Driveways make a statement
The driveway of the average Australian suburban house block takes up a big chunk of real estate. Your driveway needs to compliment the style of your home and landscaping.
A driveway needs not only look great but has to be able to stand up to the rigors of having the ton or so of family car traversing it constantly. Other than the kids bedrooms it will take more abuse than any other part of your home.
The days of the two plain grey concrete strips with some grass that never quite grows in the middle are over, here are just some of the more modern options.
Concrete
Probably the most commonly used material for driveways, don’t just think raw concrete grey, it’s available in a myriad of finishes and colours, it can be patterned, stamped and engraved to achieve almost any look imaginable. Exposed aggregates driveways are back in style and can be used to great effect on a modern style home.
Pavers
Depending on the choice of paver, you can achieve a variety of looks, from sleek modernist by using large concrete pavers to a cottage feel using recycled bricks. As pavers for driveways should be laid on a concrete base the installation cost can be fairly high, though the end result will finish your home’s quality look.
Resin bonded aggregates
Aggregates are available in a variety of colours and sizes they are bonded together using a polyurethane resin. The pebbles are laid first and if you wish you can create patterns or borders using differing coloured pebbles, the bonding agent is then applied. The end result is that of natural pebble without the hassle of loose pebbles all over the place.
Gravel
Gravel has been used as driveway material for many years, it looks great especially in a rural setting. The biggest problem has been the movement of the gravel by vehicles traversing it. This has been overcome with the use of stabilisation grids, they are in sheet form and laid on the subsurface. They are made up of small individual cells that control the gravels movement.
Asphalt/Bitumen
Asphalt and Bitumen driveways are not seen in suburban areas this option is most often seen in semi rural locations on blocks requiring particularly long driveways. A cost effective option that if maintained correctly will give years of service.
To find the right company to install a new driveway, or renew an old one, search our home improvement directory.
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