No More Dull Driveways
by Ondine Brooks Kuraoka

Your driveway is a big part of the “face” of your house. And now there are more ways than ever to give your home a facelift byupdating that tired gray welcome. From economical to historical to environmental, here are some of the latest driveway trends.

Concrete
There’s no reason to go with plain gray anymore; concrete trends have become stylishly versatile. According to Rick Gardella, President of Concepts in Concrete Construction, Inc., in San Diego, “There’s been a big trend towards restoration rather than to remove and replace.” Gardella explains that if the concrete is structurally sound without any major cracks, lifting or separation, there are a variety of restoration options, often providing a more economical choice than demolition.
Coatings, stains and micro-toppings can be applied to the existing concrete for a fresh look. The toppings can be broom-swept in endless design variations which also create a non-slip surface. Thin-set toppings and stains can be imprinted or textured to look like rock, marble, stone, tile or slate. The toppings can also be applied as borders and artistic patterns.
Gardella says, “There’s maintenance involved whenever you do decorative or architectural concrete; you have to apply a sealer every couple of years, which is easy enough for the homeowner to do themselves. Also, if moisture gets between the topping and the existing concrete, or if there are sulfates in the soil, the topping might not adhere very well. The concrete surface has to be thoroughly roughed up in order to get a good mechanical bond with any kind of topping.”
Concrete driveway restoration projects are usually completed in a week or less, but may require additional curing time afterwards.

Asphalt
“Ease of construction is a major benefit to using asphalt for driveways,” says David Newcomb, Vice President of Research and Technology for the National Asphalt Pavement Association. “It’s seamless construction; you don’t need joints or joint sealer.” For optimal drainage, as well as matching the original grade into the garage, a pre-existing concrete driveway should be demolished before asphalt installation.
As with concrete, asphalt can be patterned and colored in a variety of ways.

Paving Stones
Paving stones offer many benefits for driveway remodels. Carl Sexton, owner of Brothers Pave Stone in San Diego, says “Properly installed, pavers will last indefinitely. As with the paving stones on the streets of Europe, they can last hundreds of years.” The flexibility of paving stones is another attraction. “If you ever need to get underneath the pave stone to deal with a tree root or fix a sprinkler line or utility line, you can lift the pavers, do what you need to do, and put the same stones back in place.”
There are many beautiful pave stone varieties which mimic the look of natural stone, cobblestone, brick or tile. The rough-cut stone style is one evolving trend, with more people seeking an organic, natural look. For a seamless, stylish flow from the driveway, pavers can be installed as a walkway to your front door.
Another advantage to paving is that projects can be completed in phases. “You can do your driveway now and if you fall in love with your pavers, you can do your patio, walkways or pool deck at a later date,” Carl says. “With the uniformity of the pave stones, it won’t look like it was done at different times.” Driveway pave stone projects generally require seven to ten days, with no curing time involved.

Go green with porous paving
Porous paving allows rainwater to filter through the product itself and return to ground water supplies. On an impervious concrete or asphalt surface, automobile drippings, hydrocarbons, brake dust and oils build up. Then the rains come and these pollutants are washed into the gutters and storm sewers and, ultimately, to creeks, rivers and reservoirs. The toxic materials then have to be removed from the water supply.
“With porous paving, the pollutants get naturally absorbed and decomposed by organic bacteria before they reach the water table,” says Dustin Glist, Media and Information Director of Invisible Structures. “You can’t dump a 50-gallon drum of gasoline and expect it to be cleaned, but in moderate amounts, these toxins are cleaned and returned to the water’s natural hydrologic cycle.”
Grasspave 2 is made from 100% recycled high-density polyethylene plastic, which is stronger than a comparable amount of concrete due to compression. And because it’s a grass system, it cools the ambient air temperature.