How do you pave your driveway?

Answer 1

By preparing the ground, mixing the materials, pouring the materials, and leveling the materials. There are many factors to consider (proper water drainage, estimated material use, etc.) so most people leave it to professionals.

Answer 2

I do not work in construction but helped my dad construct our house, chimney, driveway, and retaining walls. Here are steps you will need to do (do not buy products until you have everything for the drainage and base figured out):

1. Measure the area. Make a simple sketch with measurements of all straight lines, curves, etc. * Always re-measure before doing steps of the work and compare to your original sketch.
2. Figure out what you want to "pave" with -- examples: brick, asphalt, cement. Each requires a different preparation of the area.
3. Driveways are not just laid on top of soil. It must have a base, usually crushed stone that allows drainage. Read up on and ask questions about what base you need for the type of "paving" you plan to use.
4. ** Important -- figure out your drainage. Measure for pipes to lay within your base materials. Read up on pipe size you'll need. Measure as close to the footage you need but then, add several feet. Add the pipe-placements to your drawing. Buy the proper saw to cut the piping.
5. Decide if you'll also construct retaining walls.
6. If you already have retaining walls, you need to figure that into your sketch. For example, a 3 foot high retaining wall likely has drain pipes inserted down the length of the wall. Decide if you will put a grate below it on the driveway to direct the flowing water into the drainage pipes under the driveway, or if you will let water flow to a lower point on the drive to a different drain (grate). Decide how big you want the grates (length x width). *Note: Figure HOW you will access the drain through the grating system. It is often best to build a "box"for the grate which is inserted into and level with the driveway surface, so you can just lift up the grate to access a pipe or pipe joint (rather than dig up your entire new driveway to do clean out or do a small repair.) For grates, think about how your tires will run over it; they need to be perfectly inset, even if off to the sides.
7. Decide how thick you want your base material. Make sure to figure in part of the height of pipes, which will be partly laid in a dug trench, and partly covered by your base (gravel, small rocks, whatever). Your drive needs to be level, even as it goes down or up a grade or slope.
8. Once you have all these measurements, think about either getting an estimate for a professional contractor, or go talk to contractors. Really listen and compare your skills with their knowledge. If you feel you can reasonably do the job correctly, then proceed. But....if you have any doubts, hire a contractor.

NEXT: OBTAIN YOUR TOWNSHIP OR COUNTY BUILDING PERMITS IF REQUIRED. Don't buy any material or start the job before you find out what permits you need. ASK about tying in drainage pipes to township, county, or city sewer systems. If you can't tie in, you must figure out where you want the water to drain on your property (or IF you can direct it to the street, which by implication means it will go to the public sewer).

Preparation - Assuming you want to replace the entire driveway and start from scratch.

1. Get a sledgehammer or jackhammer, large coal shovel (flat, wide blade), chisel, hammer, heavy duty work gloves, heavy duty steel-toe work boots. A wheelbarrow or other means to transport the rubbish off to the side. Large metal wide tooth rake, such as metal garden rake. A hoe and any other tools with long handles that you might use. Lots of helpers, even kids.
2. Use a jackhammer and sledgehammer to break up the old driveway. You may need to use a chisel and hammer in places. Take care near existing walls or drainage pipes.
3. Remove everything down to either the original base or soil. An old base of gravel can be "rearranged" and new added. Move all old materials off to the side in the yard. Don't trash it yet-- you might be able to re-purpose some of it. Example: Break up old concrete to small chunks to add to the base materials.
4. Pound stakes at equal widths along each side of the driveway. You will later tie 'leveling string' (with blue pink or yellow chalk) between the stakes.
5. Use a different stake system (tie colored ribbons on these) for where you need to lay your drainage pipes. Inside the string/twine, make your pipe trenches. Every trench needs to be "level" so your piping has enough support. Make sure to figure in room at the bottom / sides of every trench to lay a bed of gravel or stone. (My dad used 3 drainage pipes; top, half way down, and across the bottom of the driveway.)
6. Start raking the old base material (gravel). Un-compact it. If soil, you will want to break it up like preparing a garden, so the base gravel or rock will mix into the soil rather than only sitting atop it. Make the base as level as you can. Start figuring out how much square foot of gravel or stone you'll need to have a consistent base level. (I think my dad used 3 inches of gravel; it compacts over time.) You'll figure what you have versus what you need.
7. Carefully measure the pipes; figure out elbow turns if needed. First, place the pipes in the yard, exactly how they'd lie in the trench, so you can picture what you'll be doing. Cut the pipes. Lay the pipes and tie into or direct to the sewer. Add connections where needed. Test the pipe connections with a garden hose. If they leak, this can trap water under your driveway and erode soil, undermining your top material.
8. Once the pipes have trenches that are level, properly filled in under/around with gravel, and they don't leak, you can cover the pipes with a layer of the old gravel.
9. You'll also need to dig up areas if you'll use grates. Make a "box"for the grate. (Read up on how. All I recall was making a wooden 'box' frame and after the concrete was poured, dad pried out the wood frame.) Fill in under with gravel. Make sure your grate system directs water to the drainage pipes.
10. Look around at the old base... any places that severely dip can be filled in with old broken up concrete or small rocks. Some driveway holes can be big enough for a small section of old concrete laid into the hole--cover with old gravel.
11. You'll call in advance for a delivery of gravel or rock. They normally just dump it in a pile (cheaper for you, but more work). Do NOT let the truck back over your drainage pipes--they might not support a dump truck's weight and can crack or break the pipes. Supervise the dumping.
12. Hire some teens to shovel into a wheelbarrow and move the gravel. Split it into 3 piles (top, middle, bottom). Teens even kids can use hoes to pull the gravel out of the pile outward to all sides. These don't have to be perfect (yet); just get the gravel moved across the full length and width.
13. As the adult, you'll now need to make it more level everywhere. Use the chalk string -- snap it so it makes a straight line. On your hands and knees (kneel on thick cardboard), move sideways across with a level to level out your base. If you have 2 people, a long 2x4 comes in handy to drag down the base and level it out.
14. If your top will be concrete, you'll make a frame along /between driveway and grass. (Unsure if asphalt needs framed; ask.)
15. One of the last steps I recall was tamping the base down with a flat piece of metal on a pole (I don't recall the name of this tool.) It took a lot of strength, and a lot of time, to go over the entire area.
16. IF you have gotten this far, great! You'll call to order concrete-- or you'll mix and lay it yourself. I'll assume you know how to frame the driveway before ordering the concrete, and how to remove the frame once the concrete is set. If you hire a contractor to lay it, just be sure they keep it all level, without air pockets. Be sure to block your drive entrance (saw horses, rope, signs) so the concrete can cure.