Driveway options

[Flyinmonkey]

So I don't like the look of asphalt, and leaning towards brick pavers or concrete slab. I'm in Rhode Island it gets cold and slabs crack. What would you guys recommend I do?

 

[aunsafe2015]

So I don't like the look of asphalt, and leaning towards brick pavers or concrete slab. I'm in Rhode Island it gets cold and slabs crack. What would you guys recommend I do?

Personally I love pavers. I recently did Techo Bloc mista random in the Champlain grey color. Love it and highly recommend it. Don't think I'll ever do another concrete driveway.

 

[Garett]

I have pavers in my back yard, they are full of grass and weeds. Every year I spend days and days trying to get the grass and weeds out from between them. It's like my part time job. Pavers are pretty, and you can DIY. I cannot use chemical grass and weed killers so I'm not a fan.

 

[Flyinmonkey]

Personally I love pavers. I recently did Techo Bloc mista random in the Champlain grey color. Love it and highly recommend it. Don't think I'll ever do another concrete driveway.

That sounds nice, what did you do for a base?

 

[aunsafe2015]

That sounds nice, what did you do for a base?

Mine is permeable, so it was excavated to about 24 inches, then filled with a Geo textile fabric, a coarse gravel, then a finer gravel, and pavers on top with fine gravel brushed in between the pavers.

They compacted the gravel a few different times while putting it in.

 

[like2wheel]

I have pavers in my back yard, they are full of grass and weeds. Every year I spend days and days trying to get the grass and weeds out from between them. It's like my part time job. Pavers are pretty, and you can DIY. I cannot use chemical grass and weed killers so I'm not a fan.

Mine has moss & my wife loves it. I prefer a cleaner look.

If I had my way, I'd pressure wash the joints out & use polymeric sand. Sounds like it might solve your problem.

https://www.sakrete.com/blog/applying-polymeric-sand-to-an-existing-patio-or-walkway

 

[Skiff Builder]

So I don't like the look of asphalt, and leaning towards brick pavers or concrete slab. I'm in Rhode Island it gets cold and slabs crack. What would you guys recommend I do?

Have you looked into "Oil +Stone/ Tar + Chip"? You can do almost any color.
.
Town where I work is real high end. All the multi million $ joints there are going this route with some pavers at beginning and end of drive, Looks really nice.

Skiff Builder

 

[matt_i]

Does a person even dare snowplow a paver driveway?

I don't know, there are none around here. Obviously there are other ways to move snow or just keep driving over it until spring

If I had ultimate funds it would be reinforced concrete and fix a grade/water runoff issue at the same time. I think the price of concrete drives many into asphalt.

 

[Flyinmonkey]

Does a person even dare snowplow a paver driveway?

I don't know, there are none around here. Obviously there are other ways to move snow or just keep driving over it until spring

If I had ultimate funds it would be reinforced concrete and fix a grade/water runoff issue at the same time. I think the price of concrete drives many into asphalt.

I believe they can plow a paver driveway? I could see how a brick could get pulled up if not done correctly.

 

[stm317]

I believe they can plow a paver driveway? I could see how a brick could get pulled up if not done correctly.

Even shoveling snow off of pavers can be a pain. The best method is going at a 45degree angle to the pavers so that the blade can't fall into the seams between the pavers. This should be considered when laying the pavers too. having them laid at an angle, rather than parallel or perpendicular to the flow of traffic should reduce the chances of a plow catching an edge and pulling up a paver. Obviously everything has to be super level. Any dips or humps will cause problems.

Pavers do make it easier to have a heated driveway, so if that's the case maybe plowing or shoveling become less of an issue.

 

[Jo Diesel]

I used to install pavers. Have a brick patio with beautiful half round steps. Weeds grow up through the cracks and the ants are bringing all the sand to the top and its like I have a dirt patio. I used polimer sand and it only lasts so long. Can't use enough pesticide to kill them. Pavers are coming out and I am pouring concrete. Colored high strength and saw cutting then caulking the joints. My approach on my barn is 20 years old and has very few cracks and still looks good.

