First impressions matter, so if you want to wow your guests or improve the value of your home, you need to pay attention to curb appeal.
Not only is your driveway a practical feature, but it’s also an aesthetic element of your home’s exterior that can make or break your curb appeal. A narrow, dirty, cracked or otherwise unattractive driveway will create a negative first impression of your home, whereas a stylish, spacious, well-designed and clean driveway will instantly make your home more interesting and inviting.
Whether you’re hoping to sell your home soon or you just want to improve its appearance, getting on top of driveway maintenance is a great place to start. Plus, there are many changes you can make to this feature to turn it into a true asset for your home, including installing a new driveway, new driveway gates, driveway lighting, water features, and much more.
Here are our top 16 tips to spruce up your driveway:
1. Sweep regularly
Before you do anything else, make sure you’re keeping on top of essential driveway maintenance. Don’t underestimate the importance of having a clean driveway, as this shows you take pride in the external appearance of your home.
For most driveways, regular sweeping with a stiff brush is an easy yet essential task that will instantly make your driveway look more tidy and looked after. You may need to increase the frequency of your driveway sweeping during the autumn months, as there will be more leaves and other kinds of debris gathering on the surface.
Staying on top of this simple task can also make other driveway maintenance tasks easier. For example, it’s easier to pressure wash or manually scrub a driveway that isn’t covered with debris. Plus, sweeping will remove moss and dirt from your driveway, which can encourage the growth of weeds if left unchecked. Therefore, sweeping once every couple of weeks can help you prevent weed growth over time, and this will also mean you aren’t letting the dirt build up and become more difficult to clean.
2. Rake gravel driveways
But what if you have a gravel driveway? Sweeping isn’t really possible with this type of driveway – all you’ll do is scatter the gravel everywhere and make the driveway more uneven and messy.
Instead, you should regularly rake your gravel driveway to carefully redistribute the stones and discourage the growth of weeds. This will help you maintain a level, clean driveway, which is important for both the aesthetic appeal of your driveway and its functionality.
Over time, you may notice that you’ve lost a lot of the original gravel on your driveway, leading to thin or bare patches even after you’ve raked the entire surface. If this happens, you can buy an extra bag of gravel, add some gravel to the thin areas of your driveway when needed, and then rake the entire surface to ensure it’s even.
Alternatively, if you want to keep your driveway even more low-maintenance, you can add resin to your gravel driveway to keep the stones in place. Resin-bound driveways are a great option for those who don’t want to deal with loose gravel and regular raking, but make sure there is enough of a slope to your resin-bound driveway so that there is adequate drainage.
3. Remove weeds
Weeds can quickly turn a beautiful driveway into an unsightly one. Whenever you spot some weeds growing through the driveway or around the edges, it’s best to pull them out straight away to prevent the problem from getting out of hand. You can also pull out weeds right before your regular driveway sweepings so that you can sweep them away straight afterwards. This will also help you to remember to take care of the weeds regularly.
Weeds can be a particularly insidious problem if you have a paved, brick or cobblestone driveway, since weeds can easily grow in the gaps. You may need to pull out the weeds by hand more often to stay on top of this problem, or you can use a small gardening tool to help you get between the paving stones more easily. However, doing this can make the slabs loose, so you may need to top up the gaps with sand, grouting or any other type of joint filling aggregate after a particularly thorough weed removal session.
4. Pressure wash
One of the quickest ways to instantly spruce up your driveway is to pressure wash it. Dirt can accumulate very easily due to both car and foot traffic, so actually cleaning your driveway is an important part of your driveway maintenance routine. Simply sweeping your driveway once in a while isn’t going to cut it.
Luckily, pressure washing is super quick and easy to do. Even old driveways can look good as new after a quick pressure wash, as this will blast away even caked-on dirt, mould, moss and stains. Plus, using your pressure washer is an easier way to blast away weeds if you don’t have time to pull them out manually, or if bending over to pull out weeds would be hard on your back.
Unfortunately, pressure washing isn’t feasible for all types of driveways. As you can imagine, pressure washing isn’t suitable for gravel driveways because you would just scatter the gravel, although you can pressure wash a resin-bound gravel driveway as long as you use a lower pressure, wide-spray nozzle and lower temperature – or a steam pressure washer. Pressure washing can also blast out the grouting between the bricks or slabs if you have a paved driveway, which means you would potentially need to top this up afterwards.
