Locally sourced Cotswold stone is one of the most popular driveway gravels due to its versatility and durability. It is a beautiful, textured stone that works perfectly with properties of all sizes – whether as a grand sweeping entrance to a period home or a modern, low maintenance driveway outside a newer-build residence.
The depth, variety and shades within Cotswold stone chippings and paving slabs look incredible in all weather conditions, and naturally age and become deeper and more multifaceted with time, adding to the aesthetic of your driveway.
Limestone Cotswold gravel is available in mild, creamy hues that can also be laid as self-binding gravel that has an inherent ability to bed down without requiring ongoing work to prevent the gravel spreading, or as a block paved option for a uniform finish.
Let’s look at the benefits of choosing Cotswold stone for your driveway, some of the design features and decisions we’ll discuss before quoting on your driveway installation project, and some tips from our specialist paving teams to help you design a superb driveway that elevates the curb appeal of your home.
The Popularity of Sophisticated Cotswold Stone Driveways
Most Cotswold stone driveways are created with gravel chippings. Although this isn’t the only option, the properties within limestone chippings mean that they provide permeability. In short, that means water can drain away, without pooling and causing issues with surface water and slippery ice in the winter.
Cotswold stone is a British-made product produced around the southwest and predominantly in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. We often assume that limestones are brittle or soft, but they actually work exceptionally well as a durable driveway material and can withstand any weather conditions.
Flatter pebbles and angular stones are used within paving solutions, gravels and sleek, high-end resin-laid driveways, depending on the type of drive you’d like, the number and weight of vehicles you drive, and the lifestyle of yourself and your family.
The self-binding features we’ve mentioned exist within more angular chippings, which come in shades of pale browns, creams and coppers and slot together to ensure your hard standing is secure, tough and rugged.
We usually recommend slightly larger gravel sizing for driveways that are in regular use or lead to a garage since these will not become lodged within tyre treads – without creating excess noise or being too large and bulky to drive over comfortably.
Advantages of Cotswold Stone for Residential Driveway Projects
Alongside the properties and features above, homeowners commonly select Cotswold stone for the following reasons:
- Low maintenance: Provided your drive is professionally fitted with sufficient drainage and weed membranes to prevent excessive growth through the gravel or paving, it requires little in the way of upkeep.
- Protection from frost: The stone itself is not vulnerable to frost damage while providing ample drainage and weed resistance.
- Simple repairs: Incidents or sudden braking that could potentially disturb your driveway gravel are easy and quick to repair, and potholes or deviations in paved Cotswold stone are low-cost to rectify by refilling and compacting the area affected.
While Cotswold stone has a premium, stylish, warm stone finish, it is significantly more affordable than some alternatives, including less atmospheric concrete driveways and other options like asphalt.
Designing the Right Cotswold Stone Paved or Gravel Drive
Cotswold stone comes in several formats, chipping sizes and names: a driveway slab or paving stone can be sold as flagstones, whereas ‘buff’, ‘stones’ and ‘gravel’ are all the same thing, albeit with standard chippings from 10mm pieces up to 30mm larger gravel sizes.
Every property and family is different, but it’s essential to speak with an experienced contractor or driveway installer to ensure you don’t inadvertently pick the wrong gravel sizes or invest in bulk bags of chippings that far exceed the amount you’ll require.
Driveways commonly need prep work to ensure the drainage and weed membranes underneath the gravel are in great condition and to check that any weight-bearing capacities are sufficient to cope with the vehicles within your family.
There are some excellent ways to utilise Cotswold stone chippings and gravel sizes to create an elegant, refined entrance while keeping it well within budget. For example, many of our clients like to:
- Use similar stone colours and shades within edging, flower beds and borders, keeping a cohesive colour palette but often using pebbles for these design elements.
- Adding pathways leaving into the front entrance, porch or around the side of a property, using either the same gravel as in the drive or a larger chipping size for grip.
It’s worth considering the way you use your drive and outside space before finalising your plans.
For instance, homes with larger frontages may require more extensive landscaping projects to ensure other areas – including planting, seating, fencing and walls slot into the same design scheme and work perfectly with the new driveway stone.
Professional Tips for Durable Driveway Landscaping
Most of the general guidance around creating a driveway that will stand the test of time applies to the majority of gravel and chipping types – although Cotswold stone’s resistance to weed growth and surface water can mean that longer-term, you’ll often spend less time on maintenance.
Aside from water ingress and weeds, it’s also important to ensure any specifications related to the substrate underneath an existing driveway, soil types in your area, or requirements about how your driveway will look and function are incorporated into your plans.
Very often, opting for lower quality stone or DIY driveway landscaping is a false economy, since moss growth on the gravel surface requires thorough treatment and removable to prevent skidding and slipping.
Properties with a driveway that is fully shaded or likely to be exposed to greater dampness may also require a pre-emptive treatment during the driveway installation – since there is a greater likelihood that over time the gravel will become green.
The great news is that a well-laid, properly finished Cotswold stone driveway will continue to look fantastic for years, with the classic buff colour developing into a paler, cooler shade, or showing a deeper creamy yellow as it matures.
For more information about the various types of Cotswold stone, examples of our previous Cotswold stone driveways design and installation projects, or to discuss the ideal driveway for your home, please contact the Cotswold Paving and Landscaping team at any time.