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In this guide, we’ll show you what type of driveway lasts the longest and are likely to stand the test of time before you buy.
It stands to reason that we all want our driveways to last as long as possible.
No matter the type of driveway, nor its size, the longer it lasts, the fewer headaches it’ll give you.
There are plenty of driveway surface solutions out there, and trust us – we’ve seen some of the best and some of the worst in practice.
Are you struggling to find the right material?
Keep reading, and we’ll take you through seven options that can endure years of use.
Concrete is the standout choice when considering durability and longevity for driveways.
Properly installed and maintained concrete driveways can last over 30 years, making them one of the most robust options.
This longevity is due to concrete’s ability to resist weather conditions and its low maintenance needs.
Regular cleaning and periodic sealing every few years suffice to keep it in prime condition, ensuring a stable and secure surface over decades.
Consider a resin-bound surface for a driveway that combines longevity with great looks. Its composition of natural aggregate makes it durable and low-maintenance, requiring only occasional jet washing.
Home Building (source)
There are many key factors to consider: brick pavers, concrete, small stones, or even glass.
Here are our top seven types of driveway surfaces to consider.
When it comes to types of driveways, asphalt is a fantastic choice for driveway material, mainly for its price per square foot and low maintenance but also in the fact that porous asphalt it’s highly permeable.
That means, providing it’s installed correctly with an appropriate base and sub base, it’ll easily let water soak through without risk of puddling and flooding.
Asphalt driveways are also pretty much good-to-go once you’ve laid it.
Asphalt driveways are superb at withstanding all kinds of weather damage, and you’ll likely get up to 20 years of use out of them.
That’s not as long as, say, concrete, but providing you care for your asphalt, it’ll stick by you for years to come.
Concrete driveways are considered the ‘old reliable’ choice for most homes.
It’ll last longer than any other of the driveway materials, on average, and unlike asphalt, it’ll only need minimal maintenance over the years.
All you need to worry about is keeping your concrete driveway clean, getting those stains and spills up off your concrete pavers as quickly as possible to avoid long term damage.
You can generally expect concrete driveways to last up to 30 years, providing you care for them properly.
A concrete driveway isn’t always permeable by design.
That’s why it’s essential to discuss drainage and SUDS compliant options with your installer before you start laying it down.
That said, providing your concrete driveway is installed by a reputable team, regular maintenance is a doddle.
Considering Concrete? Here’s How Much Pattern Concrete Driveways Cost
Gravel driveways not only look great, but they can also make for a very low maintenance option over time, and like concrete, could last 30 years or more.
Also it is relatively cheap to install a gravel driveway, while being is one of the best driveway options for rural properties.
Gravel is hard-wearing and offers a lot of aesthetic appeal compared to other materials, depending on the colour or blend you choose.
A gravel driveway is also likely to be highly permeable, providing you choose an option such as self-binding (it’s SUDS compliant).
Compared to other driveway material options, however, gravel may mark your vehicle’s tyres over time, and loose stones may kick up over years of use.
Curious About Gravel? See What a Gravel Driveway Costs
A brick driveway has that stunning look you’ll likely already know and love.
Providing they’re installed carefully on a solid base and sub base, brick pavers will weather decades to come providing you treat and clean them carefully.
For example, we highly recommend using a sealer after your driveway is fully installed.
A block paved driveway tends to do better under threats of rain and frost, too, meaning you’ll also get tons of grip on your tyres compared to concrete driveways.
Brick driveways and pavers are very easy to install and won’t need much time to settle.
With a lifespan of up to 25 years expected from the best block paving and brick installations, they are popular for more than looks alone.
However, a block paved installation will be more expensive than your concrete or asphalt average, and if you let water freeze into any cracks in the brick, you might need to swap a few pavers out.
A paver driveway gives you that perfect balance between a great aesthetic and decades of durability.
Block Prices? Check the Cost of a New Block Paved Driveway
Residential tarmac driveways are very popular with many homeowners mainly thanks to their flexibility what you’ll pay at the point of installation versus other surfaces.
They may not be the fanciest-looking driveway finishes, but they offer a lot of resistance and durability in the face of temperature changes.
Tarmac is not a porous surface on its own, however, so you’ll need to make sure you choose a SUDS compliant option with an appropriate base and sub-base.
Tarmac driveways can last for 20 years or more, and if you do need to maintain them or repair them over their lifespan, you likely won’t have to pay too much for the privilege.
Maintenance expense and lifespan aside, tarmac isn’t always the first option for driveway materials, mainly because it can get sticky and unsightly over time.
Choosing tarmac for your new driveway effectively means you’re investing in durability and low maintenance, not so much the kerb appeal!
Need Tarmac Pricing? Here’s the Cost for a New Tarmac Driveway
Resin driveways tend to be popular choices for people looking for great-looking surfaces with the added boost of temperature durability.
A resin drive can also be highly permeable and porous when installed properly to SUDS compliance.
On top of this, a resin driveway will have very few weeds and is easy to maintain over time, though you’ll need to be careful when jet washing not to damage the surface.
Some resin is resistant to UV, but not all, so check with your installer.
Resin driveways offer lots of curb appeal and won’t need much maintenance, nor will you need planning permission. Expect resin driveways to last upto 25 years.
The initial outlay for a resin drive is more than can be expected from the likes of gravel and concrete, but with all the benefits of resin, if you have the money available, it will also help your driveway stand out a little more.
Take a look at our guides on resin driveway maintenance and cleaning to learn more.
Resin Costs? See How Much a New Resin Driveway Should Cost
Recycled glass is becoming more and more popular with homeowners mainly for the eco-friendly aspect.
However, glass driveways do also offer years of durability and resilience.
This is essentially thanks to the fact that a glass driveway benefits from resin sealing, which – as explained above – makes for hard-wearing over many years.
Unlike other driveways, a glass driveway surface is a little more on the niche side of looks.
Therefore, it’s likely a good driveway surface choice if you have a smaller run-up or don’t want to spend hours after hours maintaining it.
That said, the average glass driveway will not save you as much money as a concrete driveway or simpler gravel driveways.
Most people are more likely to pick glass driveway types because they are aesthetically pleasing, less so that they are durable.
When choosing the best type of driveway, there are a few things to consider:
Some types of driveways need more looking after than others – concrete, for example, is likely to be easier to maintain and care for than asphalt.
If it’s time-consuming to look after, then it’s going to set you back more money in the long run, too.
Does your chosen driveway type match the aesthetic of your property?
What about your local area?
As previously mentioned, niche looks such as glass driveways won’t blend in everywhere – consider brick, gravel or concrete driveways for neutral blending.
The type of driveway you install isn’t the be-all and end-all for your property value, but consider the convenience and look for your future buyers.
Ask yourself these questions, is your asphalt driveway going to be easy for your buyer to keep up to?
Will the look of your glass or resin driveway appeal to a broad audience?
What’s the best driveway surface for lifespan and longevity?
In our experience as North East driveway installers, the types of driveways that will last for years are likely to be good old concrete or block paving with gravel and asphalt not too far behind.
We highly recommend you consider all seven options in our list above, but with proper care, you can expect little maintenance and decades of resilience from our top three.
It doesn’t make sense to install a new driveway if you have to repair or replace it in a few months or years!
Whether you’re looking into individual blocks, glass and resin or other materials, consider all our pros and cons above.
What’s more, whether it’s asphalt driveways or gravel driveways, the best driveway surface will only work so well if it’s installed correctly.
Choose a reliable contractor with years of experience in all the driveway alternatives listed above.
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