Top Tips for Maintaining Your Driveway

A new driveway is a big investment. Getting a new driveway will cost you time and money but it’s often worth it. It will benefit you and your household and give a great first impression of your home to visitors.

So once you’ve invested in a driveway it’s important to look after it. This will save you money in the long run and make sure you have a driveway you’re proud of for longer.

To help you take care of your driveway, we’ve compiled a guide of how to look after different types of driveway.

Gravel

Gravel driveways can last for a long time, but only if they’re looked after. Unfortunately, they need more maintenance than most other types of driveway.

There are two main things you can do to look after your driveway:

  • Weed regularly
    Weed your driveway regularly to keep it in good condition. You can do this by hand, with a hoe or use weedkiller. If you do this a little often it shouldn’t take you very long.
  • Rake regularly
    Raking your driveway every so often will keep it level and stop any gravel displacement. It will also stop any potholes developing.
    If you do get any potholes, fill them in with gravel as soon as you can to stop them becoming a problem.

Asphalt

Asphalt is a common driveway surfacing material and for good reason. An asphalt driveway can look neat and smart and last for a long time. To keep it in good condition you should:

  • Clean it
    Give your driveway a wash every so often. This will stop dirt and debris mounting up and becoming hard to remove. Clean up any spillages as quickly as you can, using a detergent with a degreaser if necessary. This will help to avoid affected patches getting permanently discoloured.
  • Keep an eye out for damage
    Keep a look out for cracks or damage on your driveway. If you spot them early you can fill them in before they get worse and become an expensive problem.

Concrete

Concrete is another popular driveway material. A concrete driveway can last for a long time – up to 50 years. To keep it looking good you need to:

  • Seal it
    Coat your driveway with a sealer to protect it from wear and tear. This should be done about once every two years or whenever it’s showing signs of deterioration.
  • Clean it
    Wash your driveway regularly and clean up any oil or fuel spillages as quickly as possible. By doing this you should stop stains from seeping down into your driveway and becoming permanent.

Paving

Paving is popular because it allows homeowners to create a unique driveway. With brick, concrete and lots of different types of natural stone available, you can use pavers to make an eye-catching driveway.

The best two things you can do to look after your driveway are:

  • Weed regularly
    Check your driveway often for any weeds or grass growing between pavers and pull them up as soon as you find them. Try to pull out as many roots as possible to avoid them re-growing.
  • Clean it
    Keep your driveway clean by sweeping and washing it regularly. Using a brush and hot water should be enough but if you come across any tough stains it’s worth using a detergent. Choose one carefully though and make sure you follow the instructions – some cleaners can permanently stain driveways if used on the wrong material.

So whatever your driveway’s made of, you should be able to keep it good condition with these top tips.

Evy Coe

Evy works for Quotatis as a Content Marketing Executive. She loves to write about interior design and help homeowners with their DIY projects.