One way to improve your home's curb appeal – and its property value – is to upgrade your driveway. While it's easy to overlook something we see as purely functional, the driveway can also be a striking design feature that not only ties in different elements (garage, front door, landscaping) but complements the exterior of your home.
“The driveway has an incredibly large footprint at the front of your home so it is important to get it right in order to make a strong impression and add value to the home,” explains Jason Hodges, landscaping expert and Adbri Masonry brand ambassador.
Before you order in the pavers – or any other material for that matter – first ask yourself these questions:
- Does the driveway lead to the house in a straight line, or is it curved?
- Is the gradient flat or does it slope downwards or upwards?
- Is your driveway prone to flooding during wet weather?
- What is the distance between the street and the front door, or garage?
- Will you require an excavator to dig through rock?
- How much digging will be required to accommodate the new surface and sub-base?
- Will the new paving material handle particularly heavy loads?
Now to the paving styles.
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A paved driveway can improve the appearance and value of your home.[/caption]
Driveway paving patterns
Different paving patterns can change the look of your driveway, so it's important to choose one that suits the size and style of your home, and the surrounding landscape.
Basket weave
Using rectangular shaped pavers laid horizontally and vertically against each other, the basket weave paving pattern adds character and dimension to the entrance to your home.
Stretcher bond
Stretcher bond is a classic paving pattern that replicates the look and feel of cobblestone pavements and traditional brick work.
Running bond
Requiring minimum cutting and leaving close to zero waste behind, the pavers are set side-by-side, but instead of setting them directly above each other, they are offset just slightly.
Stack bond
The simplest of all the paving patterns, the pavers are placed side-by-side creating strong, visual lines. This pattern can also be laid at a 45-degree angle to create greater visual impact.
Herringbone
Laid at either 45- or 90-degree angles, this usually involves laying all the full bricks first, then once these have been checked for alignment, the edging pieces are cut in.
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Adbri's driveway maintenance tips
As pavers expand and contract with seasonal changes, they are less likely to crack like other pavement types like concrete or bitumen. Regular preventative maintenance includes sealing sweeping, paving gap sand filling, water blasting and general upkeep, which will help to extend the lifespan of your driveway. If your driveway does start to show signs of lineal cracking, you can repair it quickly and cheaply by simply lifting and replacing the damaged pavers when laid on a flexible base.
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