What type of pavers are best for driveways?

Best Driveway Pavers

There are many types of material you can use on driveways – pavers being one of them. Pavers offer enormous benefits for driveway use, both functional and aesthetic. Driveway pavers:

• Elevate your home’s curb appeal and resale value
• Add a classy look and feel to your property
• Will withstand the weight of cars very well
• Are easy to repair or replace if one gets damaged
• Are very low maintenance
• Are long-lasting, durable and weather resistant
• Are less slippery in wet conditions that other paving materials
• Can be used immediately once they have been installed

But not all types of pavers are suitable for driveways – and it’s imperative that you choose ones that will be able to stand up to the rigours of heavy loading and high volumes of traffic.

First, identify how much traffic volume your driveway is likely to get. Is it a residential driveway that will just be used a few times a day by the homeowners? Or is it a driveway to a busy factory or retail area that will receive heavy traffic and high frequency use? This will determine exactly what type of pavers will be suitable for your driveway. Certain types of pavers are specified for low volume traffic, while others are specifically designed to be able to handle high volume traffic.

Suitable types of pavers

When paving a driveway, you’ll need to use thicker pavers than you would if you were just paving an outdoor area, as obviously the driveway will be carrying heavier loads.

If your driveway will be carrying pedestrian and light vehicle traffic, pavers that are 50mm thick will usually be just fine. For larger commercial areas or multi-dweller residential driveways, you should only use pavers of 60mm in depth or above on your driveway, to ensure they can withstand the weight of many vehicles and the heavier wear and tear that will be placed upon them.

Paving material

You can pave your driveway with a few different paving materials, such as stone, brick or concrete pavers. There are multiple pros and cons for each different type, but when you drill down to the bedrock of the question, concrete pavers are an ideal choice for driveways. This is because they are structurally very solid and durable, are cheaper than other types of paving material and come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, colours, textures and finishes,

allowing you to create whatever look and feel you want in your driveway. They are also very low maintenance, fairly simple to install and easy to replace in the case of damage (just make sure you keep some extras around for quick and simple replacements). You’ll just have to seal them to ensure they stay looking good for a long time, and give them a light cleaning every now and then.

Pavement systems

What’s more, concrete pavers come in segmental interlocking paving systems, such as these you’ll find here: that lock together to enable them to withstand heavy vehicle loading. They are specifically engineered for high volume traffic, and are ideal to use in large carpark areas, hardstands or driveways. These systems will outperform traditional concrete or asphalt pavements, as the greater the turning load applied to them, the stronger they interlock.

So, make sure you choose the right type of pavers for your driveway, and they’ll give you an attractive, durable and functional driveway that will last for years to come.