Driveway Pavers

Asphalt driveways need sealing every few years and eventually crack. Poured concrete handles freeze-thaw cycles poorly and tends to crack along expansion joints or where ground movement occurs. Paver driveways have one advantage neither option can match: individual pieces can be pulled up and reset if a section settles or a utility line needs access. You're never patching or living with a visible repair.

Driveways carry more load than patios, so the base requirements are more demanding. We typically excavate 12 to 14 inches for a driveway and use a heavier compacted gravel base to handle vehicle weight without movement over time. The pavers themselves are thicker — 2.375 inches as a standard for vehicle areas rather than the thinner pavers used for pedestrian applications.

Paver driveways also handle Chicagoland winters better than concrete: the flexible joint system allows for ground movement without cracking the surface. Polymeric sand joints keep the installation tight and resist the freeze-thaw cycling that damages poured surfaces.