Five Reasons to Choose a Gravel Driveway

Walk down any suburban street and you’re sure to pass by plenty of gravel driveways. That crunchy, satisfying sound of tyres over crushed rock is the sound of coming home for many a family. There’s no doubt gravel is popular, but why do so many people choose it?

These are the top five reasons you should choose gravel for your driveway.

Gravel is affordable

Gravel is nearly always the cheapest choice for driveways, coming in at around half the price of concrete. If you have a long or wide driveway, going for gravel could save you a significant sum, and by saving money on your driveway, you could have money left in the pot for other home improvements. Maybe you’d like to get the house painted, or splash out on landscaping.

Gravel is quick and easy

As well as saving you money, choosing gravel for your driveway could save you time. A professional will be able to lay a gravel driveway in as little as a day. If you’ve just moved into a new property and are desperate to get rid of a damaged or tired-looking driveway, gravel can be a quick-fix spruce up. Gravel doesn’t take much effort to maintain either, as you’ll be able to make simple repairs yourself just by topping up with a little more gravel. Cracked asphalt or broken paving slabs are much more time-consuming (and costly) to deal with.

Gravel lasts

Gravel driveways might be cheap and quick, but that doesn’t mean they’re not durable.They are, because there’s very little that can go wrong with a gravel driveway. They’ll often be around longer than their owners, with a life of up to 100 years.Gravel can’t crack or develop potholes during a cold winter or hot summer, as other surfaces might. If a gravel driveway does need fixing, it’s usually so easy to do it that the problem is dealt with before it becomes serious.

Gravel works with all kinds of homes

There are numerous colours and types of gravel to choose from, so it’s easy to fit your driveway to the style of your home and your aesthetic preferences. If you live in a cute rural cottage with roses round the door, warm-toned golden gravel might suit you best. If your home is a slick city new-build, maybe dark grey granite will work for you.

Gravel is environmentally friendly.

Unlike other types of driveway, gravel driveways are permeable, so rainwater will find its way through and back into groundwater. As well as being good for the environment, this is good for you, as you won’t need to worry about flooding and subsequent damage after stormy weather. Gravel also tends to work better than other surfaces during summer weather, as it doesn’t absorb heat in the way that other materials can and so won’t contribute to the urban heat island effect.

Gravel driveways are fast, cheap and simple. They’re a great way to give your home an upgrade without breaking the bank.