Are you tired of staring at your cracked and stained asphalt or concrete driveway? The constant sealing and repairing that these driveways require can be very frustrating and time consuming. Luckily, there are several other types of materials you can use to make driveways.
While large concrete pavers are a bit too fragile to handle the weight of an automobile and may crack shortly after the driveway is installed, standard sized concrete pavers are a bit stronger. You can use these pavers to create attractive patterns on your driveway, such as the Herringbone, the basket weave, or the running bond. In fact, since concrete pavers come in several colors, you can even create a checkerboard effect.
Brick pavers are another common material used for making driveways. Since bricks or cobblestones were actually used to create driveways before concrete and asphalt became common, using brick pavers helps you give your property a more historic appearance. Brick pavers can be laid in the same variety of patterns as concrete pavers.
However, brick or concrete pavers tend to heave and shift during weather extremes. To avoid having half of the driveway's bricks jutting up in the air by spring, you will need to install the pavers correctly. You may want to hire a bricklayer to do the job, since it is very time consuming. Dig down at least fifteen centimeters and spread a layer of crushed stone. Be sure to compact the layer of stone. On top of the stone, spread a layer of sand, which will also need to be compacted. This solid base will provide a level surface to lay the bricks as well as helping to prevent heaving. If one or two pavers do still heave up, you can remove them, re-level the base, and place them back into position.
Interlocking pavers are a newer choice for driveway use. These pavers are made to withstand quite a lot of wear and tear. In addition, they are less likely to shift and heave than standard pavers, since the pavers hold themselves together. They automatically create an attractive pattern as they interlock. You can buy interlocking pavers in a range of colors, although red or dark grey are the most common choices. Even though these pavers are less likely to heave than bricks during the winter, you will still need to provide a proper base for them before beginning installation.
No matter which type of paver you choose for your driveway, be sure to use a sealing fluid. If oil, gasoline, or other materials fall on unsealed pavers, it is virtually impossible to get the stains out. Sealing the pavers makes removing stains easier.