Your driveway is often the first thing people notice when they enter your property. It mainly serves two purposes: It needs to be functional – and it should be stylish. Your driveway resembles your property’s signature card. Its aesthetics as well as its condition can tell people a lot about how well you maintain and look after your belongings.

Cracks, holes and blemishes are not only unattractive. Over time, they can also eat away at your driveway material, causing bigger – and more expensive – issues down the track. Therefore, we recommend getting your driveway repaired sooner rather than later to extend its longevity for years to come. Getting an expert to look at your driveway can also help identify causes that lead to its deterioration and find solutions that will prevent further issues in the future.

Common Driveway Issues

There are a range of problems you are likely to encounter over time with your driveway. Depending on the material of your driveway, some can happen more frequently than others. Your building material will also have an impact on the severity of the issue as well as the duration, cost and difficulty of the necessary repairs.

Cracks

The most common issue most driveway owners will encounter is cracking. Cracks can occur for various reasons, such as changes in temperature and moisture content within the building material, extreme weather conditions, insufficient water drainage as well as heavy vehicles and machinery. While most cracks are purely cosmetic and may not affect the durability of your driveway, it is vital to get them addressed to find out what’s causing them before they do turn into a major headache.

Generally, any visible crack will decrease the appeal and value of your property. Apart from that, if not fixed during the early stages, cracks can lead to several problems including water damage where water seeps into the cracks and erodes the base of the driveway. This can potentially cause parts of the driveway to collapse. Especially in colder climates, water tends to seep into cracks where it freezes and expands, making the cracks larger and causing more damage.

Cracks can also pose tripping hazards and they become a breeding ground for weeds and grass. These tend to widen the cracks as they grow, increasing the risk of bigger destruction over time.

Potholes

Similar to cracking, constant traffic and severe weather conditions can also lead to potholes in your driveway. Gravel is particularly prone to potholes as it can easily be displaced by vehicles as well as heavy rain, flooding and sub-zero temperatures.

Poor drainage is another common cause of potholes. If water accumulates on the driveway surface, it can soften the material as well as the layers underneath, collapsing and creating holes. If left unattended, holes will grow over time, posing serious health and safety issues.

Stains and blemishes

Motor oil, rust and environmental factors such as UV rays, mold and mildew can cause blemishes and stains on your driveway that eventually may become permanent. Apart from decreasing the value of your property, some stains can also soften your driveway material, causing it to slowly deteriorate and develop cracks and potholes. Other stains may contain harmful chemicals that can seep into the ground below your driveway, contaminating the soil and waterways.

Patching, Resurfacing or Replacing?

Depending on the severity of your driveway issues, there are several options available to repair them. Patching and resurfacing are the first steps. However, in some cases, this might not be sufficient enough to restore your driveway and instead, a replacement might be the only solution left.

Patching

The most cost-effective solution, patching means filling smaller holes and cracks with asphalt or concrete sealing. It’s also the least disruptive option as you can continue to use your driveway while the repairs are being undertaken. However, patching only works for minor driveway disturbances and usually leaves visible marks behind, meaning that there is a disruption to the general aesthetics and looks.

Resurfacing

For deeper cracks, potholes and other more extensive damage, resurfacing is a more viable option. It means scraping off damaged parts of the driveway before pouring on new asphalt or concrete. It does require more work but is still less expensive than a full replacement per square foot.

Replacing

If your driveway is beyond general repairs, you will need to consider having it replaced. This is always the final option, and thus the costliest one. This is usually the case if your driveway is more than 15 years old or if you have severe damage such as deep cracks and holes. While you may not be able to use your driveway while the work is undertaken, it will give you the option to redesign and seal your driveway, giving it a new look and life.