When was the last time you took a good, hard look at your driveway?
Even though both you and your guests encounter it every day, your driveway is one of the most overlooked aspects of your home’s curb appeal. Today may be a good day to walk outside and take note of any cracks, holes, weeds, or repairs needed. After all, today’s minor problems could turn into big headaches tomorrow.
Whether you’re opening your home to potential buyers or cleaning up your new house to welcome guests, don’t overlook the first spot they see. We’ve put together five quick tips that make driveway maintenance easy, no matter what kind of driveway you have. But first, let’s take a look at the different kinds of driveway materials.
4 Popular Types of Driveways
Most driveways are constructed of one of four popular materials: gravel, paving stones, asphalt, or concrete.
Gravel Driveways
Gravel driveways are the most economical to install, but they require the most maintenance. There are many options for type, color, and style of gravel to match any home’s style. However, gravel is also likely to shift, pit, and track through the lawn. Proper maintenance of your gravel driveway can keep it in good shape for years.
Paving Stone Driveways
Because of the amount of labor required, paver driveways are the most expensive to install. However, when installing permeable pavers, paved stone driveways offer the best combination of solid surface and water drainage. This makes pavers an attractive addition to green homes, as they mimic the way the natural land absorbs water and reduce the burden of storm drains.
Asphalt Driveways
When properly maintained, asphalt is smooth, durable, and an attractive feature for your home. However, it does require regular care to make sure that small cracks don’t lead to big crumbles. Wash the driveway regularly with a hose to check for water buildup and small cracks or tears. Spills, such as motor oil, may not affect the look of the driveway, but they can cause deterioration.
Concrete Driveways
Concrete driveways are also an expensive option, but if you have one already, consider yourself lucky. In addition to being one of the more attractive driveway options, they are also generally the easiest to maintain. However, when any flaws do arise, it’s important to take care of them quickly so that you don’t have to worry about replacement before you’re ready.
5 Quick Tips for Easy Driveway Maintenance
No matter the surface material of your driveway, it’s easy to maintain it by:
- Cleaning it properly.
- Filling in cracks and holes.
- Checking the water flow.
- Protecting it at the edges.
- And treating it with care.
Keep reading to learn more about how to maintain your driveway for a longer life.
1. Clean It Properly
Over time, driveways show the same seasonal wear and tear as any exterior feature of your home. For solid surface driveways, treat any stains as they occur to ensure that they’re easy to remove. Pull out any encroaching weeds and treat your driveway to prevent future growth. Power wash or wet clean all but gravel driveways. Sweep, rake, or otherwise remove tree debris that could cause stains, accidents, or future weeds.
2. Fill Cracks and Holes
Examine your driveway carefully for cracks or holes, as well as crumbling concrete, asphalt, or paver stones. Caulk and seal any cracks that you find in your solid driveway. Seal any damaged expansion joints while you’re out there. If you can’t lift them, a concrete resurfacee can help you even out any low spots. For paving stone driveways, replace loose or damaged pavers. For gravel driveways, make sure holes are ruts are filled and the gravel is properly graded and leveled. In addition to making your driveway look nice, this can also help prevent turned ankles, trips, or other injuries.
3. Check the Water Flow
If water puddles in your driveway during the summer, it means that those same puddles will freeze in the winter. Frozen spots in all types of driveways can lead to slips and accidents. In concrete and asphalt driveways, water and ice can also cause damage from cracking. Clear several inches on either side of your driveway to direct water flow. And make sure that the slope of your driveway encourages water to flow in the right direction. Water that flows under your driveway can cause the ground to shift, which can also lead to cracking, pitting, and crumbling.
4. Protect the Edges
Installing edging around your driveway serves several purposes. Brick pavers can help gravel driveways stay in place and prevent gravel from sneaking into your lawn. Rubber gravel or other material with a weed-proof mat underneath helps keep weeds from encroaching on your driveway. This prevents the kind of growth that cracks asphalt or concrete. The additional design element can add to your curb appeal, as well.
