Curb appeal. Whether buying, selling, or living in a home, curb appeal adds both aesthetic and monetary value to a home. One of the best ways to increase curb appeal is through the driveway of a home. The right driveway should be a compliment to the landscape, thus enhancing the beauty of the home. In this article, we will discuss different driveway surfaces you might want to consider to add curb appeal to your property.
Options for Driveway Surfaces
A driveways can be any shape or size and use many different surfaces. There are typically nine driveway surfaces that are common in Florida. The nine common surfaces used to build driveways are as follows:
- Gravel
- Concrete
- Pavers
- Shell
- Asphalt
- Pervious Concrete
- Basalt Tiles
- Grass
- Brick
Gravel
Gravel driveways are driveways the are made with a mixture of small stones and coarse sand. You can find gravel driveways in front of homes all over the United States. The benefit of gravel is that homeowners can install it in different colors, thus allowing a homeowner to customize the look. Additionally, gravel is very affordable to install. The downside of gravel is that it does require a lot of maintenance as it breaks down after much use and gets eroded through inclement weather. Lastly, when a car travels on gravel, it can kick up pebbles, potentially hitting bystanders or causing minor damage to other vehicles.
Concrete
Concrete is the most common material used for driveways around the country. Driveways made of concrete are affordable to install and require little to no maintenance throughout their lifetimes. Concrete can withstand extreme temperatures and does not erode as quickly as other materials. Concrete can also be installed in multiple colors and patterns, thus allowing the homeowner to customize the look.
Pavers
Paver driveways are a favored choice for those homeowners who wish to maximize their curb appeal. Pavers can come in multiple patterns and colors, thus allowing for customization. Like concrete, they are low-maintenance and can handle extreme weather conditions. A downside to pavers is that they are one of the more expensive materials to install than other types of driveways.
Shell
Shell driveways are most common for homes around beaches or coastal communities. As the name suggests, shell driveways are made out of crushed shells. These driveways are very affordable to install and can in a variety of white colors. Although shell driveways allow for significant drainage, like gravel, shells do erode due to inclement weather and tend to get kicked up by car tires.
Asphalt
Asphalt driveways are found primarily in climates where there is extreme cold. An asphalt driveway is black, which allows them to retain heat better and prevent the driveways from icing. Asphalt requires a lot of maintenance, and experts recommend that homeowners reseal every three years.
Pervious Concrete
Pervious concrete driveways are very similar in look to gravel and shell driveways. However, unlike gravel and shell driveways, pervious concrete does not have any sand in its material as it is made up of crushed concrete. The advantages to pervious concrete are that it is affordable, has very low maintenance, can come in multiple colors, and does not create water run-off.
Basalt Pavers
Basalt pavers are made from rocks found in the ocean. These pavers are traditionally for patios and walkways and have only recently debuted as a driveway material. Basalt pavers are darker than other materials and very expensive to install.
Grass
Grass driveways are natural and allow for great irrigation. The grass is relatively inexpensive to install and requires very little maintenance. A disadvantage for grass is that it is not suitable for dry or arid climates, and extreme weather changes impact it significantly.
Brick
Bricks, like pavers, does a tremendous job in upgrading the aesthetic value of a home. They come in multiple colors, shapes, and sizes, thus allowing the homeowner to customize their driveway. Bricks are the most expensive material to use for driveways and require regular maintenance to keep the appearance.
