What kind of driveway material is appropriate for a midcentury home? Pavers? Concrete? Pea gravel? Asphalt? Reader Jane does not like the pinky-gray brick paving blocks added at some point as the driveway of her 1958 home, and welcomes our ideas and suggestions. I have some immediate reactions and thoughts… but I have not researched this topic… Readers, what do you think? Read on for Jane’s complete question and story…
Jane writes:
I searched your site for any info on driveways… but I think it is a topic you have yet to cover! My midcentury home has been unfortunately renovated with a pinky-grey interlocking brick. I [*h*-word edited by pam] interlocking brick. With a passion. Looking up ways to cover it seems to result in no answers – apparently, everyone on the internet wants to put this in, not cover it or take it out!
Wondering if you have any thoughts on midcentury driveways — I think concrete looks best… but maybe pea gravel would be a cheap way to cover up the interlock… I dunno. I was thinking to maybe post a pic of my Midcentury Don Mills (Ontario) house exterior and have some of your readers weigh in on cool midcentury driveway ideas.
Forgive the lawn, it’s Canadian winter, everything is dead at the moment.
I just got a quote from my family contractor, he said 8 to 10 THOUSAND dollars just to rip out the interlock and put in plain concrete. Ay caramba! Now I know I need some more options! I wonder what else would look good with this house.
Dumping pea gravel over the interlock is looking like the cheapest option… but can you roll giant recycling bins over that stuff? Will it get all over the road? So many questions!
Can you just pave over interlock? I’m guessing the experts will say no…
I also asked Jane for more info on what got her into this lovely home. She responded:
I have always had a fetish for Mid Century houses. Didn’t grow up in one, but I had friends who did. I swore one day when I could afford one, I’d buy one! We bought the house in 2010 after a very loooong search – they say no one leaves Don Mills, except in a hearse. People all moved in in the late 50s when it was built, then loved it so much, they never moved out. So housing stock is hard to come by. Don Mills is the only area in Toronto (within commuting distance to my job) that has these types of homes. First modern planned community in Canada. Lots of great MCM houses. And a great place to live.
Anyway, after 10 months of searching, we found this one. Unfortunately it had fallen prey to some ‘flippers’ who bought it in 2008, put in some cheap Home Depot/Ikea updates, then resold in 2010. I’m in the process of trying to undo all that they did, such as putting fake wood floor over perfectly good linoleum (arrrgh!), painting over wood panelling (gasp!), ripping out kitchen (silent weeping), etc.
I have pics of what the original house looked like in ’58 – but doing before and afters will wait for another time, when I am happy with my interior (but will I ever be happy?) haha.
By the way, the grey in the front was picked from that palette of Eichler colours you posted ages ago – Chelsea Grey. Thanks for that – they have been very useful. I’m picking some more from that set for my fence.
Cheers, Jane
Thanks, Jane, for all this information. This is a good one. Readers: Read more about historic midcentury Don Mills at Jane’s blog, Don Mills: Rediscovering the Suburban Dream.
And now: Let’s hear your ideas… I’m gonna hang back, read your ideas, think about ’em, and pop in later with an opinion and ideas…
Karen says
Thanks so much for this post! I am in Florida and have a concrete drive that has heaved from tree roots. I think Hollywood is the style for me 🙂
Jacy says
Okay, here’s a twist to what everyone has been saying. Yes, I understand you don’t like the pavers, but honestly, I don’t think it is the pavers that are the problem. The brickwork is fantastic, but it’s the edging of the driveway I have a BIG issue with. The EDGING of your driveway is demanding all the attention away from the house.
WIth it being a RAISED, STRAIGT edging, the driveway is requiring everyone’s attention.
Solution: Before removing the entire driveway, please remove the edging first. Then take step back and take a look. Just that little bit of work will completely change the look of the driveway as well as the house. The geometric pattern of the driveway fits with the “Geometric 50’s”. So, start small before you spend all that money on something you might hate in the end.
Sarah V says
Our front walkway is made up of similar pink pavers, and those raised straight bits along the edges are what keeps the pavers from all seperating out – I should know because ours doesn’t have the side rails! If you take them out as Jacy suggested you’ll need to replace it with something (wooden pre-treated ties maybe?)
