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A guide to Driveway Installation

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Zara, Staff Writer

Wednesday, 20 January 2021

Nothing quite frames a property like a freshly installed driveway. As well as looking the part, driveways provide a practical surface to park your car on and make your way to your front door safely. If your driveway is uneven, broken or just plain unsightly - installing a new one will make a huge difference.

We’ve put together the following information on driveway installation to guide you through the process. 

Consultation

The first step is to reach out to some potential contractors for your job. They’ll need to come and measure your driveway to know how much materials need to be ordered. This is the perfect opportunity to ask questions about the types of driveway materials that are available. All of the options have varying costs, though some surfaces will last far longer than others working out cheaper overall. 

Driveway material options

  • Asphalt

  • Concrete

  • Brick paving

  • Block paving

  • Gravel

  • Resin

Ordering of materials

All of the materials (such as pavers and sand) will need to be ordered and delivered before the work can begin. Keep in mind that any materials will need to be stored outside of your home in preparation for the work starting.

For concrete driveways, the concrete will be delivered at the moment it’s ready to be installed, once the prep work has taken place. 

Installation

Regardless of what material you choose for your new driveway, the installation process begins by removing your current driveway. The ground will then need to be leveled and prepped, ready for the new driveway to be installed. 

When installing the driveway, your contractor will work in stages laying each brick or smoothing over each section of concrete/resin at a time. It’s delicate work because each section needs to neatly correspond with the next, in order to give an even result. 

Once completed, your contractor will give a tidy and a sweep of the driveway, and remove any of their equipment. You may also wish to combine your driveway installation with garden landscaping, which will complete the look.

The time the whole process will take will depend on the material and the tools used by your contractor, as well as how many people they have on-site. 

Maintenance

Depending on the driveway surface you choose, some occasional maintenance may be required. For example, pavers will discolor over time due to the weather and traffic pollution. But, a quick jetwash will soon bring them back to their best. Pavers may also need re-sanding and can be treated with a mold-proof coating too. 

Concrete and resin driveways will need little to no maintenance. Though keep in mind if you need any work doing that involves drilling into the concrete, you’ll need to have it repaired. Pavers, on the other hand, can simply be lifted and put back down again. 

Some driveways surfaces (such as asphalt) aren’t suited to homes in warmer climates. So, always check the suitability of your chosen material with your contractor.

Points to note 

Installing a driveway will improve the look of your property. However, during the installation things can get messy. If you have children or pets, think about how they will be able to get outside as there could be mud, concrete, etc in the way. You’ll also need to relocate your car so the contractors can work properly. 

You should also consider how you will receive any deliveries or post during the installation. If laying a concrete drive, it's essential nobody (including pets!) walks on it until it sets. 

As with any building work, if you’re anticipating there will be a lot of mess or noise then it’s always polite to inform your neighbors too. 

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