5. Treat It with Care
By understanding the maintenance needs of your type of driveway, you can anticipate and prevent need for maintenance in future seasons. For instance, asphalt driveways should be resealed every one to three years, and concrete driveways every three to five years. It’s also important to remember that the salts in de-icers can also cause your concrete to weaken and crack more easily. Instead, use sand for traction through winter weather and plastic snow shovels that will not damage the surface of the driveway.
No matter your surface material, treat it with care over throughout the year to lengthen the life of your driveway.
All real estate is local. In order to make confident real estate decisions, we believe it is important for you to have timely and neighborhood-specific information. If you would like more information about preparing your home for sale, our experts at Beverly-Hanks are here to help. Contact us today to speak with a Beverly-Hanks real estate agent about selling homes and land in Western North Carolina.
Photo Copyright: iriana88w / 123RF Stock Photo
I really appreciate your tip to try and check for any water buildup that might be on your pavement. My wife and I recently moved into an area that gets a lot of rain, and we don’t want any standing water to make damage. I will be sure to check outside after the next rainstorm to see if there is water in any of the cracks!
I wanted to thank you for these tips for maintaining a driveway. It’s good to know that asphalt driveways should be washed regularly with a hose. I’m kind of interested to learn if it should be washed once a month or even more often than that.
I really appreciate your tip on how installing edging can help prevent any gravel sneaking into your lawn. My wife and I have been thinking of getting a new house, and we want to get a big driveway since we have a lot of cars. I will be sure to tell my wife that we should try and find a gravel driveway with edging to protect our lawn!
You mentioned having a professional do the job if the gaps are to damaged. After years, my parent’s driveway has a few joints that need to be sealed. I will call an expert to fix the driveway.
I’m glad that you mentioned that concrete driveways are easier to maintain and some tips on how to maintain your driveway. My family just recently moved into an older home with no driveway and we were thinking about getting one paved soon. I’ll make sure to keep this in mind for when we do get a driveway paved.
Amazing. This highlights how easy the process is.
I liked that you mentioned when properly maintained, asphalt is smooth, durable, and a very attractive feature for your home. My husband noticed, a small crack on our driveway, and we are looking for advice. I will call a professional to help us to fix that crack in our driveway before it turns into something worse.
I appreciated your idea of washing the driveway with a hose to keep on top of cracks forming in the asphalt. I recently repaved my driveway because it had started falling apart pretty bad, but I want it to last a long time now. I’ll probably hire someone to sealcoat it while it’s still fresh, and then just do my best to stop problems before they grow.
Wow… I will definitely be using these tips when trying to maintain my driveway.
Thank you for providing great content. To add value to you and your followers, we’re sharing the important effects of proper sealing on your asphalt: https://limitlessgoldenconstruction.com/asphalt-driveway-sealcoating/
You can make your driveway last longer if you properly maintain it. https://concretecontractorjacksonville.com/
It’s very important to maintenance driveways after installation,. These tips are always top suggested tips. Thanks for your article. Visit us http://columbusconcreteco.com/
Driveway always need to Treat It with Care and if you clean wash it everyday after installation then it will be long lasting driveway. Good maintance will take your driveway in next level. Look at our driveway installation system in our website https://tulsaconcretecontractors.net/
Good article! Standing water on a driveway can lead to repairs in the future! A lot of people do not realize that the surface never fully cures. Yes, it will get to 80% or more. But water can cause cracks and holes. Making sure that the surface water flows off and away from the driveway is important.
It stood out to me when you explained that concrete driveways are one of the easiest types to maintain in addition to being the most attractive. My husband and I just purchased a ranch-style home in the country that currently only has a dirt driveway. Thanks for helping me see why concrete would be a good option to upgrade the driveway soon!