Jean says
The side strips are indeed what are holding the pavers in place. My mason husband always uses some sort off retaining “strip” to hold the pavers or brick from moving. I think the driveway itself is lovely, but do not think it matches the home’s vintage. A straight pattern may have worked better that the herringbone.
hillary says
I think the pavers look nice actually. They probably increase your property value if you ever sell. Putting in asphalt or gravel on top would decrease the value of your home. I wouldn’t do it considering they are pretty inoffensive and in good shape. I’d invest some money in nice midcentury landscaping instead, if you want to upgrade your curb appeal. And FWIW, my midcentury house has an original interlocking brick walkway to the door, and an original interlocking brick patio in the back yard, so the style is not totally un-period even if the materials are more modern.
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
I do not like the pavers, either. I’d post them on Craigslist (or the Canadian equivalent). I’m pretty sure someone would pay you for them, even if they had to rip them out. Then I’d get concrete with all those little stones in it. I believe original 1950s driveways were concrete with a mix of stones in it, not like the more homogenous concrete they have now.
Or you could just figure it’s good enough and move on to the next project.
Rod Miller says
Grew up in a mid 50’s development on Long Island (during the 70’s/80’s)- everyone had two strips of concrete with grass in the middle- in front of all of the capes, ranches, and upgraded split levels- no distinction. In the 80’s people switched to asphalt- more cars per family- needed the extra driveway space. My parents upgraded to asphalt then too. Next in the 2000’s everyone went to pavers when the asphalt finally gave out. I’ve noticed that pavers are good at handling snow and ice- melts quicker and more cleanly. Your driveway looks great- and costs a small fortune. I think it would be less prominent if you landscaped the right hand side all the way from the curb to the house. A nice bed of shrubs and flowers- maybe geraniums and coleus during the summer- would blend the driveway into the background.
Lisa says
So, we have a paver driveway, too, although not so nifty and interlocking like this one — it is made of bricks recycled from some other purpose who knows when. I appreciate all these comments because it is on our list of things to replace. It is VERY uneven; both lumpy in spots and unevenly graded so parts of it are much steeper than others. The repurposed brick is also very slippery when wet and we are on a hill, so you have to be real careful stepping out of a car.
After reading all this I will be looking into replacing it with the “two strips” option which would be very appropriate to this 1909 house (and 1957 detached garage). If that isn’t allowed we will probably do the interlocking pavers. Water is an issue for us being mid-slope on a hill, so whatever we have would best be permeable.
I don’t know if it is pricey, but my kids’ school added permeable concrete sidewalks when they remodeled the playground and they are very attractive. Would look good with MCM design. It is a little reminiscent of pool decking in texture but grey in color.
Christa says
One note on pea gravel, my moms next door neighbor had it when she was growing up ( and for that matter when I was growing up) to stay looking nice…it takes UPKEEP. Every weekend the Mr. was out there raking it and edging it, to make sure no grass took hold and to clean up leaves and such…it took him hours ( long driveway) but still…unless you want or can put in the time to keep it looking like you want it to…I would go with another option. I hate to say that the concrete or asphalt, is probably your best bet. I live in a mid century neighborhood ( barely…mid 60’s to mid 70’s) and most of the houses have concrete ( the few that have installed asphalt stick out quite a bit) Good luck!
Catherine says
Be sure to check your local codes for what kinds of driveways are allowable. Obviously it will vary from place to place. My house (1920’s) has the two-strip driveway (our neighborhood got driveways in the 1940’s), but it was grandfathered in to the existing regulations, which no longer allow them. Gravel isn’t allowed, either. And this is an older urban-core type neighborhood, not a new suburb, so it might be that other older neighborhoods now are under similar regulations.
JAY says
My neighborhood of modest ranchs were built in 57 with asphalt drives. Living in the Mid-Atlantic area, winters can sometimes be brutal – snow, freezing and thawing. The asphalt seems to be the most durable but like anything else, there are maintenance issues and you have to maintain it. As others have pointed out, nix the stones and chip / seal. You will go nuts with the stones going everywhere, they will be tracked into your houe as well. Applying a finish of some sort will not last and you will not be happy with the material peeling off the surface of the pavers once you start driving on it. Your drive appears to be solid looking and in good shape. It doesn’t fight the house appearance and detract from its curb appeal. As Pam says: Love the house you’re in. Try power washing the drive and sweeping in new sand between the pavers. The “new” appearance might make you happier.
Annie B. says
If the environmental factors weren’t such an issue, I’d say concrete with exposed aggregate pavers.