Your driveway is the first thing that people see when they come or drive by your home, and let’s be honest the first thing on your agenda when you have some free time is “oh I must sort out the driveway!” Well, we have got your back as not only have we put together a list of ways how to make your driveway look better but they are incredibly easy as well!
Cleaning Your Driveway
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Now our first stop Is of course not exactly the most fun of experiences when coming up with ways in improving your driveway, but we have some simple solutions to get your driveway looking like new!
Get The Pressure Washer!
First choice for those when washing their car but your pressure washer is also a fantastic option when coming to cleaning slabs, paving and well pretty much any type of driveway! Now you can either go out and purchase a pressure washer with a PSI of 3000 to really get the muck and dirt off your driveway. For particularly stubborn dirt it would be best advised to get some patio or driveway cleaner to help make the job way easier as the chemical compounds used will lift the dirt allowing for an easier job. It is also best to invest in a turbo nozzle for your pressure washer if you can get one that fits as this little nozzle cuts through all the moss and dirt with ease.
Weeding In Between The Cracks
Not only do they grow in your garden but weeds practically grow anywhere! Weeds can be an unsightly nuisance that can ruin the appeal of your driveway. There is only one way to rectify this problem and it’s time to get dirty! Head down to your local gardening centre or hardware shop and grab yourself either a weeding knife for cracks and in-between gaps or a weeder if you want those pesky weeds gone straight away. If you wish to prevent the growth of weeds within your driveway it’s best to regularly treat the area with weed killer to stop as much weed growth as possible.
Re-Sanding the Joints (Brick and Paving Driveways)
Not only does this improve the look of your driveway but it also helps prevent any growth of weeds and other plant life between the paving. All you need is to buy a few bags of kiln-dried sand and a soft brush to get the sand in the joints. We advise not doing this job on a day when rain is forecasted or windy. If you are re-sanding on a day when rain isn’t forecasted mist the driveway so the sand can bind properly in the gaps.
Stain Your Driveway
If your driveway is in particularly good condition and is made from concrete, you may want to consider staining your driveway! First, make sure your driveway is free from any oil or other slick liquids and coatings. Also, fill in any cracks if you have any as this will greatly affect the finished look. Head down to your local hardware store and browse their selection of water-based and acid stains if you aren’t sure or confident in doing this job yourself contact a professional.
Add A Border or Edging
A simple idea that offers a great impact on the appearance of your driveway! Installing a border or edging to your driveway can make it look brand new. There are many types of driveway borders for you to choose from including brick and grass! Not only that but you can choose from either having flat edging that sits level with your driveway, perfect if you want to have contrasting colours and styles. And you also have the option of having raised edging the stands taller than your driveway, immediately creating a visual and physical border to your driveway. This choice is popular with those who want to showcase plants and trees.
Decorate Your Driveway
Plants
Now when we say decorate your driveway, we don’t mean just crack out a couple of gnomes and there you go. We mean include plants, lighting and other decorative pieces that can reflect your personality. For example, if you choose to include plant life in your driveway (potted or planted) we advise opting for annuals if you are particularly green-thumbed as it allows you to change the colour scheme each year. If you are low maintenance gardener biennials are a good choice thanks to the growing back year after year and being quite hardy plants.
Lighting
Adding a spot of lighting to your driveway is a quick and easy solution to breathing new life into your drive. Not only that but it will make life much easier coming to the later months in the year when days are shorter, and you do need to see where you are going! Our choice is to always go solar, as this doesn’t require you to do any electrical work to your home and if any damages to the light occur you can easily replace them. Look out for ground spike solar lights to add a fancy touch to the border or your driveway, and for your doorstep, a solar wall light or PIR light will do the trick.
Decorative Items
If you are looking for a quick solution to jazz up your driveway, why not opt for a decorative mailbox. Today we are spoilt for choice when it comes to mailboxes as we have followed America’s stead and now more and more homes are installing mailboxes instead of wanting to use traditional letterboxes that most front doors come with.
Upgrade
If you want a drastic overhaul of your driveway, you can always go for a complete overhaul and install a brand-new driveway! You have many types to choose from including –
- Resin Bound - Popular and has plenty of options in colour.
- Block Paving. – Also a popular choice for homeowners, plenty of options including patterns and colours
- Tarmac & Asphalt – Cheaper than its counterparts and is a great option for smaller properties.
- Gravel & Stone – Affordable and stunning, installing a gravel or stone driveway is a great way to overhaul the appearance of your driveway.
- Patterned Driveway – Decorative in nature and strong, this type of driveway also needs minimal care.
- Indian-Stone – On the rise with popularity, this type of driveway also has a wide range of colours and patterns.
Not only that but you can also get other outdoor decorative items such as lamps and planters that can really turn heads when coming up your drive.
Well, we hope you now have the knowledge you need in updating and how to make the driveway look better. You have a wealth of options to choose from so take your time and find the best option for you! Why not head over to our blog section and read our articles on How To Lay A Brick Edging Driveway Quickly and What Is Bitmac?