It’s good to know concrete driveways are among the easiest to care for, and that you should address any problems that you may come across as soon as possible. I remember my brother mentioning how he would like to install a concrete driveway so that he has a place to restore the car he inherited from our uncle last week and needs to make sure that the surface will be easy to clean if the vehicle begins leaking. Maybe he should find a pumping service that can help him install a durable driveway.
I really enjoyed your article. I think its really easy to maintain driveways. Thanks for sharing!
This article gives detail about easy driveway and this article shared so much information regarding the same… I enjoyed reading while going through this article and this is the best link for gaining all the information about it.If possible visit this website Earthmovingandcivil.co.nz to gain more idea or tips on the same.
Wow, Really nice tips. I think its really easy to maintain a driveway if we follow some basic steps. Overall good tips and really good article
I think its not that easy to maintain driveway.My driveway is getting cracked and i just cant maintain it. I hope your tips will help me!
Great tips! I think it’s easy to maintain a driveway if we follow those basic steps. It will save both money and time. Overall good tips and informative article.
I found some similar and wonderful tips on – http://www.sandiegoconcreteconstruction.com/
I like how you stated that it is important to carefully examine your driveway for cracks and holes that need repairing. My husband and I just moved into a new home but the driveway pavement is cracking. We will be sure to look for a reputable service that can provide the supplies needed to repave our driveway.
It caught my attention when you said that concrete driveways are the easiest to maintain in addition to being the most attractive. My husband and I have been having trouble deciding what material we want for the driveway of the fixer-upper home we purchased last year. Reading your article made me excited to find a local contractor and discuss the specifics of the project, so thanks for sharing!
Thank you for mentioning how concrete problems should be handled as soon as possible in order to avoid having to replace your driveway. My wife and I are thinking about installing a concrete driveway so that we have plenty of room to repair our car’s engine this summer, but the frequent hailstorms in our area may cause the edges to crack unless the concrete is sealed. Maybe we should find a company that has the supplies needed to keep our driveway in good condition.
I think you are right about how ice can grow in the cracks. I have noticed this in my own driveway and the cracks are getting wider. I’ll have to hire a contractor to fill in the cracks.
I had no idea that concrete driveways were especially easy to maintain. I remember my wife mentioning that she would like to install a concrete driveway. We will look for an expert that can help us set up a quality driveway.
I appreciate your tip to reseal a concrete driveway every three to five years to prevent cracking. My husband and I would like to have a concrete driveway instead of our current gravel one. I’ll start looking for a paving contractor that we can set up recurrent sealing with.
You make a great point about examining your driveway for cracks. My driveway has a huge crack right down the middle. I’ll have to consider getting a contractor to fill in the crack.
I like your tip of using weed-proof mats in the areas around your driveway to keep the weeds away. My wife and I are building a new house currently and keeping the driveway nice is a big priority to us because our last home’s driveway was already bad when we got there. Thank you for the helpful tips on how to keep our new driveway nice!
Love the thoroughness of this article. A little bit about the pooling of water. You know where it pools by the calcium deposit on the concrete. it should leave some white residue on the area that was previously wet. After finding that, you can address the issue of where the water pools up. https://www.concretecontractorsspringfield.com/
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for your driveway maintainance info. I was really worried about my stained concrete driveway as it lost its original color. I had issues with grease and oil but did not know how to deal with it. Your article will certainly help me. Thanks again. Cheers!
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I like how paving stone driveways have the best combination of water drainage and solid surface. That is what I want from my driveway. Something that looks good, but has multiple functions.
I like your repair tips. We have a ton of potholes. I’ll have to hire a contractor to fill the potholes.
It helped when you mentioned that asphalt is durable and smooth and great for households when properly maintained. My uncle mentioned to me last night that he is planning to have their driveway paving fixed due to old age and potholes and asked me if I have any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this informative article and I’ll be sure to tell him that he can consult residential paving services as they can answer all his inquiries and will provide good-quality service.