 

[7echo]

I wanted to do pavers but they are more than concrete here. Since we do not have freeze issues concrete is my first option. However, the water line and a sprinkler line run under the drive way. I am going to put in sections of pavers, maybe 3 or 4 pavers wide, across the drive as 'accents' and 2 of those sections will be across the water line and sprinkler line.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Concrete cracks at the control joints, if you do it right. Stamped concrete is also an option. IMO cost is the only negative to concrete and DIY can make it reasonable.
Pavers are also doable. Labor intensive both on installation and maintenance. Cost is also high. DIY is possible.

Asphalt, chip seal etc. All crack, worse than concrete. DIY isn't really an option.

Gravel. Low cost, some maintenance.

I'd recommend 25-30 FT concrete at the garage end. Gravel from there to the road/street, or do a short section of asphalt to connect.

 

[zak77]

I've built patios out of pavers and although they are DIY friendly and inexpensive, longevity is not their friend. I've seen so many paver patio and driveways that have settled or just look awful because they're not taken care of. Every year i'd have to pressure wash my patio and my grandmothers, then reapply any sand(regular or poly) and then it'd look good again. Then over the summer the ants would bring the sand up causing settling, which then i'd have to pull the pavers and put more sand down. Pesticides did help but was not 100% effective. Honestly, i'd never use pavers for a driveway.

There are very good reasons asphalt is used in the Northeast for roads and driveways, due to the freeze thaw cycle the ground moves a lot. Asphalt is more flexible and forgiving than concrete, and isnt effected by salt. You may not want/like the look of asphalt but i'd stick with it no matter what because you're gonna spend a lot more money on another surface and chances are it wont last as long.

 

[ambenz]

I would do a snow melt slab heat system in concrete and keep the expansion joints caulked with a elastic polymerer.
I would also use a water proofing treatment on the top every 5 years.
The reasons slabs crack is water gets under the slab at the joints and washes away the base and salt causes sprawling on the top.
Maintaining your concrete is critical to keeping it in good condition.
Having the snow melt system isn't very expensive as a extra using pex and a dedicated old boiler or hot water heater.
Wish I knew about all this when I installed 144 feet of concrete driveway in 2002...mine is holding up doing annual maintenance.
Go with stamped pattern and stained concrete if you wish to all a little flare!
Much easier to snowblow if the snow melt system isn't on the wish list.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Pavers can work if the installation is done right so they don't settle. I have a paver sidewalk that was installed around 20 years ago. While it's not a driveway, it's held up pretty well. In just the last couple years a few of the pavers have heaved up a little bit so they can catch on a snow shovel, but that's pretty minor. I've also started to have some issues with weeds growing up in the cracks but again it's not a big deal - a pass over the sidewalk with a weed whacker a few times a year keeps them at bay.


Having said that, my driveway is the same age but is made of concrete. No cracks at all, but again I do have to fight weeds that grow up in the expansion joints.

 

[Jlbc212]

I have pavers on my driveway. They have been in 4 years this year. I easily plow and shovel snow off the pavers (over 12" of snow this morning). They do move a little with the frost, but that hasn't been a problem. I prepared the base with several inches of well compacted stone base (a mix of granite stone dust and small broken stones), topped with about 2" of well-compacted stone dust and another 1" layer of screed stone dust. I also ran a compacter over the pavers and finished with poly-sand in the joints. The edges of the pavers are somewhat rounded. This helps prevent the pavers from getting caught by a plow or shovel. So far I've had no issues with vegetation or ants coming up between the pavers. Asphalt driveways also move with the frost and in time the asphalt will settle wherever and whenever a vehicle is continuously parked in the same space. At my previous house I had a concrete driveway. I haven't seen it in years, but when I lived there I never had any cracks in the concrete. Any driveway or floor is only as good as the base underneath and the skill exercised by the installer. Too many concrete surfaces fail from lack of adequate base prep, watered down concrete and failure to keep the surface damp for an extended period of time (I cover with 4 mil poly for 30 days) after the surface is finished. My present 28x36 garage concrete floor has no rebar or wire mesh and NO cracks.

 

[nes999]

I like my concrete. No cracking issues. I have sealed mine twice in the last 10 years and it still looks like it was recently poured.I have had a paver driveway. They look nice until the weeds hit and the pavers begin to shift under the weight of heavier vehicles.

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[machsnell]

I am a asphalt and concrete contractor we also do lots of pavers.

