The driveway is the first thing guests, customers, and clients see when entering your South Bend area home or business’s property for the first time. You can make a good impression by having your driveway and landscape look in top shape. Your driveway also houses you and your guests’ cars, so it should not only look aesthetically appealing but stand up to reoccurring traffic, weather elements and maintain a safe surface.
Different Options When Choosing Driveway Material
There are a variety of options when it comes to picking and choosing materials to use for your driveway. A few of the most common options include:
- Concrete
- Asphalt
- Brick
- Cobblestone granite
- Green lawn
- Recycled glass
- Gravel
Here in South Bend, Indiana, gravel driveways are already popular in rural areas. Due to the advantages they bring, they are starting to become more popular in the suburbs as well. There are many reasons for this. Today we are going to discuss a few.
Benefits of Using Gravel for Your Property’s Driveway
Affordability
Gravel driveways are commonly composed of sand, silt, clay, small pebbles and stones, and inexpensive materials. When laying a path for a long driveway, gravel makes sense because it is far less expensive than its counterparts. According to homeadvisor.com, a gravel driveway costs between $1.25 and $1.80 per square foot. Asphalt driveways cost between $7 and $13 a square foot. The savings alone can make using gravel for your surface a very appealing choice.
Quick installation
Laying a gravel driveway can take less than a week to install. Once installed, it doesn’t have to dry or set. Instead, you can use it immediately.
Easy to Maintain
Like asphalt and other materials, gravel can develop potholes, dips, and grooves; therefore, routine maintenance is required. This includes resurfacing every few years and filling in potholes and dips periodically to prevent them from increasing in size. The amount and cost of these fixes is minimal compared to other driveway materials.
You Can Easily Control Weeds
Putting a weed barrier down under a gravel driveway can significantly lower the number of weeds you have to deal with each year. It can help stop weed growth before they germinate by forming a barrier between the soil and the gravel. It will also prevent deep-rooted weeds from seeding and growing up through the gravel. While it may not completely eliminate weeds, it will help and make things a whole lot easier. To get rid of leftover weeds in your gravel driveway, you can use a weed killer containing glyphosate and hand pull them.
Long Lifespan
A gravel driveway can last for several generations if properly cared for and maintained. In comparison, asphalt is more vulnerable to weather damage and can become cracked over time.
Charming Appeal
Gravel is natural and suits many different styles of homes and businesses. It’s perfect for both rustic and modern architecture and can instantly add curb appeal to any property.
Drainage
Using gravel helps with the natural drainage of water on the driveway. This is because gravel is porous. Gravel driveways allow space for air, water, and even light to run through. Gravel helps to moderate storm runoff keeping debris off the streets and sidewalks. During rainfall, water seeps between the stones to penetrate the ground, helping our entire ecosystem, which is better for the overall environment.
Solutions to the Disadvantages of Using Gravel
There are a few disadvantages to using gravel. The gravel can wash away, it can be hard to clean, difficult to snowplow, and as we mentioned before, like all materials, gravel can develop potholes. Utilizing a weed barrier during installation can help deter weeds from growing, making those that do sprout through much easier to control. Sunken holes and potholes are easy to fix and can be filled in.
Pave Your Way to a New Driveway With Hydroseed Incorporated
Hydroseed Incorporated offers a variety of services for residential and commercial properties located throughout the South Bend area including the installation of gravel driveways. Learn how we can assist you by calling us today. Give us a call at 800-468-LAWN or contact us here. Check our sister company, RZ Sports Turf! Then get to know us personally by following our Facebook page and catching some of our latest projects on YouTube!