Whether you have a small or large front yard, a driveway visually stands out.
A cleverly designed driveway sets off not only the style of the house, but an entire yard, too. This is the reason why you should take into consideration the following.
Size
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The width of your driveway depends on whether you design it for
one, or two cars. The single car driveway should be between 2.7m and 3.6m wide.
The width of double car driveways can range from 6m (parking side by side is
not possible) to 7.3m.
If you do not want to build a parking stall and/or turnaround, the
length is optional depending on your needs. However, the minimum size of the
parking stall is 3m by 6m (for a single car), while the double car turnaround
requires 6m by 6m of additional space.
Layout
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There are different types
of the driveway layouts, but the tree most common ones are circular, curved
and straight. You should consider the function, the size of the driveway and
the size of your yard first, then the aesthetics.
Circular drives with its three variations, including a
half-circle, a horseshoe and a teardrop are suitable for larger front yards.
Curved driveways are perfect for long driveways and they blend in nicely with
accessories around it. However, make sure you design gentle curves so that you
can manoeuvre the car around them easily. Finally, small front yards usually
have straight driveways.
Paving materials
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The choice of paving
materials depends on the climate and the style you want to achieve. You can
consider pavers, concrete, gravel and asphalt. All these materials come in all
colours you can imagine. Concrete and asphalt can be coloured and stamped,
while you have the most colour and style variations with pavers. When it comes
to weather, as cold climates usually require asphalt, the gravel driveway is
not a good option for heavy rainfalls and snow.
Maintenance
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Every type of driveway has its own maintenance procedure. Starting
from concrete, use quality paint supplies every two years, or when you notice the signs of wear. If you
opted for a brick/paver driveway, removing weed and/or grass and sweeping
between pavers every couple of weeks is necessary. Gravel driveways need to be
maintained more often than other types. You should use a weed cleaner and rake
the gravel regularly. If you have a pothole, fill it with a sand and rake the gravel
back. Asphalt is the easiest to maintain as it only needs a weekly
rinsing.
Decorative Borders, Bands and Aprons
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Decorative borders, bands and aprons are usually made of different
paving materials, or grass. The apron is the part of the driveway which extends
into the street. You can add a contrasting paving material if you have a
concrete, asphalt and gravel driveway, while you can change the layout of
pavers if you have a brick/paver driveway. Borders are made of coloured
concrete, bricks, or pavers. When it comes to bands, they can run lengthwise,
widthwise, or they can make a grid pattern.
Lighting
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Lighting fixtures should be
placed at the beginning and at the end of a driveway. You can also install
decorative lighting fixtures, such as lampposts, large outdoor lanterns, or
path lights along the edges. Another way to decorate your driveway is to place
accent lights near the trees, flowers, or other accessories.
We have listed the basics when it comes to designing and building
a driveway. If you are not sure about something, it is best to contact a
professional to help you, especially when it comes to paving materials and
maintenance.
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