Driveway Maintenance Tips For Long-Lasting Surfaces
Driveway maintenance is one of the most important things you can do for your outdoor space. Not only does it help keep your driveway in prime visual condition, but it also supports longevity, safety, and helps avoid costly repairs.
Maintenance can vary depending on the type of driveway you have, as each material has different needs. As a leading driveway installer, Ideal Building & Landscapes knows that the installation is just the first part of the process; maintenance is what ensures the longevity and aesthetic appeal of your driveway over time.
In this post, we are sharing our best driveway maintenance tips for different materials, ensuring you can prolong the life of your outdoor spaces and maintain their appearance for longer.
Know What You’re Working With: Driveway Materials & Their Needs
Driveway maintenance will vary based on the kind of driveway you have. The surface determines not only the level of maintenance needed, but what can be done to prolong the life of the driveway, as well as the best actions to take during the year.
To determine the best course of action for driveway maintenance, you need to understand the needs and vulnerabilities of each material:
Resin Driveways
While resin driveways are considered one of the most durable and therefore long-lasting, as this is a hard-wearing material, they do have vulnerabilities that can hinder maintenance.
Resin driveways are often easy to maintain as they are stain and weed-resistant; however, failure to perform proper driveway maintenance on time can lead to issues. If you do not care for stains, spills, or debris in time, you may see stains on your resin driveway, which can be harder to remove. Harsh chemicals should be avoided with most driveways, due to the fact it can lead to fading or discolouration, even with durable resin driveways.
Another issue with resin driveways can begin during installation if the foundation has not been properly repaired. Over time, the sub-base can move, which leads to hairline cracks and surface damage. This is one of the Most Common Mistakes In Driveway Installation and can be avoided by working with professional driveway installers, like our team.
Block Paving Driveways
Block paving driveways are a great option for traditional properties because they offer timeless visual appeal. Each paving block is installed individually, which allows for custom designs and patterns. While this makes block paving driveways suitable for a range of properties, it does mean driveway maintenance is more complex for these surfaces.
Weeds can grow between the joints of block paving driveways over time. Without the right driveway maintenance, this can lead to movement of the blocks and shifting in the surface. This can become more of an issue due to joint sand moving or being washed out over time.
As with all driveways, moss, algae, and general debris can lead to stains and fading of the surface over time.
To learn more about block paving driveways and why these may be the best choice for you, see our post Block Paving vs. Resin Driveways: A Guide for Your Home
Tarmac Driveways
Tarmac driveways are one of the most affordable options for your home, and their simple appearance makes them suitable for a range of properties. Like resin driveways, tarmac is also a hard-wearing surface that can withstand the test of time with the right driveway maintenance.
Despite this durability, it is important to note that tarmac driveways are vulnerable to cracking and damage, especially due to freeze-thaw cycles. Extreme weather conditions are an issue for tarmac driveways, as they can also soften or become indented in high heat or sun exposure.
Gravel Driveways
Gravel driveways are ideal for large outdoor spaces and traditional properties, but they require a lot of driveway maintenance to keep them looking their best.
The loose stones provide the visual appeal of these surfaces, but also can be displaced, scatter throughout your landscape and lead to bare spots over time. As the stones move, you can experience dips or ruts in high traffic areas.
Like with block paving driveways, weed growth can be an issue for gravel surfaces without the proper driveway maintenance.
Understanding the vulnerabilities of your chosen driveway can make it easier to arrange and perform driveway maintenance. With this knowledge, you can target the problem areas and ensure that your driveway remains in prime aesthetic and structural condition.
To determine which driveway is best for your home and lifestyle, see our post What Is The Best Driveway Material For My Home?
Driveway Maintenance Tips For Enhanced Aesthetics And Longevity
Now that you understand the vulnerabilities and issues that each driveway material presents, it is time to plan your driveway maintenance routine. While most surfaces can benefit from simple cleaning, such as sweeping the surface and removing debris, other forms of driveway maintenance may be more specialised based on the material.
Resin Driveways Maintenance: Low-Maintenance Care For Lasting Results
Resin driveways are primarily low-maintenance due to the durability of the material, but they can benefit from some driveway maintenance, such as:
- Regular Sweeping: As we have mentioned, sweeping is essential in all forms of driveway maintenance as it prevents organic debris built-up. Failure to do this regularly, especially during the autumn and winter, can lead to rot and stains, especially if left unattended for a long time.
- Light Rinse Or Pressure Washing: For the more stubborn stains, or to remove seasonal dirt, rinsing your resin driveway with a hose or the lightest setting on a pressure washer can go a long way. This can help maintain the colour, shade and overall condition of your driveway, and only needs to be done occasionally for best results.
