Driveways

The entrance to a house is often the first impression visitors get of a home, so the style and choice of materials are always important. 

When a couple in Lancashire decided they were converting a derelict 18th-century barn into their family home, they chose traditional 40mm blue-grey slate chipping for their drive surface from Burlington Aggregates, based at Kirkby in Furness, Cumbria.

Their choice was driven by their desire to use an authentic long-lasting material that complemented the building façade, rather than the more traditional man-made block paviour options, but also the practical benefit of using a hard-wearing British slate aggregate where the angular shape ensures the material lays flat and locks well together to form an attractive surface dressing.

In addition, the permeability of the slate aggregate covering was desirable to ensure that the rainy days in the north of England didn’t result in surface ponding or puddles as slate aggregate provides an excellent drainage mechanism enabling rainwater to just penetrate directly into the earth, replenishing groundwater.

As a car connoisseur, the homeowner also explained that the driveway surface had also given a greater feeling of security as all vehicular visits to the house could be heard as they entered the grounds as well as enabling easy repairs to oil spills and grease.

Slate chippings are undoubtedly one of the best choices for a driveway as it is a cost-effective and practical solution that is extremely durable, ensuring it will last a lifetime as long as it is properly maintained.