Although it might sound like a strange or unlikely issue, sinking driveways is a surprisingly common issue.
As one of the most frequently used parts of your property – regularly incurring foot traffic and the weight of vehicles, in addition to being exposed to all weather conditions – driveways can start to deteriorate over time, particularly if they are not properly maintained.
You may see that your driveway starts to dip, or develop irregular, uneven patches. In addition to being visually unpleasant, this issue can also start to impact drainage and access.
In this article, our experts have outlined what causes driveways to sink, and how you can prevent it.
Why do driveways sink?
There are a number of potential factors that may lead to a driveway sinking. These include:
- Faulty or low quality foundations – If the sub-base of the driveway wasn’t correctly installed, or is of a low quality, then the ground can shift and settle unevenly, which creates sinking.
- Insufficient compaction – If, during installation, the soil or the driveway’s base materials were not compacted enough, then gaps and air pockets can remain. Over time, the vehicles can cause these areas to sink.
- Heavy loads – Generally speaking, modern electric vehicles (EVs) are heavier than petrol or diesel cars. As a result, this extra weight can put a driveway under greater strain. Similarly, the regular presence of heavy vehicles (e.g. lorries, or skips) can put a driveway under enough strain to overload it.
- Water erosion or faulty drainage – If the water drainage underneath the driveway is faulty, soil can wash away. This creates empty pockets under the surface, which the surface of the driveway can sink into.
- Ground movement – Natural causes of ground movement can include earth settling, the growth of tree roots, or freeze-thaw cycles, for example. All of these can cause the ground under the driveway to shift, resulting in uneven areas.
How to prevent a sinking driveway
Thankfully, there are steps that you can take to minimise the risk of your driveway sinking.
Effective preventative measures include:
- Ensuring the foundations are solid – Make sure that your driveway is constructed with a strong, well-compacted sub-base, using high quality materials.
- Ensuring there is thorough drainage – By equipping your driveway with good drainage, you can minimise the risk of water erosion. To this aim, you should also regularly inspect your driveway for any signs of pipes leaking.
- Consider parking heavier vehicles off the driveway – Unless your driveway has been built to withstand these heavier loads, consider situating heavy items (e.g. skips) off the driveway, where possible.
- Implement a regular maintenance schedule – Check your driveway on a regular, routine basis. Keep an eye out for early signs of sinking, such as small dips, cracks, or drainage issues. Then, if you do spot any of these issues, contact a specialist, before they are allowed to escalate.
- Looking at reinforcement options – If you know that your driveway will need to bear heavier vehicles, you should consider reinforcing it. You can do this by adding reinforced concrete, thicker paving blocks, or a stronger base layer. This can help to ensure that heavier weights are distributed evenly.
At GV Paving, our team of professional driveway pavers have over 25 years of experience under their belts.
Our award winning installers will work closely with you, to design and install a premium quality driveway with a long lifespan, which fulfills all your requirements. To find out more, speak with a member of our team.