A Great Welcome Home Starts With Your Driveway in Cottage Grove and Middleton, WI

If you’ve seen homes where the emphasis is on gorgeous masonry, and yet the driveway is boring asphalt, you can see how the impact of a driveway can be just as important as any retaining wall or grand entry. A driveway already takes up lots of surface area in the landscape, so it shouldn’t be ignored in masonry design either. A driveway built from gorgeous pavers will create an outstanding first impression for any guests that arrive at your home - and it will put a smile on your face every time you come home. Here’s how a great welcome home starts with your driveway in Cottage Grove and Middleton, WI.

Related: 4 Ways Your Driveway Can Enhance the Beauty of Your Home in Sun Prairie and Middleton, WI

Is a Paver Driveway Durable?

Paver driveways are very durable and much less prone to heaving or damage from the freeze-thaw cycle. To alleviate concerns of damage from snow plows, you could install a snowmelt system under the pavers, which will keep your gorgeous new driveway free from ice and snow.

The Right Pavers

Natural stone is mankind’s original building material but today, you can expand your creative horizons with pavers that expand the possibilities. Depending on the masonry cues of your home, other landscape features, and the natural surroundings, the right pavers can make an incredible driveway. However, not all pavers are suitable for driveway applications. Look for pavers that are specifically rated for residential vehicular use since those rated for residential use are often too thin to support the weight of vehicles.

The many paved surfaces of the Old World include cobble stones and bricks, as well as larger stone blocks. Many modern pavers are created to directly mimic these old styles while improving the structure of the paved surface with interlocking designs that minimize movement. Driveway pavers are typically small-format and at least 2.5 inches thick, which means that they can better disperse the pressure created by the mass of multiple vehicles.

Here are some popular ways to refresh your driveway with pavers.

Plank-Style Pavers

A recent trend in modern pavers has been the plank style. Plank-style pavers take notes from traditional bricklaying styles, but they evoke a much more modern setting. These pavers lend a wonderfully fresh look when you’re looking to update a traditional home or landscape with modern materials.

A Brilliant Combination: Brick in Herringbone

Bricks are fantastic paving materials that have been used for thousands of years. Though the look and technology of clay bricks hasn’t changed much, again you can expand the design possibilities by choosing concrete pavers, which allow for greater color choices than clay bricks.

The way bricks are arranged on a driveway can make a memorable introduction to your home. Bricks arranged in a herringbone pattern may just be the style that your driveway needs. The curious name of this pattern means that there will be straight lines pointing in five different directions from where you’re standing. Not only will it be a dazzling visual pattern, but it is also an incredibly sturdy laying pattern that minimizes individual paver movement.

Flagstone Alternatives

One of the most beautiful and versatile materials for a paved surface is the flagstone - and in particular, bluestone. However, these natural stones are not suitable for driveway applications. They are sedimentary stones made up of many thin layers which will quickly deteriorate under traffic. Instead, choose flagstone-inspired pavers that can offer superior strength and durability with a similar look and texture.

Related: How Updating Your Driveway Can Improve Your Landscape Design in Madison WI