Driveway Width recommendation, etc

[bimmer1980]

Looking for some input on driveway width. See picture of the garage. I will be putting in a driveway from the existing driveway up to the two doors centered under the gable. The door on the far left is just workshop access and will not have a driveway place to it.

How wide would you recommend for the driveway? Overall width of the garage is 29'. Each door is 10'.

I was originally thinking concrete, but now I'm thinking about asphalt.

I have a call into a paving company. Recommendations on things to ask?

Since I will be potentially running a skid steer and a forklift on it, the driveway needs to be rated for heavy use.

 

[BassProCamaro97]

Check with your local city/village,township etc..They should have recommended minimums for thickness and they could have possible maximums for driveway width. I work for a municipal engineering dept and we go through this stuff all the time.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If it were mine and I was going to run a skid steer on it, I'd want concrete. I'd be pissed if I turned on the black top and took out a chunk during the heat of the summer

How much can you afford ? I'd rather spend a little more for an extra yard of concrete now than to wish the drive was a foot wider later. You can always taper it to be wider close up by the garage.

 

[kbs2244]

Check out

http://www.allaboutdriveways.com/

 

[Chaznsc]

Never put asphalt down when you are using a fork lift. Ever.

I would pour it 1 foot wide either side of the door openings.

 

[TerryH]

I actually laid garden hoses where I "thought" I needed the driveway to be to my shop and then drove in between them to make for sure I could get in and out of the doors without trouble etc... You probably want more space than you realize. I did asphalt. It's 3" - 4" thick over a well prepped and compacted red clay topped with gravel base. Has held up great for 8 years. Not sure that I wouldn't vote for concrete as others have suggested if I was going to have a fork lift on it though. I have 10,000+ sq.ft. of driveway and the price difference between the asphalt and concrete was pretty significant.

I can/do drive past the shop and turn around in my back field so I don't need to turn around at the shop. You might need a turn around space on yours. I would have the driveway go up to the workshop door if it were me. That would also provide a solid surface outside the man door.





Drive up to the house...



Parking/turnaround space in the front driveway with view out to the street...

 

[NUTTSGT]

That's not a driveway Terry, that's a street !!

 

[TerryH]

That's not a driveway Terry, that's a street !!

Well, yes, it is kinda. Really nice for dragster test hits.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Electric Avenue ?

 

[Trey T]

Is there a reason why you would choose asphalt over concrete other than the blending into existing or cost difference?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Is there a reason why you would choose asphalt over concrete other than the blending into existing or cost difference?

In some localities, it's considered temporary and not a hit on your property taxes like concrete.

 

[TerryH]

Is there a reason why you would choose asphalt over concrete other than the blending into existing or cost difference?

Concrete bid was $23k. Asphalt was $10k. I really wanted the concrete but just couldn't pony up the cash.

 

[TerryH]

In some localities, it's considered temporary and not a hit on your property taxes like concrete.

The tax Nazis in Arkansas nail you either way.

 

[TerryH]

Electric Avenue ?

lol...Yes. That.

 

[bimmer1980]

Thanks guys, interesting comments.

I have driven the forklift down the rock driveway.... That is a treat. It has a tendency to just sink in... I've been dumping the mortar mix remains and washing it into the stone. That has helped in the short term.

The rest of the existing driveway is asphalt. In driving the forklift on that, it has held up nicely. The concrete trucks and tri-axle dump trucks have made some slight depressions in the asphalt. That part may get cut out when I put the drive way in....

Since this faces north, I was thinking the darker color of the asphalt would help with snow melt off.

If I go with concrete, I would like to get it tinted a charcoal grey.

Continued input on what you have done is welcomed.

 

[LXCam]

I've got over 12Ksqft worth of driveway and parking area. Mine is a minimum of 18ft wide at the most narrow point but the majority is wider upwards of 26ft. This was intentional so someone could park along the parameter and not block a drive path. Also because none of it is straight it makes getting trailers in and out of the back of the property much easier. I did mine all in concrete and even with me self performing there wasn't anything cheap about it.

 

[Two Speed]

I'd go as wide as possible. If you need to park a couple vehicles side by side on the driveway, room to open doors, get out of the vehicle without having to step on grass/mud.
I'd also pave to door 3. You say you got a forklift, that means the more flat space you have to operate and place loads temporarily, the better. Plus, you never know what you might want to do in the future. If it was mine, I'd go three wide the full length + wide enough to the right so somebody can get out of a vehicle without breaking an ankle in the process.

Alex.

 

[bigcreek]

Somebody on this thread mentioned to "never drive a forklift on asphalt" but I don't know why because we have driven multiple forklifts and other heavier equipment on our asphalt parking lot for years and has not hurt it a bit. no ruts or anything.

 

[Trey T]

Your asphalt is as strong as the foundation, the soil beneath. If your foundation is stable, then your asphalt should be stable, so there's no reason you can't drive your folk lift on it.

With that being said, asphalt is a completely animal than reinforced concrete. Concrete is a ton more durable than asphalt. Long term, I believe concrete is a much better investment.

Seriously, I wouldn't even mess around with asphalt. Concrete already a cheap product and a low-end look ... Why even touch asphalt?

 

[bigcreek]

"concrete already a cheap product"? Hardly! That mud is expensive!

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

29', minimum. I can't stand when the sides of the driveway are even with the edge of the overhead door, you always seem to be stepping out into grass/yard in those situations.

 

[Trey T]

"concrete already a cheap product"? Hardly! That mud is expensive!

Geez ... you know what I mean- the over all application (material + labor).

