Driveway Designs

Driveway designs are an important part of the landscape and can be both welcoming and dramatic.There are some main areas to think about when working with driveway designs.

You must decide on the actual design along with the driveway width. It is a good idea to also think about extra driveway parking for guests, so that access is not blocked.

What driveway materials will you use? Your paving can be as simple as loose stone or it can be constructed of pavers with a pretty pattern. There are many other driveway materials available also. You might also think about driveway edgings. With some paving materials a driveway edging is functional, while with others it simple creates a nice look. Also consider a driveway apron to enhance the entry.

Related Pages: paver contractors - driveway edgings - driveway landscape - driveway lighting - driveway paving - driveway apron - cobblestone driveway - decomposed granite - driveway drainage


Certain features of your landscape and residence will help determine possible driveway designs and ideas. There is the location of the driveway entry, and there is the layout of the driveway to arrive at the destination....the garage or driveway parking area. Ahh, but it's the in between that's the puzzle!

Is the distance long or short? If it's short, you often must follow a direct route. A long driveway offers more choices.

Another aspect to plan for is directing driveway surface water correctly. To learn more about this, please visit my page on Driveway Drainage.

Driveway Design - Basic

A driveway can lead straight from the road entry, where you might have a decorative driveway apron, to a side garage. In this case, the turning radius into the garage is one of the elements of the design, and it must function well. I use a 10 - 15' radius on the turn. In addition, the amount of space needed to back up out of the garage should be a minimum of 30 feet, but a little longer is better. You might have to do a K turn if you want to drive out forward.

When you design a driveway, if there is room, a good idea is to include an extra back up area so that you can back the car up and drive out forward. This space can also double for extra parking.

It can extend into the rear yard or it can be angled past the rear driveway corner. It should be a minimum of 10' wide and 18' long. Double the width if you would like parking for two additional vehicles. And the same turning radius applies.

If you have a driveway design that is far from the front door, you can insert parking where the walk would begin. This brings you closer to the front door and walkway. In this scenario, I like the start of the walk to be very wide at its beginning position along the driveway.

Circular Driveway Design

Circular driveways are also popular in driveway designs. A circular driveway design begins at the street, travels across the area close to the front door, and continues out to the street again. It is basically a loop. In addition, it has an area which leads to the garage.

The length of the circular driveway before the it starts curving can vary greatly. As you enter from the street, the driveway will be long before starting the curve if you have a great distance to the front door. However, if your property has less depth, you can still have this type of driveway.

A wide driveway turning radius should be used along the curved areas. The minimum should be a fifteen foot radius. If you can make it twenty feet or more, that would be even better. Typical turning radii for driveway entries are ten to fifteen feet. A circular driveway design is a little different than for driveway entries, since the vehicle is not making just one turn, but travelling for a distance along the curve.

Entries from the street can be curved, although straight areas of about eighteen feet are preferred. The driveway can then continue in a straight path or begin curving.

The driveway area near the front door should be straight so that cars can park comfortably. The length of this straight area near the front door should be a minimum of eighteen to twenty feet, which is the length of a typical parking space. Driveway designs with longer lengths will allow more cars to park behind each other comfortably. Vehicles can park on curves, but it is easier to do so in a straight area.

A circular driveway will work whether your garage is in the front of the house or on the side.

Think about additional driveway parking for guests and pass through areas in these types of driveway designs.

A pull off area is a functional element, as a car can park there and not block the passageway.

This area can be created by widening the driveway near the front door so that one car can pass another one.

Courtyard Designs

Courtyard designs can be contemporary looking or reminiscent of old European estates. The central area, which would generally be all paved, can be square or circular. A circular design should have a diameter of 70 feet. I know this sounds huge, but actually it is what is needed to maneuver a vehicle comfortably. If the courtyard is square, the minimum length and width should be 55 feet.You might be interested in reading what I have written about the cobblestone driveway.

The Crossover

Sometimes I design a driveway with what you might call a transverse design. This is where the entry begins at one side of the front of the property and crosses over along the front and ends up on the other side where the garage is.

Driveway Width

As far as driveway widths are concerned in driveway designs, you can choose the width to be anywhere from nine to twelve feet. I prefer more narrow ones. Why create more hard surface in a landscape than is necessary? Nine or ten feet wide is satisfactory for any car or small truck. If you have a two car garage in front of your house and the distance is not long, you may opt for double the width for the two vehicles.

Due to the large square footage of driveways, cost is normally a factor when it comes to selecting driveway paving materials. The main driveway paving choices are:

1. Loose stone - this is the least expensive option. There are a variety of stone sizes, colors and textures available.
2. Decomposed granite - This is a mixture of fine granules. There are three different ways of using this material, with varying costs
3. Tar and chip driveways - a combination of loose stone and asphalt are combined. In the beginning this driveway material is loose, but it hardens over time and provides a textured appearance.
4. Asphalt - a common and inexpensive choice.
5. Concrete - subject to cracking.
6. Concrete pavers - a paver driveway design can be used for the entire area or in certain areas. Also visit driveway pavers.
7. Brick - a brick driveway can be either dry laid or set in mortar.
8. Travertine pavers - yes, they are appropriate for driveways.
9. Natural stone - various types are available but strength specification must be checked.

Please visit my page with lots of good information about hiring paver contractors.

With all the various driveway materials that are available, it's sometimes difficult to choose the right one. Select one that fits your budget and remember it is only part of the landscape.

Driveway Edgings

In addition, there are driveway edgings and different ways to use them. These can be either functional, decorative, or both.

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