pavers and having them installed professionally, you increase the property’s curb appeal. Perhaps the most significant advantage for environmentally conscious homeowners is the permeability of paver stones. Unlike concrete, pavers don’t allow rainwater and driveway salts and oils to run off it into the street and watershed. Instead, the sand-filled paver stones allow water to soak down into the ground and filter into the groundwater rather than washing away. Here are three of the best pavers for driveway installation and their merits.
Brick Pavers
They are formed from molded and baked clay, sometimes referred to as clay pavers. Brick pavers last for several decades and are possibly the most economical option of the three. However, they may also be fragile, especially if not appropriately baked. Brick pavers have the strength of bearing around 12,000 pounds per square inch, making this one of the strongest options. With proper upkeep, a brick paver driveway can last for 25 years.
Concrete Pavers
This is perhaps the most popular option for paver driveways. These are concrete molded into the shape of bricks. Their lifespan is usually higher than that of brick pavers and can last for 50 years. However, they are a little less strong than brick driveways, with 8000 pounds per square inch, though it is sufficient for regular use. If you have ever wondered if they have the same strength as concrete slabs, you might be surprised to learn that they are significantly stronger than concrete slabs.
Cobblestones
These paving materials are made from blocks of natural quarried stone. They are by far the most durable of all options, lasting up to a century. Even if there is an issue, it is most likely with the driveway base and not with the cobblestones, which are primarily indestructible. Cobblestone driveways are beautiful to look at but may limit the use of the driveway for certain activities. For instance, you cannot play basketball or any kind of sport on a cobblestone driveway.
If you need help planning, installing, or re-installing a driveway in the greater Sacramento area, schedule an appointment with us or fill out the form on our website.
