Stone Driveways
As indicated by its name, a stone driveway is any driveway made from stones laid flat to form a level surface.
There are some very good reasons for using stones to build a driveway.
For one thing, stone is the one of the strongest materials found on earth.
In nature, it can easily last for hundreds of thousands of years. That is far longer than concrete. Stone also outlives many metals because it does not oxidize.
Most people realize, however, that they themselves will not be around for hundreds of thousands of years—at least in physical form. These people choose stone out of a personal affinity for its appearance.
Stone, as a natural substance, readily supports any landscaping design that deliberately emulates nature.
It is ideal for introducing the ideal that one’s backyard is a wild, remote area tucked away just behind a house.
Still other people like stone because of its historical and architectural importance. Stone was the first building material used by early man.
Stone defined the great empires of the classical era and has continued since that time to symbolize elegance and formality. A stone driveway in front of a stately home is a wonderful way to introduce an estate landscaping design with a classical theme.
In terms of the types of stones used to build such a hardscape, almost any type and size of stone will work.
Some stones are regular and symmetrical in size. Others are asymmetrical and make brilliant patterns when hand-fitted together.
What matters most is that the stones are flat on top and will lie together to make a tire friendly driveway.
Pavers are very good for creating this type of surface. They are cost effective and available in a wide range of colors and designs that make them an excellent support to any number of front yard landscape designs.
If you choose the type of stone carefully, a stone driveway can also be very cost effective.
There are many different options that a professional landscaper can recommend that will affordably transform what is normally considered a mundane element of the yard into a superb point of entry.
Another benefit that stone driveways offer to residents living on the Houston landscape is its superb drainage qualities.
When it is constructed with the proper grade and any necessary hidden drainage systems, it will rid itself of excess water very quickly. The natural traction provided by stone provides an additional measure of vehicle safety when pulling into one’s driveway on a rainy night..
We can’t forget the decorative advantages of a stone driveway, either. Any type of landscape, from French to Mediterranean, from Italian to Colonial, on up to modern and contemporary landscaping all can be constructed out of stone.
While such a driveway may be built by a company who specializes in building driveways, it is always best to let a professional landscaper handle the basic design work and subcontract the appropriate specialists.
Landscapers will see to it that the hardscape transitions smoothly into the surrounding softscape and compliments the architecture of the home.