4 Driveway Styles That Will Complement Your Home

Often when people think of renovating their home, they focus on exterior additions, interior arranging, and occasionally yard landscaping. However, one part of the home many people do not think of is the driveway. It’s easy to overlook your driveway’s affect on your home and its value. However, curb appeal is an important factor in home style, and one way to improve it is by improving your driveway style. Here are 4 driveway styles that will complement your home.

Gravel

This driveway material was the most popular back in the 19th century when driveways began to appear. It has maintained its appeal ever since. Gravel is made up of small pieces of rough stone. That’s what makes a distinctive crunching sound as you drive over it. The stone comes in different colors to match your existing color palette. Common colors are a mix of gray and black. Other stone types are more of a yellow brown shade. This material provides a rough, unfinished, and even vintage look to the home. Unfortunately, gravel is expensive to maintain because it wears down very quickly over time.

Brick

Brick is no longer exclusively for building houses. It is a unique surface that is also very smooth to park on. Hire a professional like a construction material supplier to install the brick. An amateur job would result in uneven bricklaying. The only downside to a brick driveway is the expense. That said, it is a worthwhile investment because if done correctly the driveway will last for many years.

Concrete

A concrete driveway provides what is likely the most modern aesthetic. Concrete is typically white or gray so it complements virtually any house color. Like brick, installing a concrete driveway requires a steady and professional hand. You want to ensure that it is poured properly. Concrete is incredibly durable. It does, however, show wear and stains such as oil droplets. This type of driveway is not the best choice for neighborhoods in colder climates. The more a concrete driveway freezes the more it will crack and break down.

Asphalt

Asphalt is very close to gravel in terms of popularity. One reason for this is because installation is incredibly inexpensive. You can pour the material into the form that you want. Just like any material, though, asphalt comes with downsides. It can crack like concrete does. There are asphalt patching kits that fill in those seams but a patch job isn’t as aesthetically pleasing. Pour over a new layer of asphalt if you notice it starting to degrade.

Driveways are a detail that is often overlooked when it comes to home renovation. This is surprising because it’s the first thing you see when you approach a house. Make a good impression by changing or updating your driveway’s style.

About the Author

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan

About Paul Kocharhook

Paul Kocharhook, Certified Aging in Place Specialist, (CAPS), MCGP and Owner of Pathway Design & Construction, based in SODO Seattle. Download your Remodel Reality Check quick sheet and walk through the main points in a remodel project.