If you’ve got time to spare, a gentler option is to scrub your driveway manually with hot, soapy water and a stiff brush. This is obviously more labour-intensive than using a standard pressure washer or a gentler steam pressure washer, but you may appreciate the greater attention to detail with this method if you have a smaller, more manageable driveway. This method is also great for spot cleaning if you just want to clean up a particular patch of dirt or an oil spill. Removing some types of dirt and stains can be trickier, so make sure you read our posts on how to clean oil from your driveway and how to get rid of moss on your driveway for specialist tips.
5. Tidy up the borders
Don’t forget the borders of your driveway when dealing with driveway cleaning and maintenance. Weeds often grow around the edges of your driveway, making it look unkempt and poorly maintained. Always remember to pull out these weeds as soon as you spot them.
If your driveway is surrounded by grass, regularly trimming the edges will keep your driveway looking neat and tidy.
6. Add edging stones
In addition to tidying up the borders of your driveway, you can elevate its appearance by adding some edging stones around the perimeter. Edging stones are small, raised paving stones or slabs that are commonly used to define outdoor spaces like garden pathways, helping to clearly separate paths, driveways and grassy areas to create a neat appearance. Edging stones can be made from a variety of materials, including natural stone, concrete and brick, allowing you to choose edging stones that perfectly match your driveway material.
Another key benefit of edging stones is that they can make driveway maintenance much more straightforward. These stones prevent weeds and grass from growing right over the edges of your driveway, which can create a messy appearance. Therefore, edging stones can make your driveway look instantly more put together, and will also help you set out garden ‘zones’ more easily – this is ideal for those who have a driveway and a front garden.
7. Fix or replace broken paving stones
Over time, even the strongest driveway materials can start to show signs of wear and tear, such as cracked concrete or asphalt, sunken areas, or broken paving stones. All of these can make your driveway look old and neglected, so to spruce it up and give it a new lease of life, you need to fix these problems as soon as possible – preferably before the cracks get bigger and threaten the structural integrity of the driveway.
To fix a concrete or asphalt driveway, you can purchase cement or a specific filler for these materials and then fill in the cracks, using a putty knife to smooth over the surface and ensure there are no gaps. You should then apply sealant to your driveway to hinder the penetration of moisture and other substances into the driveway, as this can cause cracks over time.
If you have a paved driveway, you can either fill in the cracks the same way or simply replace any damaged stones or bricks. Make sure you fill in the gaps around the new paving stone with enough grouting to keep it in place and hinder the growth of weeds.
8. Install a new driveway
If cleaning and repairing your driveway isn’t enough to get it looking its best, it may be time for an upgrade. Installing a new driveway can be time-consuming and expensive, but when you think of driveway installation as an investment into the value of your home, it all becomes worth it. Remember that a home’s curb appeal has a huge impact on the value of your home and its attractiveness to buyers, so a beautiful new driveway can make all the difference.
Always consider the overall aesthetic of your home before choosing a driveway material. For example, gravel, brick and cobblestone driveways all suit more traditional, rustic properties, whereas concrete or asphalt may be more appropriate for a modern home. You also need to consider the maintenance requirements of each material and the cost of installation. Materials like concrete, asphalt and tarmac are relatively inexpensive, low-maintenance and easy to clean, but more sought-after materials that are harder to install (such as cobblestone) can be more expensive and require more ongoing maintenance.
Struggling to choose the right type of driveway for your property? Our essential guide to driveways contains everything you need to know about choosing a driveway material and driveway maintenance.
9. Expand your driveway
Whether you’re improving your existing driveway or planning the installation of a new one, you should think carefully about the size of this feature. With larger cars becoming more popular and households typically owning multiple cars, it’s important to have a driveway that’s large enough to accommodate family and guests. However, simply covering the entire front part of your property with a large concrete driveway may not be the best choice for your home’s curb appeal.
In terms of boosting your home’s value, you need to remember that potential buyers will want to see that there’s adequate space for parking and that your home has attractive green space, so you need to strike a balance between functionality and aesthetics. Make sure that your new or improved driveway has plenty of space for parking and manoeuvring, but remember to balance this with green space, shrubs and flowers (more on this later).
10. Install new driveway gates
To complete your new and improved driveway, you need high-quality driveway gates that will both improve the appearance of your home and increase your privacy and security. Similar to choosing a driveway material, choosing the right type of driveway gate is important for ensuring that the exterior appearance of your property is consistent. For example, wooden driveway gates are a classic and timeless design that’s perfect for more traditional properties, whereas you may prefer metal driveway gates or composite driveway gates for modern properties. However, you can customise any driveway gate material to fit your preferred style, such as by choosing a wrought-iron style for a traditional metal gate, or a simple, light and elegant wooden gate that complements your modern home.
