Your outdoor landscaping makes your first impression, it creates a relaxation zone for your family, and it can boost your property values. Landscaping involves lots of different elements including concrete. Hi, my name is Diane, and I love landscaping. However, I also love patios, magical pathways, sports courts and other concrete creations. Want help creating your fabulous outdoor space? Want help with concrete ideas in particular? Then, I would love to be there for you. I have a keen eye for decoration and have helped a lot of friends create their outdoor areas. I hope my tips and ideas can help you.
When it comes to choosing what type of driveway you want, there are three main contenders. Brick was a popular choice for a long time and many people still see it as a more decorative and fancy style of driveway. Gravel is the cheapest option, especially for longer or commercial driveways. Then there is concrete, which is head and shoulders above the rest in virtually every category. Here are just three of the areas that concrete is far superior to the rest of the pack and why you should consider this material if you need a new driveway.
Durability
Most people would agree that the durability of your driveway is the most important factor when choosing the type of material you use. After all, no one wants to have to pay for a new driveway every few years because the old one has turned to dust. Concrete is a lot tougher and far more resistant to the weather (once sealed) than either brick or gravel. Brick tends to get affected by sudden changes in temperature and it is not uncommon for individual bricks to succumb to cracks quite early on in their lifecycle. Gravel, on the other hand, needs to be topped up fairly regularly or it will quickly run out due to natural wear and tear.
Visual Style
While you might think that brick will win this category hands down, the fact is that concrete driveways can be customised to fit a more artistic desire. Epoxy sealers can give your concrete a stunning visual finish, while you can also hire artists to create intricate patterns in the concrete before it sets. While brick can also be very appealing, this comes down to a personal choice between the two. If this factor is very important to you, then you can always look up some driveway ideas online.
Cost
While gravel driveways are cheaper in their initial cost, you need to remember that they do require a top-up and far more maintenance than the other two material options. When you put the price into perspective over a period of five or ten years, this benefit of gravel slowly diminishes. Brick is the most expensive, while concrete driveways provide a nice middle ground, where they do not require a lot of maintenance and they are not very expensive to install. Also, consider the cost of owning gravel driveways on your car, as many people find that gravel scuffs up the bottom of their car and that can be very expensive to fix.
Learn more about your options by contacting concrete driveway contractors.
Share18 September 2020
