Driveway, cement or larges flat stones?

Question

I bought my home a liitle over ten years ago. I've started redecorating inside and I want to redo the driveway. It' a horrible mess. I was thinking doing asphalt being that it's cheaper. When I saw this house that had these earth tone colored flat stones as the driveway. Can you give me some tips? It's the average size,half is cement and the other half is grassy. I'm trying to stay within a single parent budget.

Answer 1

put down plastic to keep weeds from coming up then sand then the flat stones . check out wal-marts,Lowe's,home depot,Menard's they carry that stuff and garden shops landscape stores. prices are pretty much the same. But don't forget then you wont have anyplace to jake up the car to change a flat or change oil. And the best part is the grand kids cant write with caulk all over the place. Plus you can do a bit at a time Its cheaper than you think but of course you gotta do the Work

Answer 2

If you have a contemporary style home,then asphalt would probably look better. If yours is an older,cottage,victorian, or colonial style then the large flat stone would look very charming and enhance the curb appeal. However, stones and bricks for a driveway may require a lot more maintenance than asphalt,weeds will find their way throught the cracks and weather and ground settling may cause upheavals or sinkage. If you enjoy this type of yard work and it goes with the style of your home,my vote is for the stone pavers. I really love the look of brick paved driveways,too.

Answer 3

If the grass would be beneath your car you shouldn't go that route. Regularly parking a car on grass is one of the worse thing you can do to a car. If you live where snow-removal or frost-heave is an issue any sort of loose stone would be a poor choice. Interlocking paving stones would be good but way more expensive than asphalt

Answer 4

Get some brick cleaner from a builders merchant. Apply it neat with a paintbrush. The cement will start to fizz as the acid dissolves it. Wash it off with plenty of clean water. Make sure you wear eye protection and gloves There is an environmentally friendly product if you want to be green, however it is dearer.

Answer 5

Hi cheap right? We have a home too & cheap is our kind of talk.

The cheapest we've found that is also hard working is rock dust--you pack it down & it stays "solid" it does need some raking & care over the next few years too though.

As well, as stones--crushed rock--its a "country" look but it sure as heck is cheap. Good luck. & it looks nice. If you are an east coaster--granite is cheaper or slate.

Answer 6

Don't go with asphalt, it looks horrible.

Concrete driveways really don't cost that much. If you want the look of stone you can always color and stamp the surface.

Answer 7

Stone does shift but it lends itself to patchwork repairs and will resist freeze/thaw damage. The earth has to be pounded to give a flat foundation that will give any kind of durability and to prevent the stones from sinking. Pound the earth with one of those stomp machines. Lay sand. Pound again. Lay stones and fill in the gaps with sand.

Answer 8

stone will cost a ton, cement will be cheaper, asphalt would be cheapest but doesn't look as nice.

Answer 9

Do the asphalt. Less maintenance and cheaper then concrete.

Answer 10

Check out diy.com they had something about using stones was better than concrete on on of their shows a few months back. Succcess with your project!