Thanks for the tips. This is such an informative blog. With these tips said above, I can say that to extend the life of your driveway, treat it with care throughout the year, regardless of the surface type. If you would like to repair your driveway, consult a driveway repair company so you can save your money and your time.
Patricia,
Driveway Repair in Cincinnati, OH
Thanks for helping me understand that asphalt driveways need to be resealed every one to three years. I guess I need to find an asphalt paving contractor that I can hire next year. It’s because it will be our third year of living in this house, and we have asphalt paving that is why I researched about this.
Thank you for the suggestions. This is a really useful blog. With these ideas in mind, I can confidently state that, regardless of the surface type, you should treat your driveway with care throughout the year to extend its life. If you want to repair your driveway, you should hire a driveway repair business to save money and time.
Tricia
drivewayrepairprocincinnati.com/
I just read your blog post about driveways and it was really insightful. I’m sure you’ve heard that people often neglect their driveway because they see it as an unnecessary expense, but the reality is that a well-maintained driveway can do wonders for curb appeal. Thanks again for writing such an awesome article 🙂 https://www.powerwashingkamloops.ca/
I like how you mentioned that the gravel can be suited in any of your home’s styles. My uncle informed me that he intends to have the driveway of their home graveled for a more attractive appearance, and he asked if I had any suggestions. I’ll be sure to remind him that he can consult construction services because they can answer all of his questions and deliver high-quality service, thanks to this enlightening article.
Good write up. We work with concrete company sometimes if we have to locate pipes/drains under our customers existing driveways. We dig them up, and have concrete (or blacktop) companies come in behind us to repair our work. We make sure to work with contractors that do quality work since a driveway is very visible on most customer’s properties. https://www.serviceproplumbing.net/
I like your contractor tips. I need to lay down a new driveway. I’ll have to consider getting a contractor with good reviews to help me.
It’s good to know that gravel driveways can stay intact for years. I would like to replace the driveway with gravel since the concrete one we have is cracked all over the place. I’ll be looking for a supplier from which I can buy gravel in bulk.
I like that this post pointed out that asphalt driveway, when it is properly maintained, is durable and appealing. My wife and I are planning to redo our driveway. After reading your post, I will definitely propose an asphalt driveway to my wife to see if she is game.
It’s great to know that residential asphalt paving would be smooth, durable, and attractive when properly maintained. I will choose this material because of that so my property is nice to look at this year. It has been two years since I moved here, and it definitely need some upgrades now that I have extra money to afford such services this time.
It really helped when you said that cracks on asphalt and concrete can be prevented when we have edging installed around the driveway. I will include that when I hire an asphalt paving company to construct a driveway on our new property. Since we have a limited budget for this project, we want to make sure that we include the important aspects to prevent future expenses.
Great ideas! This will certainly improve anyone’s driveways.
I’m glad you talked that your asphalt paving project would be durable and smooth if maintained properly. My friend informed me the other night that he was looking for an asphalt service that could help pave the parking lot at their clothing company because of cracked and damaged parts. I appreciate this article for helping me understand that asphalt paving can help with those issues. I’ll tell him that consulting can provide more details about the process.
As a property owner responsible for maintaining my driveway, I found the article “Easy Driveway Maintenance” by Beverly-Hanks to be a useful resource. The article provided practical tips on how to keep a driveway in good condition, such as regular cleaning and sealing to prevent debris and water damage. The article also addressed common issues such as cracks and potholes, and provided advice on how to address them before they become bigger problems. Overall, this article was helpful in guiding me on how to maintain my driveway and avoid costly repairs. Thanks for sharing this. KEEP IT UP!!!!
Thank you for mentioning that while you’re out there, you should seal any damaged expansion joints. Concrete resurfacing can help you level up any low places if you are unable to raise them. My sister claims that her driveway is deteriorating. I’ll advise her to have the driveway paved so that the cracked surface is covered.