Paver driveway installationin Woburn, MA

How pavers compare with asphalt and concrete, what goes under a driveway built for cars and plows, and what to think about before you pick a paver.

Pavers, asphalt or concrete

Most driveways around Woburn are asphalt. It is the cheapest surface to put down, but it cracks, it needs sealing, and after enough winters it breaks up at the edges and wherever water sits. Poured concrete lasts longer, but it is one big slab: when the ground under it moves, it cracks, and a crack in concrete never really disappears.

A paver driveway is thousands of separate units locked together by the sand in the joints and the edge along each side. When the ground freezes and thaws, the surface can flex a little instead of splitting, and if one area ever settles, those pavers can be lifted, the base fixed and the same pavers relaid. That is why we steer most people who want a driveway to last toward pavers, and why we still pour concrete where it is the better fit, like a short apron or a ramp into a garage.

What goes under a driveway

The difference between a driveway that stays flat and one that ruts is almost all below the surface. A driveway carries a car's weight on four small patches, again and again, plus a plow in winter. So compared with a patio, it gets:

• A deeper dig. The old asphalt or concrete and the soft soil under it come out, down to firm ground.
• A thicker gravel base, compacted in layers. Processed gravel goes in a few inches at a time and each layer is compacted before the next, so the base can't keep settling under the cars.
• A vehicle-rated paver. Driveway pavers are thicker than patio pavers. We use Unilock, Techo-Bloc and Belgard driveway products, which are made for vehicle traffic.
• A pattern that holds. Herringbone and other interlocking patterns resist the twisting of tires turning in place better than straight rows.
• Solid edges. An edge restraint or a concrete-set border along each side stops the pavers from spreading sideways under the weight of cars.
• Pitch. The surface is sloped so water runs off to the street or a drain, never back toward the garage or the house.

Our article on how driveway pavers are installed walks through each step in more detail.

Borders, aprons and patterns

A border is what makes a paver driveway look finished. A contrasting row of darker pavers along each edge, like the charcoal border on the Stoneham driveway at the top of this page, frames the field and hides the cuts along a curve. At the street, a few courses of granite cobblestone make a strong apron that stands up to the plow, which is what we put in on the Woburn driveway shown further down.

Color and pattern are a matter of taste, and we'll go over the options with you at the estimate. A few things to think about:

• Lighter blends hide dust and salt but show oil. Darker blends hide oil but get hot in summer.
• A blend of two or three tones looks more natural than one flat color and hides wear.
• Large-format pavers look modern, but a driveway needs a paver rated for cars, which often means a smaller unit.

For more looks, see our driveway paver design ideas.

Widening a driveway or adding a parking pad

Not every driveway job means tearing the whole thing out. If the driveway is sound but too narrow, a paver strip along one or both sides adds room for a second car or lets doors open without stepping onto the lawn. The strip gets the same deep base as a full paver driveway, so it doesn't sink below the asphalt next to it. A paver border along an existing driveway, like the curved one we added in Melrose to tie the driveway into the front walk, changes how the whole front of the house looks for far less than a full replacement.

On a sloped lot, a parking pad can be built up level behind a wall. In Lexington we built a raised paver parking pad held up by a round-fieldstone wall at the street. When the height gets bigger, the wall becomes a retaining wall and is built like one. Our article on widening a driveway with pavers covers the details.

Winter, plowing and salt

Paver driveways can be plowed and shoveled. A plow blade set slightly high, or one with a rubber or poly edge, is easiest on the surface and the border. Rock salt is hard on concrete products of every kind, so use a de-icer that is safe for pavers and go light with it; our winter care guide for pavers explains what to use. If a paver ever chips or stains, it can be popped out and replaced, which you can't do with asphalt or concrete.

Drainage and permeable pavers

Water is what breaks a driveway down, so before we build we look at where yours goes. A driveway that slopes toward the garage may need a trench drain at the door. A low spot on the property may need a dry well. Permeable pavers, which let rain soak down through wider joints into a stone reservoir below, are another option on some lots, though they need a very different base. Read more in permeable driveway pavers.

Permits and the street

Replacing a driveway inside your property line usually doesn't need a permit, but the apron where it meets the street is town property in most places, and changes to the curb cut or apron can need the town's sign-off. Work near wetlands has its own rules. We tell you what applies to your driveway at the estimate, and gas, water and electric lines are marked through Dig Safe before any digging, as state law requires.

What decides the price

A driveway price depends on things nobody can judge over the phone: how much old surface and soil has to come out, the paver and pattern you pick, borders and curves (which add cutting), drainage, a granite apron, and whether walls or steps are part of the job. Our article on what drives a paver driveway estimate goes through each one, and whether driveway pavers are a good investment compares them with asphalt and concrete over the long run. The estimate visit is free, and you get a price before any work starts.