The decision to install a hardscape paver driveway can be one of the most important home and property undertakings a home owner will consider. This technical bulletin addresses the basics of driveway hardscape construction design aspects. The overview will help the homeowner determine the type of product choice needed as well as understand what design features must be incorporated into the plan. These design features will impact the cost of the project.

There are three main factors to consider: design, surcharge weight of the vehicles, and water runoff. Therefore, our advice is — “learn about the type of driveway design you need and want and take your time to make a decision”. —  We encourage the homeowner to examine as many different layouts and choices as possible. Look through the Wichman social media sites noted on the last page as well as examine “Pins” on Pinterest and” Ideabooks or Projects” on Houzz. Pick up and examine as many of the various landscaping design booklets or browse through the various product design brochures offered by the paver manufacturers as well as offerings made by the landscape supply houses, to get a sense of what is available in the way of product choices. For your convenience, we have listed embedded sites to view at the end of the bulletin.

This technical bulletin addresses the basics of paver hardscape construction design features and will help the homeowner to plan the best layout that meets their needs and budget.

Driveway

The first consideration is the design of the driveway. Is it a brick, Cobble stone or paver constructed driveway with or without any patterns? Second consider the weight of vehicular traffic and whether or not a surcharge situation exists. The last consideration is water run-off. When it rains, where that run-off directed?

Alternatively, consider eco-friendly pavers that allow water to filter through the paver and into the subsoil. Add in other additions to define form and influence functionality such as: Landscape, Lighting, Entrance ways, Free Standing Walls, Columns, and Pillars. All of these factors will greatly impact the cost of the design and hence your budget. When considering a driveway, thick pavers in excess of 2 ¾” are recommended and the foundation underneath needs to be well prepared to handle the weight of traffic. Smooth, tumbled, or clean edge pavers are recommended to prevent fracturing when loaded.

Driveways should be sealed on a routine basis as this will prevent staining from leaking automotive fluids. Check with Wichman Landscape Construction to see what they have to offer.

When first starting to scope out the project, consider these issues:

·         Property Lot lines. Your municipality will have copies of your lot survey on file. The survey will not only identify property lines but may provide a scaled template of your lot to help in the planning as well as define access points and property lines to a facilitate equipment movement.

·         Utilities. Buried utilities such water, cable, electric and gas running underneath the driveway need to be marked as the installation will have to work with these buried lines. Mark the lines, if you know where they are, or call your local utility to have them mark the lines.

·         Neighbors. Depending on the project scope and the proximity to neighboring properties, let your neighbors know about your project before you begin.

·       Soil. One of the most important aspects of construction will be the type of soil that the driveway will lay on top of. Soil conditions will impact the installation and Clay soils can cause a problem because they tend to hold moisture and need to drain to prevent freeze/ thaw problems. A good rule of thumb is to pick up the soil and using your hand squeeze it to form a ball. However, never use organic soil; it will not hold the pressure.

·       Existing Driveway. Depending on the condition of the original driveway, tar or concrete or natural, a considerable amount of work needs to be done to remove material. Access to the removal and where to place the removed material need to covered with your contractor.

·       Water Run-off. Always a consideration is water runoff and the necessary drainage system needed to channel water to the lowest elevation. Wichman Landscape Construction can advise the best system and method to manage run off.

Planning Your Driveway:

Use the embedded Wichman worksheet Grid technical sheet.pdf to lay out a plot plan.

Please fill in the blanks to develop the design:

Driveway Width______________________
Driveway Length______________________
Wall______________________
Patterns ______________________
Entranceway ______________________
Lighting______________________

Please consider the following:

A.  Compliance of site to latest site plan
·         Does the site plan and layout coincide with current site conditions?

·         Do the section drawings match the topography of the job-site?

·         Have site utilities been accounted for?

·         Are there any recommendations for changes to the site plans to accommodate the added features?

B.  Review of reported soil conditions with Wichman Landscape Construction and if necessary a soils engineer
·         Are on site soils consistent with soil parameters used in the design?

·         Does the site show indications of multiple types of soils and has this been accounted for?

·         Is there evidence of landfill areas on site?

C.  Review of above & below grade water management
·         Has surface runoff been accounted for in the site design?

·         Will this site be irrigated?

·         If storm drains become inoperable where will the water migrate to?

·         During renovation of the property will temporary drainage be an issue?

D.  Review of below grade water management

• How and where will drain piping be installed?
• Is it possible to vent drain pipe to daylight?
• Is venting to a storm drainage system an option?
• Will outlets be located and protected from blockage or damage?

E.   Site Access

• Does the site have easy access to earth moving equipment?
• Is there a plan to remediate the property to its former condition if the equipment used to construct the driveway damages the surrounding property?
• Does the site allow for the transportation of material either taken from or brought to the site as fill?

F.  Surcharges

• Have all surcharges been accounted for?
• During construction are there any temporary surcharges that should be ACCOUNTED FOR?

G.  Recommended material manufacturers that supply wall system product into the Pittsburgh region:

• http://www.techo-bloc.com/
• http://www.lampus.com/
• http://www.unilock.com/
• http://www.belgard.com/

H.   Recommended Wichman & social media sites to view for further information and ideas.

• https://www.facebook.com/wichmanlandscape
• https://www.pinterest.com/jeffwichman/
• http://www.houzz.com/pro/jeffwichman/ public/wichman-landscape-and-construction
• http://www.houzz.com/paving-stone-driveway
• http://www.houzz.com/paver-driveway

When in doubt or you if have any questions, please consult with Wichman Landscape Construction.