How to Design Driveways
Driveways are one of the first impressions that a homeowner gets to make on arriving guests. This makes the design of the driveway very important. Designing a driveway can be time consuming but rewarding. A driveway designer has multiple elements to consider: size, material and style. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Collect all plans in one place. Using a notebook while brainstorming ideas for a driveway project makes it easy to refer to plans when talking to home owners. The notebook also can hold helpful information such as the homeowners' desires, project measurements and local code requirements.
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Determine the width of the driveway. Most driveways are either single- or double-car proportioned. A single-car driveway should be no less than 10 feet wide. A double-car driveway should be at least 20 feet wide. Also keep in mind what is next to the driveway. If there is a wall or heavy bushes, consider extending the width of the driveway to ensure a comfortable space when opening the car door.
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Determine the length of the driveway. You will need to know the average number of cars the homeowners want to accommodate at any one time. For each vehicle, there should be 20 feet of driveway length. If the driveway is a double-car driveway, this would be 20 feet for every two cars.
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Decide whether the driveway will have a turnaround area, where drivers can back into in order to drive forward out of the driveway. This area should be at least the size of a single car.
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Select the material. Driveways can be made out of asphalt, concrete, crushed gravel or stone. This can be the biggest design element, as it is what visitors get to see. There are many types of stone, such as brick and cobblestone. They can be used together or alone in patterns to create a masterpiece.
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Tips & Warnings
Research local building codes before starting the driveway design.
References
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