Plus, you’ll need to consider factors such as whether you want single or double driveway gates, which is often dictated by the size of your driveway and ease of installation. Single manual gates are cheaper and easier to install, but a stylish double gate with an automatic opening and closing mechanism can add a lot of value to your home. Automatic driveway gates offer superior security and convenience because they open at the touch of a button and close and lock automatically behind you. Plus, you can install access control mechanisms like keypads or intercoms to make your automatic gates even more stylish and easy to use.
If you already have excellent driveway gates, don’t underestimate the importance of a fresh coat of paint (or varnish for natural wooden gates). This is an easy way to breathe new life into tired-looking gates without spending a lot of money. Just make sure your driveway gates are clean and undamaged before getting to work – paint shouldn’t be used as a cover-up for serious issues like wood rot, cracking or rusting. Repair these issues before focusing on aesthetic changes.
11. Install driveway lighting
Another important feature that offers both security and aesthetic appeal is driveway lighting. By illuminating your driveway and property at night, your home will be more inviting and easier and safer to get to. Pedestrians and drivers will be less likely to get into an accident if the way is lit at regular intervals, especially if you have a long driveway.
To save energy, you can opt for motion sensor driveway lighting that only comes on when someone approaches. This is also a fantastic security feature because any intruders will be instantly lit up if they attempt to approach your home under cover of darkness.
Pillar or post lighting is a classic choice that provides plenty of light for improved security and safety, but remember you can play around with different lighting styles and colours to create the effect you want. Ground lights, recessed lighting and LED strip lighting are all ideal for modern homes, whereas lantern lights are great for traditional-style properties. To add a more whimsical touch to your outdoor decorations, you can use fairy lighting or festoon lighting to illuminate your driveway.
12. Plant flowers
Looking to add some finishing touches to spruce up your driveway? You can easily make this area more attractive by planting flowers along the border of your driveway, which will soften a harsh-looking concrete or brick driveway if your front garden is looking a bit too barren. Choose perennial flowers for the best value and easiest maintenance.
13. Add a water feature
To elevate your front garden and driveway even further, you should consider installing a water feature. This can be a traditional stone water fountain, dancing water jets with LED lighting, or a modern and minimalistic metal sphere water feature – whatever style you like, you’ll be able to find the perfect water feature to complement your home. Just make sure there’s plenty of space for your water feature to fit comfortably without obstructing any cars or potentially becoming a safety hazard.
14. Improve drainage
To improve the lifespan of your driveway, you need to ensure there’s adequate drainage to prevent water from accumulating on the surface. This standing water can weaken and erode your driveway over time, as well as mar its appearance in the short term.
During driveway installation, your driveway should be built on a slight slope to allow water to run off instead of gathering on the surface. This is something to bear in mind if you plan to install your driveway yourself, but to stay on the safe side, it’s better to rely on professional driveway installation so you know everything is being handled properly. If drainage is still an issue, you can install grates and channels in your driveway to collect excess water.
Your choice of driveway material will have a big impact on driveway drainage. Permeable materials like gravel are much less likely to face issues like water accumulation, so this is something to consider if your front garden gets waterlogged easily. There are also UK planning permission laws to consider here – you’ll need planning permission if you plan to use impermeable materials for a driveway that’s larger than 5 square metres.
15. Plant trees
Planting trees around your driveway can help you improve drainage and add a gorgeous feature to your home. While this isn’t the best idea for smaller gardens and driveways, planting trees along a long driveway can create an enchanting entrance to your property, especially if they form a dense canopy above the driveway. It may take a while for the trees to grow and fit your vision of what they should look like, so this is more of a long-term strategy to improve the appearance of your driveway, rather than a quick fix if you’re hoping to sell your home soon.
16. Install a driveway turntable
A driveway canopied by trees may be better for large properties, but if you’ve got a much smaller space to work with, a cool and valuable feature you can add is a driveway turntable. Driveway turntables make it much easier for cars to turn around when there’s limited driveway space. You just need to park your car on top of the turntable, and then the motorised element underneath the driveway will turn the vehicle 180º, allowing you to simply drive away again.
The top of the turntable can be customised to exactly match the rest of your driveway, making it a subtle yet powerful feature. However, due to the complex machinery that needs to be installed, this is something you’ll need professional installation for rather than a DIY project.
Looking for a new driveway gate that can instantly boost the appearance and value of your home? Check out our range of metal, wooden and composite driveway gates here at The Expert Gate Company, which all come with our quality guarantee and professional driveway gate installation services. Or, you can check out our blog for more driveway gate inspiration and advice.