The Expert Guide to Driveway Paving

A paved driveway is such a stylish, classic alternative to tarmac or poured concrete, offering a timeless look that beautifully complements older and modern homes alike. Considering paving your brand-new driveway? In this guide, we’ll look at the types of pavers you can use, the all-important driveway drainage considerations and, of course, paved driveway style inspiration.

Do You Need Planning Permission for a Driveway?

If your driveway uses permeable materials (meaning water can pass through it), like natural stone or gravel, you shouldn’t need to worry about planning permission. However, if your driveway will use an impermeable material, like porcelain, standard tarmac or standard concrete, then you’ll need planning permission if it’s over 5 metres₂. 

Driveway Drainage Regulations

Ensuring your driveway has proper drainage is very important for flooding prevention. For driveways with impermeable paving, the  driveway should slope slightly toward a drainage solution, such as channel drains or onto a permeable lawn or gravel space. Without proper driveway drainage, you could face fines from your council. 

See our drainage guide to learn more about the types of domestic outdoor drainage available. 

Natural Stone Driveway Paving

Natural stone offers incredible strength and durability for your driveway space. One popular choice is granite, which has a dense, interlocking structure, giving it great compressive strength to handle the weight of your car. Flamed granite is an especially good driveway choice, as its textured, matte surface offers excellent slip resistance. 

Another wonderful choice is sandstone, which is available in a wide variety of colours, from sophisticated greys to warm yellows and even sunset pink tones, allowing you to create a driveway that’s as beautiful as it is functional.

The most important thing when creating a natural stone driveway is ensuring the pavers are sufficiently thick. 60 mm is recommended for most domestic driveways, but if you have a particularly heavy vehicle, you might want to go up to 80mm. 

Porcelain Driveway Paving

Porcelain is another great driveway option for durability. Plus, it offers a similar variety in colour and patterns to stone for those wanting a high level of kerb appeal. To make sure your porcelain slabs are strong enough for driveway use, choose a thickness of around 30mm. 

Porcelain is an impermeable driveway paver, so we recommend pairing it with a porous jointing compound and paving system to prevent localised flooding. You’ll also need to make sure your paving slopes slightly toward a permeable border or channel drain. 

One premium option that comes with a porcelain driveway is the opportunity to match your driveway pavers and indoor tiles for a cohesive, stylish look. This allows your driveway to flow seamlessly into your home for a real sense of luxury. 

Concrete Driveway Paving

Concrete pavers are a wonderful option if you want to enjoy the look of paving slabs or setts in your driveway at a lower price point. While they don’t quite have the aesthetic versatility of porcelain pavers, concrete driveway pavers can also be made in a range of colours and shapes to create an attractive driveway. Plus, like other pavers, they offer excellent crack and weather resistance, along with overall durability, and require minimal maintenance. 

How Much Does it Cost to Pave a Driveway?

The cost of paving your driveway depends largely on the materials you use and the size of your driveway.

One lower-cost option is a gravel driveway. Not only does this offer cost-effective driveway coverage, but its permeability means you won’t need to invest in a separate drainage solution either. However, gravel does require more regular maintenance than other driveway solutions, plus periodical top-ups. The stones can also move around under your car’s wheels and be difficult for prams and wheelchairs.

Options such as concrete and tarmac are more mid-price range, but these practical options have minimal aesthetic appeal.

Meanwhile, natural stone driveway paving is toward the higher end of the pricing spectrum. However, when you consider the exceptional durability, low-maintenance and kerb appeal of natural stone, the value for money is clear. 

Similarly, porcelain driveways can be a high price point but offer premium aesthetics and long-lasting strength and weather resistance. Our guide comparing paving materials can help you make your choice if you’re struggling.

Inspiration and Ideas for Driveway Paving

If you’re looking for further inspiration on driveway paving, the following are some popular styles.

Herringbone Block Paving Driveway

Herringbone patterns are one of the most popular small-format paving options for driveways. Not only is the zigzag pattern visually appealing, but interlocking your driveway setts  in this way increases the strength and multidirectional stability of your paving.

Large Format Paved Contemporary Driveway

If you want a contemporary look for your driveway, large-format pavers are our recommendation. Not only is this paving style slick and modern with its clean lines and minimalist aspect, but it also gives your driveway a spacious appearance. 

Classic, Cobbled Driveway

For a more classic look, a cobbled driveway has a wholesome, old-fashioned charm. Choose cobble setts with rounded edges to complement an older home or bring a retro touch to a modern dwelling. Our guide to small-format paving styles can offer more inspiration for cobble patterns in your driveway or other outdoor areas. 

Are natural stone, porcelain or concrete pavers the right choice for your driveway project? Browse our selection of pavers and drivestone cobbles to find your perfect driveway solution or contact us to discuss your options further.