Circular driveways are a popular design choice for many homeowners. They offer more room to drive and park cars with more manageable in-and-out access. However, before you can install one of these beautiful driveways, there are a few things you need to know! This blog post will answer all your questions about circular driveways, including circular driveway layout design options and other popular questions!
If you’re looking for something more than the usual driveway style, a circular drive can give you many options, including:
- Guest parking in multiple areas without asking other vehicles to move
- A beautiful entrance with a separate exit
- Giving a focal point for landscape design
- Multiple entry points or one entrance, depending on your design
- Space for two cars to drive in and out easily
- Access to both a side garage and a home’s garage
- Giving a classy or modern style to your front entrance
- An elegant way to design with minimal landscaping
A circle drive or curved driveway has a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, leaving others with the impression of a charming home. Straight driveways don’t give the curb appeal that circular driveways do.
Circular driveways offer the most stunning driveway designs if you have the space!
Do You Have Space For A Circular Driveway?
Before installing a circular driveway, ensure you have enough room. Typically, circular driveways need 110-130 feet of space from the street to the garage.
If you don’t have enough room for a circular driveway, don’t worry! There are plenty of other driveway options to choose from. Talk to a contractor to understand the exact dimensions you’re working with and whether you have room!
Planning Your Circular Driveway
Once you’ve decided that a circular driveway is right for your home, it’s time to start planning! The first thing you need to do is choose where the circular driveway will go.
It’s crucial to consider the size and shape of your property when deciding on the location. You also need to ensure enough room for the circular driveway itself. And your property will need space for any other features you want to include, such as an additional turnaround or parking area.
After you’ve considered the size and location of your circular driveway, it’s time to start thinking about design!
Which Circular Driveway Design Is Best?
When it comes to circular driveway designs, there are endless possibilities! You can keep it simple with a basic circle or get creative with different shapes and patterns.
Some popular driveway ideas for circular driveways include:
Circle Driveway
Simple circle driveways offer ample room for parking and easy in-and-out access. This is the classic circular driveway. If you have enough property, you can design a long driveway ending in your front yard with a full circle driveway like the design below.
IMAGE BY NIWA DESIGN
Oval, Elongated Circle, or Teardrop Driveway
If you have ample space to work with, an oval driveway layout is an elegant option! This design provides more space for parking on the sides and easier maneuverability.
With large properties, you could even design a two-car driveway entry with a long curving driveway leading to the teardrop design.
Figure Eight Driveway
The figure eight driveway layout is perfect for those who want the best of both worlds! This circular driveway design offers ample parking and turnaround space while bringing an overall modern appeal.
Spiral or Swirl Driveway
If you’re looking for a unique circular driveway, a spiral or swirl design is a great choice! This design is perfect for homes with plenty of space to work with. Plus, it’s sure to make a statement!
Semi-Circle, Horseshoe, or Half Circle Driveway
The half-circle driveway layout is ideal for homes with a small amount of space. This semi-circular driveway design offers enough space for parking while still looking stylish.
The horseshoe driveway works well to give overall appeal to a smaller lot, even if it’s only large enough for one car. Other cars can often squeeze out if everyone goes in the same direction and parks to the side.
However, no matter which circular driveway design you choose, there are a few things you need to keep in mind! Talking with an asphalt contractor can help you design your project from driveway entry to front door!
Things To Consider When Choosing A Driveway Design
When choosing a circle driveway design, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you need to ensure the design fits your home’s style. A traditional home will look best with a classic circular driveway, while a more contemporary home can pull off a unique design.
You also need to consider the available space when choosing a driveway design. Some designs, like the spiral or figure eight, require more space than others. If you’re tight on space, stick to a more straightforward design.
Lastly, design your walkways to connect the different sections of your driveway with the entry access points of your home.
- Design an entry walkway to bring visitors from parking areas to your home’s front or side door or to the home’s garage.
- Connect the area in front of your garage to a secondary entrance, such as a laundry area.
- Entrance going into your garage (1)
Finally, you need to think about your budget! More complex designs will be more expensive to install. If you’re working with a limited budget, stick to a more straightforward circular driveway design.
Choosing the Best Materials for Your Project
With the right driveway materials and design, a circular driveway adds the curb appeal you’re looking for! Once you’ve decided on a design, it’s time to start planning the specifics.
Paving Materials
There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the paving material for your circular driveway.
Asphalt driveways are always a popular choice –they are affordable and easy to install. With simple maintenance, they can last decades! And since most asphalt mixes use recycled asphalt, it can also be environmentally friendly.
Asphalt remains the ideal material for a driveway! Other materials, such as stamped concrete, may be costlier to install or repair. Gravel or crushed stone may bring less initial outlay but need more material added often for upkeep.
Talk with a local asphalt contractor to get an idea about design and pricing.
Stone or Brick Driveway Design Elements
A brick driveway looks classy but can cost more than most people imagine. However, lining an asphalt driveway with stone or brick can help upscale your look and give you the smooth blacktop your car loves to drive on!
And adding lush foliage or a circle island in the middle can give your driveway a stylish appearance.
Installing Your Circular Driveway
Once you’ve chosen the perfect circular driveway design for your home, it’s time to install it! This is a massive project, so it’s crucial to hire a professional contractor to handle the job.
An experienced contractor can help you with every step of the process, from planning and designing to installing proper drainage. They will also be able to advise you on the best materials to use for your specific circular driveway design.
However, as you’re planning, it’s helpful to look at the width considerations of your project to help you visualize.
Driveway Width
The standard size for a circular driveway is 16 feet in diameter.
According to the “Architectural Graphic Standards” by Ramsey and Sleeper you’ll need a minimum INSIDE turning radius of:
- 12′ for sports car
- 15′ for sedan, 19′ for SUV’s and Cadillacs
- 22′ for pickup trucks with small boat trailers (boat=16′ or less)
You’ll need a minimum OUTSIDE turning radius of:
- 22′ for sedans,
- 29′ for SUVs and Cadillacs
- 41′ for pickup trucks with small boat trailers. (2)
If you have a large vehicle or expect a lot of traffic, you may want to make your circular driveway even more expansive than the recommendations.
Adjust the size based on the available space and your specific needs. The width of your driveway will also vary based on whether you want a single-car drive or a double-car drive. Additionally, the width may change to accommodate additional parking.
Working with a contractor to choose the driveway width size makes sense. However, select a local contractor with commercial experience for projects of this enormity. A circular drive is not easy to install and requires expert contractors.
We Can Help
At AMP Paving, we understand the planning stages of circular driveways and want to help you design well to avoid problems in the future. Whether you need a full circle drive or have limited square foot space issues, we can help you plan, install, and develop your circular driveway from start to finish.
If your house needs a new driveway, contact us at AMP Paving to get started!