There's a lot to love about block paved driveways – but my best friend has one, and this is why she's rethinking her driveway design

If, like me, you have plans to upgrade your driveway, you might be researching what you should upgrade it to.

After all, there are a range of driveway materials you can choose from, all with their pros and cons. While I've been living with a gravel driveway for more than a decade, I've been debating block paving.

Fortunately, my best friend has a block paved drive and, when she heard I was thinking of resurfacing my driveway, gave me a really honest run down of the pros and cons in her experience. If you're in the same boat, her perspective might help you make the right choice for your driveway too.

Reasons to love a block paved driveway

• Can create different patterns and looks. My best friend's driveway features an attractive pattern that adds a decent amount of kerb appeal.
• Not too hard to find a reliable installer. Block paving is a popular choice on the estate where we live, and there are regularly signs by newly paved driveways. People are friendly enough too that you can knock on the door and ask if they'd recommend the installer they used.
• No risk of material escape, unlike gravel driveways. As someone who feels like they are constantly sweeping gravel off the public path and back on to the drive, the idea of a driveway material that stays put, like my friend's block paving, is hugely appealing to me.
• Durable. My best friend and her family have lived in their house for seven years and have yet to replace any of the block paving, despite the wear and tear from two cars on a daily basis, plus any visitor traffic.

Reasons to avoid a block paved driveway

• Maintenance requirements. One of my friend's biggest gripes with her block paving is the amount of maintenance needed for it to stay looking its best. Jet washing is easy enough but then it's recommended to re-sand the joints too. Not ideal when you have a busy family life. And without it, block paving can look tired quite quickly.
• Weeds and moss. Removing weeds from a block paved driveway can be an arduous task, as my friend regularly tells me. I've shared this guide on how to stop weeds growing in block paving with her. In the autumn and winter, she also notices moss starting to grow, which makes the maintenance a year-round thing.
• It can be slippery in autumn and winter, especially if moss grows on it.

Why my friend is rethinking her driveway

My friend's driveway is big enough for their two cars, and potential a third smaller one is parked sensibly, and so it suits their lifestyle for now. But with this being their forever home, and two growing kids, there will soon be need for more off road parking to keep the small cul-de-sac where they live clear.

And so if you're going to have to make changes to your driveway anyway, it's worth considering other options rather than just replacing like-for-like, especially if you have some gripes with your current driveway.

Her favourite option at the moment would be to replace the existing block paving, and extend it slightly (reducing the size of the front lawn), using tarmac with a contrasting brick edge. This is an affordable and low maintenance option, that looks good. Multiple neighbours have gone for this option over block paving, so it would feel very in-keeping with the local area too.

If you're planning a similar project, make sure you choose the best time of year to get your driveway done for the best results.