SurePave Case Study | Hobart Holiday Home Driveway Project

The Challenge: 

Whether you’ve got a bach near the beach or a house in the countryside, chances are you have a grassed or unpaved driveway that needs maintenance during or after bad weather. When you lock up the house and leave for an extended period, you know that at some point there’s going to be a large storm with torrential rain that will pour off your driveway, scour up the garden, overflow the stormwater pipes and get rutted up as soon as you park up when you arrive back home.

What we’d ideally like is a natural looking driveway or parking area that will look great and remain maintenance free, no matter the weather. Take this amazing property near Hobart, for example. Situated in farmland, the owners wanted to convert their old, rutted driveway into something more durable, giving them the opportunity to park large vehicles and create turning bays without constantly digging up their driveway. This would make their property more appealing to visitors and would remove the constant need for maintenance along the way.

With a long approach descending through farmland from the main road, the owners wanted to create something more than just a driveway. This was an entrance to their home. They needed a pavement solution that could withstand heavy vehicles and remain rut free, with the serene crackle of pebbles as soon as they, or their visitors, turned in.

They also desired some large parking bays. On an unpaved surface, heavy vehicles like a boat or a caravan will slowly press into the ground over time, so they required a durable yet free-draining surface material. Pebbles, larger stones or gravel are ideal, but to prevent them from being pushed into the soft ground, they sought a permeable solution, one that would self-manage waterflow while maintaining all the properties of a hard surface.

Throughout this blog, we’re going to look at how SurePave permeable pavers enhanced this gorgeous holiday home, and how a simple installation process has enriched both their property and lifestyle by keeping their pavement area flat and stable.

The Solution: 

SurePave is a commercial grade permeable paver, which means it can take heavy loads like trucks, Utes, caravans and boats. SurePave can be covered in grass, gravel or decorative stone, creating a natural look while retaining all the benefits of a traditional hard surface. By capturing and allowing water to evenly filter through, SurePave prevents large volumes of water runoff, protecting the surrounding gardens and stormwater systems while you’re away. Water simply soaks through the pavers and into the soil below, with cleaner excess water being directed toward drains.

With a robust cellular design, SurePave is also strong. The high crush capacity means that SurePave pavers do the heavy lifting, not the soil. SurePave supports heavy vehicles, holding the surface material in place while allowing the soil or stones to act as a natural filter for water to pass through. SurePave is installed in conjunction with a layer of geotextile lying on top of the subsoil, with a layer of drainage aggregate and crusher dust placed between the geotextile and pavers to allow for more controlled waterflow.

This means water doesn’t rush off and scour away soil from the immediate area. Water soaks back into the soil, feeding into your garden long after the rains have stopped. This installation process helps SurePave spread the load and keep the pavement surface rut free. Imagine no more puddles and potholes, an entranceway that functions without degrading. Gravel and stones remain secure. Any that do stray can simply be brushed back into place.

Because SurePave is easy to cut, the owners of this property were also able to create a driveway with sweeping curves as well as place the pavers around embedded areas like the rail sleepers and gardens.

The Results:

Part of relaxing on holiday or even after work is getting away from the concrete jungle. A beach or country lifestyle means getting back to nature, so having a natural entrance to your property can be the first step and will make a big difference to your own state of mind. SurePave does the work of stabilising and supporting the vehicles using your driveway, so you can choose whatever natural surface material you desire to cover the pavers and create a more aesthetically pleasing home. As the driveway is the first impression people get when they arrive at your home, the owners of this property decided on a warm gravel, creating an entranceway that blends in with the natural surrounds but won’t deteriorate each time it rains.

Because their driveway covers a wide surface area, our Hobart homeowners are now able to manage the large volume of rainfall during a heavy downpour. Had they installed a traditional hard surface like concrete or asphalt, that water would have simply run off unchecked, scouring, eroding or even flooding the surrounding land. Now, they have peace of mind knowing they are protecting their gardens and rot tree roots, as well as reducing the amount of unwanted soil and silt that would otherwise clog up streams or stormwater systems. It also would have retained a lot of heat, increasing ambient temperature and humidity around the home.

Thanks to SurePave, visitors to this Hobart property are now welcomed by a beautiful driveway, and apart from sweeping away a few leaves and loose stones, the owners never have to worry about maintenance during or after storms.