Are you looking for the available options for paver sealing? In this article, we tell you 5 materials that you can use to pave your driveway.
For a well-finished and aesthetically pleasing exterior, nothing can be left to chance. The paths, in addition to being indispensable for walking inside the garden and comfortably reaching the house entrance, also have the task of contributing to the general design of this outdoor area and therefore must be designed in relation to the context in which they are inserted. Depending on the style of the house, it will therefore be possible to identify solutions in traditional materials or more innovative solutions.
The options to consider to create an external driveway are varied. First of all, it will be necessary to establish what the needs are and therefore if you intend to create a pedestrian path or if it is preferable to orient yourself on a driveway path, but also if located in the garden or by the pool, so as to identify the solution that best meets the imposed requirements. This area of the garden needs stable and resistant flooring made of suitable materials depending on the type of use, which will allow you to walk in the garden without getting your shoes dirty or damaging the lawn.
Evaluating the characteristics of the different materials of paver sealing is the first step to establish the flooring to be installed for your driveway. The choice will be for the material that best meets functional and aesthetic criteria. In particular, observing the technical data sheets of the various proposals, it will be necessary to verify:
- Foot traffic resistance;
- Resistant to atmospheric agents, frost, and thermal changes;
- Durability;
- Size and thickness;
- Ease of cleaning
- Impermeability;
- Anti-slip properties.
Furthermore, when choosing the type of paver sealing for the outdoor floor to be built, there are several aspects to take into consideration. Between these:
- The shape of the surface to be covered;
- The width of the surface to be paved;
- The presence of unevenness;
- The installation system;
- The necessary maintenance;
- Costs.
Regardless of the material chosen, to obtain a stable and long-lasting driveway, you will need to prepare the area to be paved by levelling the ground and making it compact if necessary. Let’s compare the 5 different materials suitable for paving the driveway, analyzing the main characteristics of each of them.
Stone: In Natural Or Tile-Finished Slabs
One of the most ancient and traditional solutions to pave paths giving a rustic look to the exteriors is made up of natural stone slabs, durable and resistant. Depending on the type of stone, there will be different colours and finishes. Also, there are several options to be evaluated based on the area to be covered about formats.
The stone slabs are cut and processed to make the surface rough and non-slip. The installation is carried out dry by placing the slabs on a bed of sand or mortar, which helps to fix them in the desired position. The installer also makes sure to arrange the various elements to avoid incorrect slopes or other errors that can cause water infiltration or the formation of puddles that would damage the flooring.
Working the stone makes it possible to obtain more standard formats similar to ceramic tiles, ideal for paving external paths. This allows you to have more regular flooring to create various laying patterns that give a refined look to the outdoor space. They can have a square or rectangular shape and various sizes and be mixed to create original patterns. The stone paths are compatible with any path, even by the pool.
Concrete: Smooth Or Self-Locking
Concrete is a versatile material used to obtain outdoor floors of any shape, even the most complex and customized. It is made directly on-site using self-levelling cement, smoothed by hand or with special machines to give a homogeneous and easy-to-clean surface. It is also suitable for constructing driveway floors, as it is a solid material with no unevenness.
The alternative is compressed concrete blocks, bricks with a regular shape that ensure stable and easy-to-build paths. They are self-locking bricks to be laid dry and fixed with dry sand to obtain compact flooring. They allow the growth of the grass between the joints but prevent the development from being excessive to the point of damaging them.
Porphyry: Elegant And Stylish Cubes
The characteristic format of the Porphyry lends itself to the creation of particularly decorative outdoor flooring, more or less complex depending on the different laying patterns used. The shape of the porphyry cubes allows you to create very decorative paths. By following laying patterns that present a circular, fan-shaped, arched, or peacock-tailed arrangement of the cubes, you can also obtain very suggestive designs with which you can characterize your garden.
Porphyry cubes are one of the most used solutions for constructing pedestrian and non-pedestrian paths, having a rough and perfectly non-slip surface. As well as from an aesthetic point of view, they are also a good solution at a functional level since they have a draining effect for which unwanted water stagnation does not arise.
Wood: Classic But Always Trendy
The outdoor flooring in wood or decking is a real evergreen that gives the house a natural and warm look. The wood must be treated properly to be made durable and resistant to atmospheric agents.
To create a wooden driveway quickly and easily, planks or tiles are used. They can also be used for paths by the pool, having a pleasant surface to walk on. Most of the essences, even if suitable for outdoor use, require constant maintenance. The most used essences are the exotic ones such as teak, ipe or irokos, which have better performance in outdoor applications.
An alternative solution with a similar result is the use of outdoor parquet in composite wood, a material with improved characteristics to resist external agents without being damaged.
Bricks: Traditional In Their Typical Color
Another solution with a long tradition and great charm for the construction of paths is classic self-locking clay or terracotta bricks. These have a characteristic colour with different shades ranging from red to orange to dark brown, ideal for classic or traditional style settings. They are installed through a dry laying system. The most common laying patterns to create decorative paths are herringbone, alternating laying, or grid laying. Similar to stone slabs or concrete bricks, this type of brick is suitable for outdoor use also for driveways.
Having read this article, you can better choose the type of paver sealing you may need for your paths at home and now, if you need the help of an expert designer, contact Done Right. We are a team of professionals known for providing paver sealing all around Florida. In addition to designing the pavement, our creative team can create a custom project of paver sealing adapted to your needs. So, share your idea or space details with us and let us think of the best path for you.
