Steep driveways, for those of us that have them, can be the bane of our lives. Not only are they difficult to reverse up and down, but they are prone to slippage. That means that you or your car could go moving down the driveway in icy or snowy conditions.
So exactly what problems have you experienced because of your steep driveway? I’m prepared to bet that you have had at least one of these issues:
Makes reversing challenging
Steep driveways are challenging to reverse up or down. Even without harsh weather, a high slope is not the best to manoeuvre on.
Sub-base instability
The sub-base is the lower structure of the driveway, and lots of individuals ignore this up until they have problems. In steep driveways, the soil sub-base will erode and shift faster than on a level driveway, and it costs a great deal of money to fix this issue.
When it rains, the extreme amount of water on a steeper driveway means that fractures will appear on the surface with time.
Problems with draining
Naturally, a steep driveway will keep rainwater far from your house. However it might wind up collecting at the bottom of the driveway and onto the roadway, which can trigger issues for you and other road users. You can set up a French drain, which is a trench with a perforated pipe to permit water to drain through, at the end of the driveway.
So steep driveways can prove difficult, nevertheless if you’ve got one, you need to make the best out of it. So exactly what’s the best product to use? We’ll go through some of the materials and whether you should consider or avoid them.
The best and worst materials for steep driveways
Concrete
Concrete is an excellent smooth area for driving a car onto, however on a high slope it can prove a concern in the winter season. It will get icy and very slippery in the chillier months, making it incredibly challenging (and dangerous) to walk on as well as to drive on.
Verdict: avoid
Tarmac
Tarmac is a low-priced choice for a driveway, but for steep driveways it’s harder. A driveway professional will most likely charge more to lay a tarmac driveway as it’s more difficult to lay on slopes.
Verdict: consider
Gravel
This one should make sense. While gravel is an exceptional option for your driveway if you wish to make sure that you can hear who is approaching your home, it’s far from suitable for steep driveways. The gravel will continue to roll down the slope, ultimately leaving you with an irregular and undesirable surface.
Verdict: avoid
Resin
Resin bound driveways are permeable, which suggests that water drains well. Resin bound driveways generally look like gravel, except that the gravel won’t roll away! There are also ways of making it non-slip, making it ideal for steep driveways.
Verdict: consider
So there are a number of options to consider for your steep driveway. The best thing to do is to get some quotes from driveway companies who can supply you with some suggestions on which product fits your driveway the most.