Damaged Gravel Driveway? 4 Reasons To Replace It With Concrete

A well-kept gravel driveway can be a thing of understated beauty, but unfortunately, keeping a gravel driveway in good condition over the years can be a real challenge. Erosion, weed growth, and underlayment damage can all turn a once-pristine gravel driveway into a tatty eyesore.

If your gravel driveway has seen better days, it may be possible to repair it, but you should also consider having it replaced with a new, concrete driveway. Concrete driveways have numerous advantages over gravel driveways and can be a fine addition to any home.

Minimal Maintenance

Gravel driveways require a lot of maintenance, which can be both back-breaking and time-consuming. At the very least, you need to level the gravel regularly using rakes or shovels, use weedkillers to control weed growth and periodically add more gravel to repair erosion and potholes.

Concrete driveways are far easier to live with and require minimal maintenance. The solid, continuous surface prevents weed growth and is far more resilient to erosion caused by rainfall and localised flooding. Using a pressure washer or stiff-bristled broom to remove moss and dirt is all you need to do to keep a concrete driveway looking new for years.

Exceptional Durability

Gravel driveways are not known for their durability, and can be badly damaged by wet weather, frequent use or particularly heavy vehicles. The underlayment that helps to control weed growth can be particularly fragile and will tear or puncture easily if it is exposed due to gravel loss.

Concrete driveways boast the same toughness and longevity as any other concrete structure and can be expected to last for decades without the need for major repair work. Their tremendous load-bearing strength can withstand the heaviest vehicles, and the fragile underlayment is completely protected by the concrete. If an ageing concrete driveway does start to crack or spall, it can usually be repaired relatively easily using quick-set fillers.

Minimal Dust

Gravel driveways create a substantial amount of dust, especially during the drier months. This dust can damage your vehicle's paint job and can make your home harder to keep clean if it finds its way indoors. To control gravel driveway dust, you will either need to keep it wet or use expensive, dust-suppressing binders.

Concrete driveways create far less dust than gravel driveways, even after many years of use. Replace your gravel with concrete, and you may notice that your vehicle(s) and home are magically easier to keep clean.

Surprisingly Attractive

You might be reluctant to replace your gravel driveway with concrete because plain concrete can look rather drab. However, most concrete driveway installers now offer a range of decorative concretes, which can rival the finest gravel driveways in terms of looks.

Your new concrete can be dyed a wide range of colours for a more distinctive appearance, and decorative aggregates (such as river stones or glass beads) can be added to the concrete mix to create a more visually interesting driveway.

Imprinted concrete is also becoming increasingly popular. Before the concrete fully hardens, special stamps are used to imprint 3D designs into the concrete's surface. This process can be used to create concrete driveways that closely resemble expensive brick or block paved driveways.

Reach out to a local service, such as Maybury Group, to learn more.