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Driveway Driving You Crazy? 5 Types to Consider
Your driveway is one of the parts of your home that tends to be taken for granted. Home and garden magazines usually give driveways a short shrift. But as it's a large space on the exterior of your home, it helps form that important first impression for visitors and potential home buyers. If your driveway is showing signs of age or damage, it can also make that final stretch of coming home more distressing than de-stressing. Renewing your driveway can be the move that makes your house the envy of all the Minneapolis homes for sale.
Knowing the benefits of the most common driveway materials will help you decide if repair or replacement is your best option. If you want to match your neighbors' driveways, know what challenges they may be facing with the material. If you want to contrast and stand out among the Saint Paul homes for sale, make sure your choice is an outstanding one.
- Asking for Asphalt
Asphalt is a common choice for large areas such as parking lots. Easy to install and relatively easy on the budget, it's durable and you won't have trouble finding experts in asphalt driveway installation. It does require resealing every few years, and while the heat it stores can be welcome in the winter snows, it might not be the best option for summer driveway basketball games. - Beauty in Brick
The warm tones of brick can bring a sunset glow to your driveway. Clay brick is durable and beautiful, and you may find a shade that coordinates with your home. But brick driveways need to be cleaned and sealed twice a year and may not be an ideal choice if you put significant wear and tear on your driveway. - Conscious of Concrete
Concrete is one of the most popular choices for driveways. It's durable and accepts tinting and stamping, which can liven up an outdoor space that might seem a bit bare in early spring. It doesn't attract heat as asphalt does. But environmentally conscious homeowners might be concerned about concrete's impermeability. Concrete does not permit water to pass through it to the ground, creating runoff that can pollute local water systems. - Gravel is Great
Budget-conscious homeowners, rejoice! Gravel is the most budget and DIY-friendly option available. Gravel is water-permeable, and you can customize gravel color for your home. Because gravel does shift in time and is water-permeable, you will need to re-grade your driveway every few years, and a French drain is a DIY-friendly way to manage water runoff. One of gravel's drawbacks, however, is the challenge of snow removal. Pieces of gravel could get stuck in a snowblower and do serious damage, and a plow could remove some gravel with the snow. - Top Your Driveway With Tar and Chip
A tar and chip driveway looks similar to asphalt but requires less maintenance. This type of driveway is achieved with a gravel base, liquid asphalt, and loose stone applied over the asphalt. The finished driveway doesn't require resealing as asphalt does, and you can customize the color with the stone layer. While vulnerable to damage if you use a snowplow, it's relatively easy to repair.
Your driveway is one of the hardest-working parts of your home. It endures vehicle and foot traffic in the most extreme weather conditions and rarely asks for more than the occasional cleaning. We appreciate homeowners who care for every part of their home. If you have a home that's well-loved or would like to find one, please call today.