Your driveway is an integral part of your home. Not only does it serve an essential function, but it also adds more beauty to the home. That is why you must pay great attention to its construction.
To decide on the material to construct your driveway, certain must be taken into consideration.
In fact, concrete driveways are very popular, but rock driveways are equally gaining more popularity. Since you can’t go for both, it would be ideal to consider the benefits and limitations of each material before you make your choice.
Concrete Driveways
Concrete driveways have been in use for ages. They are smooth and therefore provide hitch-free surfaces for your car to travel on. They also offer attractive covers to your home. Concrete is strong and can last long. However, concrete driveways can easily be stained by oils from your vehicle, and they do not provide adequate drainage. Hence they may create pools of water after rain. The pros and cons of concrete driveways are summarized thus:
Pros
- It has a smooth surface
- Strong and durable
- A low maintenance cost
- Presents a beautiful appearance
- It has an excellent heat reflection property; hence it can be walked on barefooted during summer
- Adds more value to your home
Cons
- Expensive to construct
- You need the service of professionals
- It has low drainage
- Stains require more effort to be removed
- It may crack, and repair is more complicated compared to a rock driveway
- It reflects heat; hence may be too cold to walk on barefooted during winter.
Rock Driveway – Is it a better alternative?
If you are not fully satisfied with concrete, let’s take a look at the features of rock driveways. It might provide a reasonable alternative. Rock comes in different sizes, and you may have different layers of rocks on your driveway. As much as you may choose to hire the service of a professional for the construction of your rock driveway, you can also do it yourself. Here are the benefits and limitations of rock driveways.
Pros
- It is porous, hence has good drainage
- You can do it yourself
- Not usually stained by car oils as stains will be easily washed away
- It is cheaper than a concrete driveway
Cons
- Rocks can be easily displaced
- It lacks the smooth nature of concrete
- It requires regular maintenance than concrete
- Removal of snow during winter may be difficult
Conclusion
Finally, choosing between concrete and rock driveway will depend on your preferences. A rock driveway may be friendlier to your budget compared to concrete. Rock also provides better drainage than concrete, hence with rock driveway, there will be no pool of water around your home.
To sum it up, while concrete requires minimal maintenance, you may need to maintain a rock driveway every year. Concrete is also smooth, looks attractive, though it is more expensive to construct. It also adds more value to your home. Therefore, if you need to sell your home in the feature, a concrete driveway will be of higher value than a rock driveway. However, the choice is yours.
