With summer slowly drawing to a close our thoughts begin to winter and the cooler weather that’s on the way. Using time wisely in Autumn is key and one of the main things that people decide to do is transform and breath some new life into driveways. A driveway is not the most exciting thing but it is often the first thing that a neighbour friend or family member will see when visiting a home. Spending time & money to improve your driveway is exactly what this article is here to help with. Below are some things that you should think about when it comes to redesigning and transforming your driveway.
What materials should you use?
Deciding on the materials to use for your driveway can be tough, the biggest thing that you will need to decide on is what type of aggregate will you be using for the main section of your driveway. There are many different options out there and spending time to research the options in detail is key. Two of the main types of aggregate that most people choose is gravel and granite. Two very similar looking forms of aggregate but very different in quality durability and value. So what exactly are these two types of aggregate?
What is red granite?
Red Granite is one of the most versatile and durable types of aggregate that is out there. Producing rich deep reds when wet and also chalky prominent pinky/reds when dry, making it a perfect choice for many driveways. Aside from the look of Red Granite it also requires little to no maintenance so once your driveway has been completed with the granite you are good to go. Commonly referred to as Lanark Red, red granite chippings are sought after types of aggregate and will bring quality to your driveway!
There are many different sizes to choose from when you are looking into aggregate for a driveway & some of the main sizes that you will come across are 20mm, 14mm & 10mm. We strongly recommend that you seek out samples of the aggregate you are considering prior to ordering. The last thing you want to do when redoing a driveway is to order all of the aggregate only to realise that it was not exactly what you were after.
What is red gravel?
Whilst red gravel will resemble the look of other types of aggregate such as Lanark red granite it is important to note that gravel refers to a range of loose aggregate and rock fragments. This means that the sizes can sometimes vary drastically meaning that your driveway could look a bit off. The usual colour of gravel is a dark grey colour and because of this gravel must be coloured to resemble the reds produced by red granite. Over time, gravel can go through some discolouration and to some, it is often seen as inferior to the likes of red granite.
What else is needed?
Whilst choosing the right aggregate for your driveway is the main part of any transformation there are also some other things that you should think about. One of which is green space; a nice thing to do with driveways is to have deep red aggregate running through the certain of fresh grassy areas, this also gives you the opportunity to plant and add flowers to the green areas as and when you see fit.
Calculate the cost of your project!
Taking time to calculate the cost of your project is vital – Project costs can easily spiral out of control – if you are not actively checking and have not planned the budget for your driveway. Calculating Gravel and also Calculating any Aggregate that is needed for your project is key. There’s a range of tools online to help you calculate your materials needed providing you with an accurate cost that you can then forecast the entire cost of your driveway project.
We hope that you have taken some valuable tips away from this article and look forward to seeing the driveway renovations that you come up with over the Autumn period.