I have a paver driveway which I inherited with the house.

It's ok. Nice look I guess. I do like it better than all asphalt. If I redid it (which I will) I would probably do a combo of asphalt and pavers.

Big driveway or small?

Pavers get pricey because to do them right they should be set on concrete or asphalt or cement treated aggregate at a minimum. Keeps moisture out of subgrade.

I usually do larger areas on asphalt and smaller on a concrete base. This keeps pavers from getting out of plane.

There is nothing worse than a paver driveway that starts to rut or depress and separate between the pavers. This is what has happened to mine because the previous owners contractor did a lousy job.

Anyway polymeric sand as opposed to natural sand helps with the weeds but you will still get some weeds.

I usually pull the larger ones and weedwack the rest. By summer they slow down.

Concrete is an easier cheaper option. If your worried about cracks make your subgrade super solid and do 5 or 6 inches of 4k and throw some 4 bar in it, space and configure control joints well and you should be good. You can even add a dye to it if you want to dress it up a little. Slightly darker grey or whatever.

Or if you wanted to get fancy do exposed aggregate. If you did that in your climate I would make it so the retarder was sprayed late, thin and removed the following day so only the surface of the stones are visible and most.of the concrete still encompasses the stones.



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[Bigblockyeti]

I like the look of the chip & tar, what's the subgrade process for that? We'll be building soon and just straight gravel is an option but I want something just a bit nicer and ideally still inexpensive.

 

[machsnell]

I like the look of the chip & tar, what's the subgrade process for that? We'll be building soon and just straight gravel is an option but I want something just a bit nicer and ideally still inexpensive.

Strong stone or cta subbase and double or triple shot of crs2 latex modified tack coat and stone of your choosing. Typically a medium sized stone on bottom and up to #8 or 78s on top for a finer surface.

Check quarries for stone samples. They all vary and don't use a sandstone you want a durable dense stone that won't turn to..sand.

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[6768rogues]

I have pavers in my back yard, they are full of grass and weeds. Every year I spend days and days trying to get the grass and weeds out from between them. It's like my part time job. Pavers are pretty, and you can DIY. I cannot use chemical grass and weed killers so I'm not a fan.

I use a blow torch hooked to a 20 lb. propane tank. It gets rid of growth for about a month.

 

[Johnson]

Check out Mike haduck masonry on YouTube. He has lots of videos on concrete, pavers,etc. He is in PA so climate is similar. He has some good footage of Denmark and also, China, where pavers have been used for centuries. Just some food for thought to guide you in your decision. Will the drive have wires or pipes buried under it? If so, pavers would allow easy (easier) access if needed as opposed to a jackhammer. I am contemplating this all myself too. Good luck.

 

[frank001]

So I don't like the look of asphalt, and leaning towards brick pavers or concrete slab. I'm in Rhode Island it gets cold and slabs crack. What would you guys recommend I do?

I would recommend pavers. I have long driveway with pavers and one thing I like is how fast the water drains through the pavers after a rain. If you get snow, I imagine it would help there too. Also. if a paver gets oil stained or cracked it can be replaced without too much difficulty. Have the contractor leave you a few dozen spares.




http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284998&highlight=frank001

 

[77Birdman]

Pavers are fine if they are installed properly. We put them in my parents drive almost 30 years ago and they are still holding up fine. Only problem with those is that the colour has bleached out and they are not as dark as they once were. I think most problems people have with them is DIY installations that are not done properly. I have a concrete drive that's 15 yrs old, I have never done anything but drive on it and it is still in great condition, albeit a couple small cracks from BIG trucks that shouldn't have been on it. We had a chip n tar drive when I was a kid back in the 60's and cant imagine having one now. I am sure the tech. has changed but I remember the tar bubbling through with the summer heat. We would pop the bubbles and make a mess over everything. I don't like asphalt, its fine for a road but not a driveway.

 

[Flyinmonkey]

Thank you for all the input, I have two guys giving me quotes for pavers. And looking for someone for concrete. I'm 50/50 on the two so whatever one is more reasonable I'll go with. I have about 1500 sqft to cover so luckily it not too big. If I go with concrete I will make sure to seal it, and do a cobble apron for either choice.