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Green Acres Landscaping Resource Center

Choosing the Perfect Driveway Material to Fit Your Northern Virginia Landscape — and Budget

Driveways aren’t just a pathway to your garage or a place to park your car — they’re a great way to spruce up your landscape and complement your home. Today, homeowners have a multitude of choices to create a custom driveway look that increases curb appeal and accommodates driveway activities.

When choosing a paving material for your Northern Virginia home’s driveway, you must keep both practical and aesthetic considerations in mind. Consider the activities you have in mind for the paved area, as well as the grade and slope for water run-off, soil type of the driveway location, and load factor of the vehicles that will utilize the driveway. As an example, if you intend to walk across your driveway frequently, or use it as a basketball court, avoid installing loose paving units or gravel.

Also determine whether you’ll need access to pipes or anything else beneath the driveway surface for repair or maintenance. If so, opt for materials such as brick, stone, or tile, which can be easily removed and replaced. Pay attention to how your driveway area typically drains and choose materials that can withstand any slow-to-drain areas. Finally, choose a paving material that complements your home and/or garage, creating a sense of harmony within your front yard and landscape.

Choosing a driveway material not only hinges on your intended aesthetic and functionality, but also your budget. Read on to learn more about driveway materials available today.

• Loose stones: One of the most inexpensive driveway options, loose stones create a rustic , rural look. Stones can be in different colors or in one uniform color to complement the surrounding landscape. Loose stones are typically laid over a solid gravel base and bordered. Loose stone can prove a difficult material in terms of snow removal and high driveway activity.
• Gravel: A mixture of clay, small stones, and sand, gravel is another inexpensive driveway material option. With frequent re-grading and containment, gravel can last a century or more.
• Tar and Chip (Macadam): Tar and chip, or macadam, is constructed of hot, liquid asphalt and crushed stone, topped with a very thin layer of colored stone. Tar and chip gives a driveway a rustic, country look, and takes on whatever color of stone or gravel mixed in with the asphalt. Stones come in various colors, such as black, dark gray, tan, and brown.  Typically a less expensive option that asphalt, tar and ship has a shorter lifespan, requiring resurfacing every six to eight years.
• Asphalt: A traditional driveway option, asphalt is easily stamped and stained. Asphalt driveway patching and resealing needs to be done from time to time, but is often an easy fix. Expect an asphalt driveway lifespan of 15 to 20 years. Asphalt driveways can also be edged with brick or pavers to dress up the design.
• Concrete: An extremely popular driveway material, concrete can be plain or decorative, and when properly installed, can last up to 50 years. When installed improperly, this mixture of cement, water, crushed stone, and sand can crack. Concrete driveways are virtually maintenance-free, save for a cleaning and sealing once every five or so years. Concrete options include colored, engraved and stamped concrete, which can resemble stone, brick, cobblestones, and even wood planks.
• Cobblestone: Solid rock usually of basalt or granite, cobblestone is often very durable. Cobblestone is installed in pieces, so it doesn’t run the risk of cracking, such as solid concrete does. While cobblestone tends to be quite expensive, it has an extremely long lifetime of well over a century.
• Brick: A moderate to high priced option, brick offers a luxurious, unified look on your driveway. However, bricks are extremely porous, so expect moss to grow in between bricks that do not undergo periodic maintenance. An entire driveway in brick can get expensive, so many homeowners choose to use brick as accents along stone or concrete driveways.
• Pavers: An excellent choice for driveway construction, pavers can be made of concrete, brick, or natural stone, and because they’re installed individually, pavers avoid the cracking risk that comes with concrete. Pavers are basically a pre-cracked driveway, so if repair is ever needed, a damaged section can be simply removed and replaced. Pavers come in a wide array of colors and patterns, and should be sealed at least every two years to prevent water damage and staining.

Making a careful, informed decision on your new driveway material is your first step towards adding a functional, beautiful element to your landscape. As Northern Virginia’s driveway expert, Green Acres Landscaping and Masonry recognizes that correctly designing and installing a driveway is more than just moving dirt around and pouring in concrete. Since 1992, Green Acres has installed all types of driveways while ensuring that each one will stay virtually maintenance free in all types of Northern Virginia weather.

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Green Acres Landscaping is a full service landscape design company, serving both residential and commercial clients in the Northern Virginia area since 1992. Our experienced team is ready to help you with any landscaping project, large or small.

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