You’ve done it! You’ve made the call to finally have a new driveway installed on your property, so a bright future is ahead for you. Now, the question is: which kind of driveway will serve you best?
There are a few driveway paving materials to choose from here in New Zealand, each with its respective benefits. For our purposes today, we’ll be focusing on a concrete, versatile paver, gravel, and asphalt driveway.
To help you get a sense of which camp you fall into, let’s review the four options for driveway paving materials and dive below the surface to unpack them from an expert’s perspective.
1. The Gravel/Aggregate Driveway
Let’s start with one of the most common driveway paving materials in Aotearoa, by sheer virtue of the number of rural properties that use this material: gravel, or aggregate. These driveways are constructed with a compacted soil base and loose stones or aggregate on top to form the driveway.
This option is for anyone on a strict budget; a simple, honest option with that nostalgic crunch. It offers excellent drainage and good security (you’ll always hear someone coming up the driveway). That said, gravel driveways also lose their stones over time, and they aren’t a sleek architectural option if that’s what you’re after.
2. The Versatile Pavers Driveway
Versatile pavers, on the other hand, are a well-known architectural option for anyone seeking to create a specific aesthetic on their property. Of the driveway paving materials on our list, these are among the most permeable, allowing for good drainage.
These paved driveways consist of individual concrete, clay, or stone blocks laid in a specific pattern over a prepared base. They’re a bit like a brick wall, only at ground level. Kiwis love this option for the multitude of patterns and styles on offer, as well as the easy underground access it provides.
That said, the trade-off is definitely cost. The labour to prepare the driveway base, design the pattern, and lay the pavers individually can quickly add up to an impressive bill. So, if that is not ideal for you, there are two other options to consider.
3. The Concrete Driveway
Concrete driveways have been a suburban Kiwi staple for as long as memory serves. Of the driveway paving materials we’re unpacking today, this is the easiest to set and forget. The concrete is incredibly durable, but it also offers a range of decorative finishes, so you truly get the best of both worlds at an approachable price point.
The key draw here is customisation paired with longevity. A well-laid, reinforced concrete driveway can easily last you a few decades with minimal maintenance. The hard surface handles stationary loads easily, reflects heat, and only requires the occasional wash to remove growing moss or lichen from the surface.
Despite that functionality, you get a lot of visual punch if you pick the right finishes. There are broom finishes, exposed aggregates, and even coloured concrete options at your disposal. So even if you are building the next centrefold of New Zealand’s architectural scene, you can benefit from the longevity of a concrete driveway without detracting from the curb appeal of your home.
4. The Asphalt Driveway
Finally, the asphalt driveway. In terms of driveway paving materials, this is the undeniable gold standard (for a very good reason). Once laid and cured, an asphalt driveway is sleek, high-quality, and likely to stay that way for a very long time. The flexible material holding the aggregate together (‘bitumen’) is responsive enough to deal with all manner of weather and heavy loads without giving up on you.
For how high-quality and adaptable they are, these driveways are also delightfully cost-effective. They’re easy to repair, more resistant to seismic activity than most other driveway paving materials, and have a quick turnaround (functional within a matter of days).
So, the ultimate question remains: which of these driveway paving materials wins the day?
As we tell all our clients, the best choice will always depend on what you need from your property. If you’re building a stunning architectural property and need a similarly striking driveway, a sleek black asphalt driveway or painstakingly-laid paver driveway might be for you. Conversely, if you’re after a more cost-effective option that functions well, concrete or gravel is ideal.
We have a bit of a soft spot for asphalt and concrete driveways, as they are the workhorses of this world. Once laid, they respond well to New Zealand’s weather, deal with heavy loads easily, and keep your property’s value up for decades more than loose gravel.
But we also know that every site is different. If you’re still unsure of which driveway paving materials are right for your site, the next best step is to get in touch with a team that can help you to decide.
Find the best driveway paving material for your property with Asphalt & Civil.
We’re proud to be Auckland’s residential and commercial driveway experts, serving clients all over the region. Whether it’s laying a new asphalt driveway or resealing one, we are on hand to help with all manner of new construction or repairs.
Get in touch today to discuss your property’s needs and receive a detailed quote.