Everyone know the mud, or the Portland cement w/ aggregate mix, is expensive but comparing to the labor of laying down stone or pavers (the Bentley of driveway), it's a relatively cheap application overall.

If driveway is a hand tool, asphalt would be the HF Pittsburge, concrete would be the Craftsman Pro, and paver/stone would be Snap-On.

The OP has a really nice looking garage (exterior as shown); however, if you don't really care about the look of the overall property and don't mind the periodic maintenance (potential repair) or replacement over its shorter life (compare to concrete), asphalt is the perfect choice.

 

[LXCam]

Geez ... you know what I mean- the over all application (material + labor).

Everyone know the mud, or the Portland cement w/ aggregate mix, is expensive but comparing to the labor of laying down stone or pavers (the Bentley of driveway), it's a relatively cheap application overall.

If driveway is a hand tool, asphalt would be the HF Pittsburge, concrete would be the Craftsman Pro, and paver/stone would be Snap-On.

The OP has a really nice looking garage (exterior as shown); however, if you don't really care about the look of the overall property and don't mind the periodic maintenance (potential repair) or replacement over its shorter life (compare to concrete), asphalt is the perfect choice.

There's a lot to be said about your points. When I bought this house it had a 12ft wide asphalt driveway as was the entire parking area in front of the garage. That stuff was 20yrs old and completely deteriorated. I tried a few times doing a heavy fill seal coat which made it look much better for a couple years each time but it was basically like putting lipstick on a pig. When the wife decided we should scrap the entire front yard and do a major make over obviously concrete was the option. Also throwing away all that asphalt and base wasn't cheap even recycling it.

I built this yard 18yrs ago and other than a couple unaccounted for cracks it still looks great. For me that initial buy in was hard to swallow but am damn sure glad I did. Btw, it's all a 7 sack mix 6" thick and I've had all kinds of activities on it thru the years without issue.

 

[Falcon67]

Concrete. The street here has been here not much longer than our house, so around 1998. The driveway if concrete, no problems. The street is ****. Heavy rock base with asphalt, pot holes that takes a year of begging to get a sloppy patch from the city. Drag strip just had to update the staging lanes. They were asphalt, not concrete. Nothing but maintenance issues since laid in 2003, that part is gone now. Around $9 sq/ft, labor and materials.

Asphalt gets around 145F here in the summer, concrete about 135. Turn a motor home and trailer on the asphalt side of the pits and it'll eat a hole right through it.

I'll take concrete, personally.

 

[Kevin54]

I've had concrete drives and asphalt drives. We chose to take out a concrete drive and put in asphalt for a couple of reasons......One reason is that it is cheaper, and another reason is that it melts snow off ten times quicker than concrete. Getting up in age a little along with bad back, knees, and no shoulder, I can't afford to take a header in the driveway. The same for my wife. Some others around us have concrete drives, and in the winter when the sun shines, it melts just enough to make ice, whereas my driveway will melt off completely and be dry.

I also like the fact that if someone stops by and has an oil leak, the driveway can always be recoated. With concrete, you are stuck with an oil spot.

I have driven many a skidsteer over the asphalt driveway and never harmed it except for a few tire marks. Most come off with a few days of rain, or a good powerwashing. That is the only damage. As far as a forklift, as long as you don't let it set in one place for an extended length of time, you will have no problems. But in hot weather, you let it set, and you will have indentations. The same with a car trailer....you let it set for long, you will have indentations.

So if you have anything that will be sitting on a driveway for very long, go with concrete. But for casual or extended use, with a skidsteer, or a forklift, and you like a nice looking driveway, go with asphalt and recoat it every year or so.

One thing to make sure of, if you have a vehicle that will sit in front of the garage doors, then you want to put in a concrete apron, then asphalt the rest of the driveway. And to insure that the driveway holds up, make sure you have a good base stone down, (I call it junkyard stone as it is about 2"+ in diameter) than add 57's in on top of that and compact REAL good. Over and over while wetting it periodically. Then request that they put down a minimum of 3" of asphalt, and have it rolled over and over to compact it. Once it hardens, you will have no problems at all.

 

[Trey T]

...
So if you have anything that will be sitting on a driveway for very long, go with concrete. But for casual or extended use, with a skidsteer, or a forklift, and you like a nice looking driveway, go with asphalt and recoat it every year or so.

One thing to make sure of, if you have a vehicle that will sit in front of the garage doors, then you want to put in a concrete apron, then asphalt the rest of the driveway. And to insure that the driveway holds up, make sure you have a good base stone down, (I call it junkyard stone as it is about 2"+ in diameter) than add 57's in on top of that and compact REAL good. Over and over while wetting it periodically. Then request that they put down a minimum of 3" of asphalt, and have it rolled over and over to compact it. Once it hardens, you will have no problems at all.

First time I hear someone prefer asphalt look over concrete.

If I have asphalt driveway, I would at least add stone edging or some sort of edging to make it look nice.

 

[bimmer1980]

The input is helpful. I have an asphalt company coming out on Monday to look it over and give me an estimate. She said they are booked through the end of the year.....

At least that will give me a base line estimate.

The comments about pavers are interesting as well.

I did buy a concrete rubber stamp on craigslist awhile back for $125. I have thought about using that, but I believe there is a learning curve there... Not sure I want to experiment on a driveway the first thing out of the gate.... maybe start with the sidewalk....

 

[tomshep]

Concrete gets my vote. If cost becomes a huge issue, I would be tempted to put concrete the size of vehicles likely parked out front. Maybe 20' out. And do the 3rd door. Much more expensive to bring them back.

Tom