The front yard landscape is important for the first impressions of your home and sets the tone for your guests’ experiences. While you may be thinking about improving the plantings around your front entry, it’s important to focus on one area that covers a large surface area. The paved surface of the driveway has an impact on the feel of a landscape - making your front yard look ordinary, or elegant. Here’s how upgrading to driveway pavers can give your front yard landscaping a whole new look in Wescosville, PA.
Related: 5 Landscape Tips for Your Paver Walkway and Paver Driveway in Wescosville, PA
Materials to Avoid or Replace
The main materials used for paved surfaces including driveways are typically asphalt or poured concrete. While these paving materials are strong and adaptable to almost any landscape, they aren’t perfect. After a few years, they will start to degrade. Asphalt can crack or develop potholes. Concrete will almost inevitably crack and start crumbling. Because they are both solid surfaces, they are at the mercy of freeze-thaw cycles and heavy periods of rain, as water-laden earth starts to move. Worse, there is no way for surface water such as snowmelt or rain to soak into the ground. It will pool on the surface or create runoff which can damage the surrounding landscaping.
Pavers are a great alternative, as you’re about to see. And if you’re worried that snow plows will damage pavers, you could take care of that problem by installing a snowmelt system which will keep your driveway snow- and ice-free all winter.
Brick Pavers
Brick pavers are a great solution for most driveways. The look of brick pavers can help to enhance traditional and rustic landscape and home designs. Bricks have stood the test of time and if you’re worried about your driveway looking too “colonial” don’t worry: there is a wide range of brick paver styles with a variety of colors, sizes, and even shapes that go beyond the classic brick shape. Brick pavers are a perennial favorite even for modern homes since you can get them in chic charcoal, steely blue, or other non-brick-red colors.
Cobbled Pavers
For an old-world look with plenty of fascinating textures, cobblestones are a great way to go. Paver manufacturers have found ways to apply cobblestone textures to modern paver design, strengthening the old-world look as well as the structure of the driveway itself. Cobblestones have been used for thousands of years. You could go fully authentic with real stone cobbles, or opt for concrete versions that have a realistic cobblestone surface but are precision-fit for an incredibly durable surface.
Flagstone Pavers
As a paving material, flagstone has long brought beauty to a landscape. Many people who have bluestone or flagstone patios and walkways want to extend the look to their driveway. However, natural flagstones would easily crack under the repeated pressure of vehicles. With natural-cut or harvested stone, there is no way to check the structural integrity of the piece without destroying it. Paver manufacturers now make plenty of flagstone-inspired pavers that are rated for heavy-duty vehicular use yet still feature realistic colors and textures of natural flagstone.
Modern Pavers
As paver technology continues to evolve, there are plenty of modern designs that can make an amazing presence in your driveway. Modern pavers come in a wider range of styles than natural materials including plank-style pavers, brushed finishes, or finishes that take their inspiration from brick but add a modern sleekness.
