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To widen a driveway with pavers, you saw-cut the edge of the existing driveway back to solid pavement, dig out the new area to full driveway depth, build a compacted crushed stone base that ties into the old one, and lay vehicle-rated pavers with a firm edge restraint on the open side. A paver driveway extension has to carry cars and plows, so it is built like a driveway, not like a walkway or patio.
Done that way, pavers are a good choice for a driveway extension. They can match or contrast with the existing surface, they do not need to be patched into old asphalt, and a section that settles can be lifted and reset. Done with a thin base, an extension in Massachusetts heaves and ruts within a few winters.
This post is about adding parking width. If you only want a walkway or border beside the drive, see pavers next to a driveway, which is a lighter build.
Before you dig: permits and layout
- Zoning and lot coverage. Some towns limit how much of a lot can be paved, or how wide a driveway can be near the street. Check with the local building or zoning office before you design.
- Curb cut. If the extension widens the driveway where it meets the street, the town usually has to approve a wider curb cut. That is a separate permit from the DPW or engineering office.
- Dig Safe. Massachusetts requires notice before excavation. Dig Safe asks for at least 72 hours' notice, not counting weekends and holidays. See digsafe.com.
- Snow storage. The strip beside a driveway is where most people pile snow. Plan where the snow will go once that strip is paved.
- Drainage. More pavement means more runoff. Keep the pitch away from the house and garage, and do not send the water onto a neighbor's lot. Permeable pavers are one way to handle it; see permeable driveway pavers.
How to widen a driveway with pavers, step by step
1. Saw-cut the existing edge
Asphalt and concrete driveway edges are usually thin, broken or slumped. Saw-cut back to firm, full-thickness pavement so the new pavers bear against a clean edge. On a paver driveway, pull the border row and the cut pieces so the new field can be woven into the old one.
2. Excavate to driveway depth
This is the step most often shortchanged. A walkway base is not enough for cars, and in frost country the base has to drain and stay stiff through freeze-thaw. Dig deep enough for a full vehicle base, the bedding sand and the paver, and deeper again where the soil is clay, wet or full of old fill. The paver maker's install guide and the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute list base depths for vehicle traffic by soil type.
3. Tie the new base to the old
The extension and the existing driveway will move differently if their bases differ. Dig along the cut edge so the new base reaches under the line, compact right up to it, and keep the new finished grade matched to the old surface and its pitch. A step or a dip along that line catches water, which freezes and breaks the edge.
4. Build and compact the base in layers
Lay geotextile fabric on soft soil, then spread crushed stone in thin layers, compacting each with a plate compactor. Check the grade with string lines as you go.
5. Screed the bedding layer
Spread an even layer of concrete sand and screed it flat. Do not compact or walk on it before the pavers go down.
6. Lay vehicle-rated pavers
Use a paver the maker rates for driveways. Thicker units and patterns that interlock in more than one direction, such as herringbone, resist the twisting of turning tires better than a running bond. Lay from the existing edge outward, and put cut pieces at the outer edge.
7. Edge restraint on the open side
Without restraint, the outer row of a driveway extension creeps outward and the joints open. Use a concrete curb, a granite curb or a restraint the maker approves for vehicle loads, set before compaction.
8. Compact, fill joints, then decide on sealing
Compact the pavers, sweep in jointing sand or polymeric sand, and compact again until the joints are full. Sealing is optional. If you seal, do it after the joints are filled and settled, following the sealer maker's directions.
Matching or contrasting with the old driveway
A brick driveway extension or a paver strip next to asphalt rarely matches perfectly, so many homeowners choose a deliberate contrast: a border in a darker paver along the old edge, or pavers in a color that picks up the house trim. Next to an older paver driveway, a close match is possible if the original paver line is still made, but new pavers will look brighter than weathered ones at first. For layout and color ideas, see driveway paver design ideas.
How to widen a driveway cheaply (and honestly)
People search for a cheap way to widen a driveway, and there are lower-cost surfaces than pavers. Each has a trade-off.
- Crushed stone or gravel. The lowest first cost. It needs a border to stay put, gets pushed around by plows and needs topping up.
- Asphalt. Matches an asphalt driveway, but a patched seam between old and new asphalt is a common place for cracks and water.
- Poured concrete. Durable when done right, but it will crack in freeze-thaw unless it has a good base and control joints, and it is hard to match old concrete.
- Pavers. Higher first cost, but repairable section by section and less prone to the cracked seam.
The cheapest way to do any of these well is not to skimp on the base. A thin base is what turns a low-cost extension into a redo.
What drives the cost of a driveway extension
We do not quote prices online because driveways differ too much. The main cost drivers are the area, how much soil has to come out and how deep, whether old asphalt or concrete has to be cut and hauled away, the soil (clay and ledge add work), drainage changes, the paver you choose, how many cuts the layout needs, the type of edge restraint and any town permits. For a paver driveway overall, see what goes into a paver driveway estimate and whether driveway pavers are a good investment.
When to call a contractor
A driveway extension is heavier work than a walkway. It takes excavation equipment, a lot of base stone, a plate compactor big enough for driveway lifts and a careful eye on grades. Call a contractor if the soil is wet or clay, if the extension changes how water drains, if it needs a curb cut, or if it has to blend with an existing paver driveway.
Gerrior Masonry is a family-owned, fully insured hardscape and masonry company in Woburn, MA, with over 30 years in the trade, and our work is guaranteed. See finished work on our driveway projects page, read about our driveway paver installation, or see the full process in our guide to driveway paver installation.
Common questions
Can you add pavers to an existing asphalt driveway?
Yes. Saw-cut the asphalt to a solid edge, build the paver section on its own full-depth base, and set it flush with the asphalt. Many homeowners like the look of a paver strip beside asphalt.
Do I need a permit to widen my driveway?
It depends on the town. Widening at the street usually needs a curb cut permit, and some towns limit driveway width or paved lot coverage. Ask your building or DPW office first.
How deep should a paver driveway extension be dug?
Deep enough for a full vehicle base, bedding sand and the paver, and deeper on clay or wet soil. The paver maker's install guide gives the base depth for vehicle traffic on your soil type.
Should the extension match the old driveway?
It does not have to. A contrasting border or a different paver often looks more intentional than a near match, especially next to asphalt.
Thinking about a driveway extension? Call Gerrior Masonry at (781) 933-4157 or request a free estimate. We will check the soil, the drainage and the edge of your current driveway and explain what a lasting extension needs.
A family-owned masonry and hardscape company at 245 Salem St, Woburn, MA, in business for over 30 years. See our hardscaping work.
