What material makes the best driveway

A nice-looking driveway is an integral part of your home’s curb appeal.  It has to look nice, be durable, functional and long-lasting.  However, the material you choose for your driveway has to be attractive but more importantly, it has to be appropriate for your soil conditions, nearby vegetation and the climate in the area in which you live.  Should you pour concrete, spread asphalt or lay bricks and paving stones?   Let’s look at the options.

Concrete

This is a popular middle-of-the-road choice because it’s durable, does not require a lot of maintenance and is great wherever.  You can do a lot with concrete these days with a wide variety of colours that you can add to the mix.  You can add texture so that it’s non-slip or etched to resemble pavers.  There are a myriad of decorative touches you can create with concrete.  It’s smooth, clean and maintenance free.   The down-side to concrete can be the cost, especially if you are paving a double-wide very long driveway and you live in a climate prone to ice storms like in Eastern Canada. Not so much here, however many de-icing products for sidewalks and driveways can cause premature erosion and damage the integrity of concrete.  And because it’s a pretty solid rock-like structure that isn’t very pliable, frost heaves and tree roots can cause it to crack.

Once concrete driveways have been poured, the concrete needs to cure and will be ready to drive on in seven days.  It’s difficult to patch or repair a concrete driveway with more concrete – generally the existing surface has to removed because new concrete won’t bond to old.  A concrete driveway may stain if your vehicle leaks oil or coolant but the overall lifespan of a concrete driveway is around 30 years.

Asphalt

Our roads and highways in Alberta are paved with asphalt so why not pave a driveway?  Asphalt can be a few dollars per square foot cheaper than concrete but may not be as durable.  It is a little more forgiving when it comes to heaving and withstanding the freeze-thaw cycle.  Some like the look of asphalt, which will retain a larger degree of heat than concrete.  Asphalt does require extra maintenance and should be sealed every three or five years.   Regular sealant will make the driveway last longer, keeping it safe from the weather and automotive spills however the life span is still pegged at 20 years.  The job can be done by yourself over the course of a weekend as long as the weather holds.  It’s also easy to patch or repair an asphalt driveway with new asphalt.  You can also pour asphalt over a concrete driveway. An asphalt driveway can be used as soon as the asphalt has cooled.

Other driveway materials

Inter-locking pavers and bricks are a highly attractive option for driveways but very costly.  Some will add pavers as borders to concrete driveways.  The ground must be carefully prepared prior to laying pavers or stones, with a level foundation of gravel and sand and each row of pavers checked with a level after being laid.  A carefully prepped area will help pavers withstand heaving. Not all types of inter-locking pavers or slab pavers are created equal and durability varies. 

Size of your driveway

City of Calgary by-laws stipulate the legal dimensions of driveways and these by-laws must be adhered to. Lately there has been extreme controversy regarding so-called mega-driveways, in which homeowners have paved over grass in order to have a large driveway.  These are illegal because they restrict curb-side parking on the street, reduce lawn surface thereby forcing water to flow down streets to storm sewers rather than seeping into the ground.  They are also not attractive.  Complete city by-laws regarding the dimensions of driveways are available on the City of Calgary website.  Those not in compliance may have to apply for a relaxation or will be asked to rip up their driveway.