Clay brick paver driveway with a herringbone field and a charcoal border in the evening

Driveways · Nashville, TN

Concrete, paver and brick driveways in Nashville

New driveways and replacements in poured concrete, interlocking pavers or clay brick, built to carry a loaded truck and still look good from the street.

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Concrete, pavers or brick?

Concrete is the most common choice: quick to place, clean-looking and the least expensive per square foot. Pavers cost more but give you color and pattern, and a damaged section can be lifted and relaid. Clay brick is the classic match for an older brick house and holds its color for good. Many driveways mix them, with a concrete field and a paver or brick border, or a decorative apron where the drive meets the street.

Finishes and borders

A broom finish gives concrete grip in the rain and is the standard for driveways. Saw-cut or tooled joints can be laid out in a grid that suits the house rather than wherever is convenient. On paver drives, herringbone is the pattern of choice because it locks together under turning tires. A soldier course along the edges gives a crisp finished line.

Built for the weight

A driveway carries a lot more than a patio. The Tennessee Concrete Association’s guide to ACI 332 calls for a slab at least 3½ inches thick in 4,500 psi air-entrained concrete, the mix that stands up to Middle Tennessee freeze-thaw. Paver and brick drives sit on a deeper base than a patio, at least 6 inches of compacted stone.

Replacing an old driveway

Most driveway jobs start with taking something out: cracked concrete, broken asphalt or gravel. The old surface is broken up and hauled away, soft spots in the base are dug out and rebuilt, and the new drive is graded so water runs to the street rather than into the garage.

What affects the cost?

Length and width, the material, how much has to be removed first, the slope up from the street, and extras like a border, an apron or a parking pad beside the drive.

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Answers

Questions about driveways

How much does a new driveway cost?

The size, the old surface that has to come out, any base repairs and the finish set the price. A broom-finished concrete slab is the least expensive surface. Pavers and brick cost more to lay, and a contrasting border or apron adds to that. The estimate starts with measuring the driveway.

Are paver driveways better than concrete?

They cost more and age differently. A concrete slab is quicker and cheaper to place, but its cracks show. A paver or brick driveway flexes over its base, and a damaged patch or a repaired utility line can be lifted and relaid with the same units. Both need a solid base and good drainage.

How thick should a concrete driveway be in Tennessee?

At least 3½ inches under ACI 332, the residential concrete code, and many driveways are poured at 4 inches. The Tennessee Concrete Association’s guide calls for 4,500 psi air-entrained concrete to resist freeze-thaw. A paver driveway sits on at least 6 inches of compacted stone instead.

Can you replace just part of a driveway?

Often, yes. A cracked or sunken section of concrete can be cut out at a joint and repoured, though new concrete rarely matches the old color exactly. On a paver or brick driveway, the damaged area is lifted, the base repaired and the same units relaid, so the patch disappears.

Can you add a border to a concrete driveway?

Yes. A band of pavers or brick along the edges or across the apron dresses up a plain concrete drive and can tie it to a brick house or a paver walkway. It can be added when the driveway is poured or cut in along the edges of an existing one.

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