Are you considering creating outdoor spaces that coexist harmoniously with nature and need some natural driveway ideas? Building a driveway from more organic materials is an elegant and practical solution to incorporating your property’s environment into the functional living space of your home.
Natural driveways have a lesser environmental impact than traditional concrete and asphalt options and can be more visually pleasing. Working with the environment rather than battling against it, driveways built from natural materials will last longer and cost less over time.
Intrigued? Keep reading for two excellent natural driveway ideas.
What Are Natural Driveways?
Conventional driveways are composed of concrete slabs or layers of hot asphalt, and natural driveways are made of natural materials.
What are natural materials? They are simply the things you would find in your backyard; sticks, leaves, grass, and rocks. So how can you make a driveway out of those things? Well, two types of natural driveways work better than others.
Gravel Driveway
Gravel driveways are a time-tested asphalt driveway alternative. Offering inexpensive installation and needing minimal maintenance, it’s hard to argue against gravel.
If you live in an arid, drought-prone environment like the American southwest, gravel should be on your short list of natural driveway ideas.
Gravel fits the natural aesthetic of desert landscapes and is a drought-resistant landscaping solution that requires no watering or irrigation. Gravel allows the infrequent desert rains to drain easily to replenish crucial groundwater supplies, an essential trait with growing water supply issues in the American southwest.
Grass Driveway
Perhaps the most organic, natural option available, a grass driveway provides a living, breathing driveway that not only accents your environment but is also an active part of it.
A grass driveway is a top-tier option for homeowners contemplating natural driveway ideas for temperate forest and grassland environments.
Grass driveways provide a habitat for worms, bugs, and other microorganisms that are vital to the health of a landscape, whereas pavement and asphalt eliminate room for life. Grass provides excellent natural drainage as well as a beautiful natural look that allows your home to exist in harmony with nature, rather than trample it.
Pros and Cons of Natural Driveways
Natural driveways offer a variety of positives for your property, but like anything else, there are drawbacks that you should also note. Here are some pros and cons to consider when looking at natural driveway ideas:
Pros
Drainage
Traditional paved driveways are impermeable and do not allow for water to drain down into the ground, which can affect the groundwater supply. Many cities and towns have codes that require a certain percentage of developed areas to be permeable. Natural driveways provide an elegant solution to these problems as they provide excellent drainage.
Aesthetic
Natural driveways offer a more organic symmetry with their natural surroundings.
Longevity
Asphalt and concrete driveways can crack over time with temperature changes and wear with weather and use. Gravel and grass driveways will never crack or need repair.
Affordability
Natural driveways are significantly cheaper to install than their inorganic counterparts and cost less to maintain long-term.
Cons
- Ruts create dirt and mud tracks in the grass and deep grooves in gravel
- Gravel can be challenging to contain within the boundaries of your driveway.
- Repeatedly driving on grass can kill it.
Building Natural Driveways with Permeable Pavers
Building a natural driveway with permeable pavers can eliminate virtually all of the concerns associated with natural driveways.
Permeable pavers, like the TRUEGRID PRO LITE, PRO PLUS, and ROOT, create a robust grid that holds gravel in place and protects grass roots from trampling. It will not spill out of its border or develop ruts, and a grass driveway will not develop dead dirt spots or tracks.
Permeable pavers are easily installed on top of the grass or under gravel. They will allow the lawn to grow up through the protective grid, while still containing the gravel. The result is a beautiful blanket of grass that is impervious to ruts and damage and gravel that is held securely in place.
The Best Natural and Sturdy Driveway with TRUEGRID Permeable Pavers
For the best natural driveway ideas, TRUEGRID Permeable Pavers should be at the top of your material list.
Founded in 2013, TRUEGRID permeable pavers are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and they are 100% made in the USA. Backed by a 10-year limited warranty and world-class service and technical support, TRUEGRID makes it easy for homeowners and builders to create environmentally-friendly outdoor spaces.
Whether you need the PRO LITE for residential projects, PRO PLUS for commercial and industrial applications, or the ROOT for grass driveways and walkways, TRUEGRID covers all of your natural driveway needs!
Contact TRUEGRID today and get a free estimate for your natural driveway project.
