Thrifty Tips: Driveway - info & advice please

[chakes]

Hi All

I am looking to put in a driveway and need some advice please.

Its quite a large driveway and currently has sand and large stones - was there when we bought the house.

I don't want tarmac - too expensive and I'm just not too fond of it.

I have been getting many different opinions, obviously from the providers of different types of driveways.

1) Tar and chip - quite expensive and very different opinions as to whether any good or not

2) Gravel - nice but have been advised the gravel will move and spread from the cars been driven on it

3) Cobble Stones - no ideas of price but expensive I'd imagine

I love the sound of gravel stones but people have been advising that 804 is the best because its large stones that wont move too much but its pretty ugly!
The nice sound only comes from small stones.

I don't know. I'm so confused.

I priced a Teracrete driveway, my dream, but was quoted €8000!!!

My drive is approx 280m2.

Any advise or suggestions.

[Only]

OK,
I'll start:

804 - this is usually laid on driveways as a base for something else or as a 'temporary' driveway ... my 'temporary' 804 driveway has been down for a number of years ... will eventually get around to putting in a 'proper' surface :-)
Anyways, 804 looks just fine when it is put down first. After a while though it compacts solid where you drive on it and it's a good surface EXCEPT - weeds grow where there is no traffic- and that can be a LOT of places - along the kerbs, corners etc etc. Potholes can also form.
You can easily fill in the potholes but you will have to spray with weedkiller every year, maybe twice.
It dowsn't look pretty though and in my opinion, doesn't look 'finished'

Tar and Chip - this gives a rougher surface than Tarmacadam. It's quite a bit cheaper BUT weeds and grass WILL grow up through it eventually where there is no traffic to prevent it (look at small by-roads where the traffic doesn't run on the middle of the road because it's too narrow - these are always surfaced with Tar and Chip and invaribly have a line of grass growing up the middle, albeit it may not happn for a few years)- still, it's a much better option than the 804 and weeds can be kept under control much easier if you spray as soon as you see them emerging.

Gravel - This is the pebble type thatyou say you like the sound of :-)
This looks lovely but can also be quite expensive depending on which gravel you buy. You will also need a fair depth of it so it doesn't go 'bare' too quickly. The problem with this is that it will spread as you mentioned, however, if it is contained (e it is kerbed etc and has edges, you can re-spread it. You will lose some gravel at your entrance though and you have to be careful that it doesn't spread onto the public road as it could cause accidents as it makes the road 'slippy' and technically you could be sued (worst case sceario!). In orde to overcome this, you sometimes see people putting tar and chip along outside their property wall and across the front of their entrance -this helps but won't solve the problem completey.
One other 'con', if you have kids, they won't be able to ride bikes etc on this, also, while the sound of it is lovely in the daytime it might no be so nice at night when people living there could be coming home late at night and disturbing whoever may be asleep at the time :-)

Cobble Stones - I LOVE these! BUT they are super expensive! More than tarmacadam I think (but stand to be corrected). These look lovely and you can do whatever design you want. In my opinion it looks best with the cobble stone kerbs rather than the normal concrete kerbs. Dirt will accumulate a little in the joints and you will have to power wash every now and then to keep them clean and stop weeds. If they are laid properly they should last years.

Tarmac - there's a reason it's so popular ... in the long run it can work out the cheapest as it lasts a long time and needs little maintainence bar a power wash every now and then.

Personally, when I'm putting in our 'proper' driveway I will probably put in Tarmac even though I am not crazy about it either but it is a lot cheaper than cobble stones (these would e my choice if € wasn't an issue - I have a BIG driveway too!). The other options need too much maintenance for me I'm afraid ;-)

Hope all that helps!!!

[chakes]

THANKS - that is some advise - really very much appreciated.

I kinda like the sound of the grass growing down the middle of the drive - when I was younger I used to always tell my mother that when I had a house I would love there to be a long drive up to the house with grass in the middle...only after thinking about that now!

Perhaps I should go with my early instincts...

..its all confusing especially when a considerable amount of money is at stake!!!

[ark]

I got my driveway done in asphalt.It is similar to tar but a lot tougher it does not melt if we get a very warm sunny day.i would also have loved to have got cobble-lock.The differance in price was two and half the price of asphalt.We are very happy with the job done on our driveway.We did get a very reputable local company to do it.My only advise to give you is make sure its a well known company you deal with.There are a lot of people operating in this field and are very nasty.
i hope this helped

[chakes]

I came across Matcrete - anyone have their drive one with this?

Also - long term, what is the best for the environment?

[Only]

Originally Posted by chakes

THANKS - that is some advise - really very much appreciated.

I kinda like the sound of the grass growing down the middle of the drive - when I was younger I used to always tell my mother that when I had a house I would love there to be a long drive up to the house with grass in the middle...only after thinking about that now!

Perhaps I should go with my early instincts...

..its all confusing especially when a considerable amount of money is at stake!!!

You're welcome. I'm not sure how much it helped though ... there are lots of pros and cons ... good luck with it :-)

PS - don't know anything about Matcrete

[TanTan]

Have tarmac, well worth the money, although moss will grow if drive under shade of trees. But I have grown to not mind the moss. Price of tarmac I would imagine should have gone down from when we did our three years ago.

804 is only a temporary job (in my mind) messy for children, weeds etc.

If u opt for tarmac make sure you get a "professional" company. There is nothing worse than badly laid tarmac. If ur in Galway/Mayo directions ill pm u a company who did three houses in my family and not one complaint.

Good luck with your drive.

[chakes]

Imprinted Concrete?

Anyone ever have this done on their drive or know anything about it?

I've seen it on the following sites:
Matcrete
Procrete
Allcrete

Just wondering if its any good?

And whats the most environmentally sound driveway?

Thanks

[Bubbles74]

Hi, you probably have your driveway sorted at this stage but if not have you considered rubber? There is a factory in Dromiskin Co. Louth that makes all kinds of rubber products in different colours. I first heard about it when I was visiting a friend and she had used rubber crumb under her hedge as kind of mulch. Looked just like stones! They might have something that suits. I plan to use one of their products for a dog run I am constructing and was very impressed with the potential uses for their various products. Well worth a look.

[antiques123]

Use well compacted limestone 804 clause for foundation, then collect large very flat stones from a beach lay them on a bed of concrete on the 804. then brush a dry cement and sand mix into all the gaps and dampen with a garden hose. Very attractive and cheap and easy to maintain.

[Mickey]

Originally Posted by Bubbles74

Hi, you probably have your driveway sorted at this stage but if not have you considered rubber? There is a factory in Dromiskin Co. Louth that makes all kinds of rubber products in different colours. I first heard about it when I was visiting a friend and she had used rubber crumb under her hedge as kind of mulch. Looked just like stones! They might have something that suits. I plan to use one of their products for a dog run I am constructing and was very impressed with the potential uses for their various products. Well worth a look.

I recently read on a link on Owner Builders Network Facebook page that it is a great idea to use old tyres in a foundation. Recent studies though have indicated that there is a toxicity problem with long term health concerns when rubber tyres are shredded/mulched up for use in children's playgrounds. The chemicals remain intact when used whole and if filled with gravel/sand in a foundation add to insulation and waterproofing qualities. Not environmentally friendly the chopped up format though. Just thought I'd mention...

[Babybumpkin999]

I had this company do my paving https://www.drivewaypaving.ie
We went with cobble stones in the end as they had such a good deal it actually ended up the same price as other prices I had for tarmac and I much prefer the cobbles.
I know this is an old thread but just some advice for anyone else who stumbles across it