- Check Drainage: Resin driveways are permeable, and this can be enhanced with additional drainage installations. To ensure these continue functioning effectively, preventing flooding and water runoff issues, drainage should be checked regularly. To learn more about permeable driveways and how they work, see our post Everything You Need To Know About Permeable Driveways.
Block Paving Driveway Maintenance: Prolonging The Timeless, Custom Style
As block paving driveways are installed using individual paving blocks or slabs, there are specific driveway maintenance tasks required to enhance their appearance and longevity:
- Joint Resanding: Sanding the joints is essential for the stability and longevity of your block paving driveway. This part of the driveway maintenance process should be done every one to two years, and requires specialist kiln-dried sand, which will need to be brushed back into the joints to fill in gaps. Avoid pressure washing block paving driveways, as this will remove too much sand.
- Weed Removal: The gaps between paving slabs can lead to weed growth, even if a weed-resistant membrane has been installed as a sub-base. Most homeowners with block paving cannot avoid this driveway maintenance task, but care is needed to prevent removing too much sand along with the weeds and causing the blocks to become unstable. Use a gentle weed remover or hand pull weeds when they first appear to prevent them from becoming too big an issue.
- Reset Stones Promptly: Any sunken or misaligned blocks should be reset immediately, as this can lead to complete structural instability or even the collapse of your surface. Repairs are often cheap and easy to do, especially when working with a professional paving company like us, and therefore should not be avoided.
Tarmac Driveway Maintenance: Simple Routines For Longevity
Tarmac driveways are a popular option due to the fact that they are affordable and hard-wearing. A lot of the driveway maintenance needed for these surfaces is similar to resin driveways, such as sweeping and stain removal, with additional sealing for longevity:
- Driveway Sealing: Tarmac driveways need to be resealed every three to five years to prolong the visual appearance and support longevity. Sealing can be done independently or by a professional driveway company, like us. There are various sealants available, but most will restore the colour of your driveway and protect the binder to ensure it maintains its structure for longer.
- Minor Crack Repairs: While tarmac driveways are hard-wearing and durable, small cracks may appear over time through wear or heavy traffic use. If you do notice any small cracks in your tarmac driveway, these should be filled immediately to prevent water penetration and flooding.
Gravel Driveways: Regular Sweeping For Lasting Visual Appeal
The loose stones of gravel driveways mean that driveway maintenance needs to be done more regularly with these surfaces than with any other:
- Regular Raking: Raking is a vital part of gravel driveway maintenance, and it needs to be done regularly. In most cases, weekly or fortnightly is more than enough to keep your surface level. This not only supports the visual appeal of your driveway, but also makes it easier for parking and vehicle movement.
- Stone Top Up: While regular raking can keep your gravel driveway level, stones will need to be replaced over time. If you notice large gaps in your gravel driveway, invest in new stones. This should be done at least once a year, but it may be needed earlier in high-traffic areas.
- Early Weed Removal: As the stones shift, weeds can begin to grow in between. Like with block paving driveway maintenance, weeds need to be removed early to avoid shifting the sub-base and damaging the surface. Weed killers can also be used on the surface to prevent future growth.
Conclusion
Driveway maintenance is vital for all outdoor surfaces. Not only does maintenance keep your driveway looking good and support kerb appeal, but it also ensures longevity.
The kind of driveway maintenance needed will vary based on the kind of surface you have. Each driveway has its own vulnerabilities and requirements. To help you find the best driveway for your home or lifestyle, see our post Types of Driveway Materials: Choosing the Best Option for Your Home.
Working with professional paving companies, like Ideal Building & Landscapes, can also make this choice easier.
Contact Us Today
To learn more about driveway maintenance or our services, please contact the team today.
FAQs
How often should I clean my driveway?
Most driveways can benefit from a light sweeping weekly and a deeper clean every 6–12 months. Not all driveways can support pressure washing, so make sure you understand the requirements of your surface before cleaning.
Do resin driveways need sealing?
No, resin-bound driveways typically do not require sealing; however, they can benefit from simple driveway maintenance, such as regular cleaning to maintain appearance.
What’s the best way to stop weeds on a block paving or gravel driveway?
To stop weeds on block paving and gravel driveways, you should perform routine sweeping of the surface, or raking for gravel driveways. If you notice weeds, ensure a prompt removal using gentle weed killers or hand pulling. Make sure to avoid shifting the stones or joint sand during this process.
