The first thing people see when they visit you is the driveway. It is an integral part of the appearance of your property, and it can easily increase or decrease its value. If you want your driveway to catch the eye and enhance the worth of your house, it’s crucial to put some effort into its design so it can have an aesthetic appeal. There are many things you can do to make your driveway look beautiful and be practical at the same time.

The good news is that not all types of driveways are expensive, so depending on your budget, you can choose the most suitable driveway. Its price depends on the materials it's made from and the money you have to spend on workers. There are basic materials such as gravel or a more complex one like concrete. Also, some of the driveways can be done fast by one person, while others require many people and more time to be finished.

In my case, I decided to use gravel to build my driveway. I made this decision based on the fact that it is cheap, easy to install and maintain. Also, it's aesthetic matches the style of my house. 

In this article, I made sure to include various options for every budget, so at the end, you will know which one is the best for you.

Concrete Driveway

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When you think of a driveway, you probably see a concrete one behind your eyes. That’s undoubtedly the most common type of driveway you can find. Mostly it is because it can withstand a lot of pressure and is relatively cheap. It has a classic look but is also suitable for modern houses. You can either use concrete pavers or pour concrete directly. The major difference is that the pavers don’t need a curing period and can be used immediately. Its biggest disadvantage is that it can crack, especially during cold weather.

Pros: Relatively cheap Requires low maintenance Durable

Cons: Hard to repair Can crack over time

Block Paving Driveway

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It’s another popular choice that you can see very often in most of the neighborhoods. The main advantage of the paved driveway is that the blocks come in different sizes, types, or colors so anyone can find something for themselves. If anything happens to one block, you can easily replace it with another. However, keep in mind that it is not the cheapest option and it requires skilled people to build it. 

Pros: Comes in various styles and types Blocks can be replaced Can be customized

Cons: Rather expensive Takes time to build

Resin Driveway

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That’s one of the driveways that increase its popularity significantly these days. There are two main resin driveways - bonded and bound. They differ in the method of application. With the first option, you lay out the resin binder on an existing surface, and later you add the aggregate sprinklers on the top. However, with the second one, first, you mix the resin binder and the aggregate stones onsite before applying them on the surface. Because of this, bonded resin driveways are cheaper but less durable than bound resin driveways.

Pros: Highly durable Can withstand heavy loads Resistant to cracking

Cons: Colors may fade Stains

Asphalt Driveway

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If you are looking for a classic driveway that is also budget-friendly, this is a great solution. If properly installed, asphalt is as durable as concrete. However, it is cheaper, and since it is a petroleum product, it’s more flexible and more resistant to cracking. It can be installed quickly and be used almost immediately. Unfortunately, compared to concrete, asphalt surface doesn’t last as long, requires more maintenance and proper care by resealing periodically, and can overheat during the hot seasons.

Pros: Flexible Cost-effective Easy to install

Cons: Overheat Requires regular maintenance

Tarmac Driveway

Image Credits: Binyamin Mellish z Pexels

Tarmac is very similar to asphalt, but those two also vary in many aspects. They are both cheap materials to build a driveway and it's not expensive to install them, because they come in a liquid form. The name "tarmac" refers to a material called tarmacadam and it is more durable and weather-resistant than asphalt. What’s more, it has outstanding adhesion because of its skid resistance. It means you can cross your driveway during heavy snow or rain without being afraid of slipping.

Pros: Highly durable Easy-to-maintain Inexpensive

Cons: Can be damaged by diesel, petrol, or automotive oils Not UV resistant

Gravel Driveway

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You can most often find gravel driveways in rural areas, but they’re currently gaining popularity in urban ones too. They’re made of loose stones and are one of the most economic driveways available on the market. You can use any stones, from bigger ones like pebbles to tiny ones such as grains of sand. The main advantage of a gravel driveway is that it can last long since cracks are impossible to happen. They’re also hot and cold resistant. However, the biggest downside is that they require regular maintenance for optimal driving conditions.

Pros: Last long Inexpensive Come in different sizes and shapes

Cons: Require regular maintenance Weeds can easily grow

Crushed Concrete Driveway

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The crushed concrete driveway is one of the most eco-friendly options on this list. It’s due to the fact that this driveway is made from materials used in other construction projects. Those materials are not biodegradable, and that’s why they are first deposited in a landfill and later recycled. Thanks to that, you can have a reused driveway that costs a fraction of what a normal driveway does. Besides being cheap and environmentally friendly, it also has a unique design that stands out.

Pros: Eco-friendly Cheap Has a unique design

Cons: Can be difficult to drive on Requires regular maintenance

Stone Driveway

Image Credits: Peter H from Pixabay

There are almost limitless possibilities to build a natural stone driveway. Due to their different sizes, styles, or variety of colors, you can have any shape of a driveway you want. As in the case of gravel driveways, stone ones are most common in rural areas but are also becoming more and more popular option in the cities. After the gravel, stone driveways are the second inexpensive option to choose among various others materials. Furthermore, it’s also cheap to install and easy to maintain the stone driveway. The major downsides are that it’s easy to kick stones out of the way, and they're not as convenient to drive on.

Pros: Varied options Cost-effective Easy to install and maintain

Cons: Stones can displace Not convenient to drive on

Natural Driveway

Image Credits: David Mark from Pixabay

Sometimes less means more, and it certainly applies to the driveways too. If you live in the woods or any other natural area, the last thing you want to do is lay asphalt or concrete. In that case, you would rather keep that natural appearance to match the style of your unique place. Just make sure to harden the driveway and get rid of anything that could prevent you from driving it smoothly. This option doesn’t cost almost anything but brings a lot of style to any natural terrain.

Pros: Very inexpensive Highlights the natural appearance Easy to make

Cons: Requires maintenance and cleaning Not that easy to drive on

Grass Block Pavers 

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If you want your driveway to look more interesting and green, grass block pavers are what you are looking for. They’re usually made of concrete or recycled plastic with holes inside to grow the grass. Thanks to them, your driveway will be not only beautiful but also eco-friendly. It’s because they reduce stormwater runoff which is one of the biggest sources of water pollution. They also don’t get very hot, so the area above them will be colder during the summer. However, since they have grass, you will need to maintain them like the lawn, which means getting rid of weeds, watering, and cutting.

Pros: Eco-friendly Very pretty Reduce stormwater runoff

Cons: Expensive Require regular maintenance

My Favorite Driveway Is...

Whether your house is located in the city or outside of it, the driveway has a huge impact on its overall appearance. Just because it has to be practical, it doesn't mean it has to be boring. On the contrary, there are many ideas to make it catch the eye. You can build it using different materials, such as concrete, asphalt, resin, and many more. It can have a classic or flashy appearance, be colorful or toned down, expensive or cheap. It’s totally up to you! We made sure to put various driveways types so anyone can find something for themselves. 

Let us know in the comment section below which driveway caught your eye the most, and as always, please share!