Should The Driveway Be Higher Than The Lawn? [And What Type Of Border To Use!]

Your driveway is a key part of your home and landscape. It should be practical, durable, and complement your house and lawn.

If you’re building a new driveway or updating an existing one, you might wonder how to create a seamless transition between your driveway and lawn. We’ve researched this and have all the answers you need!

Ideally, the edges of a driveway should be level with the lawn. Installing edging or a border protects both the driveway and the lawn. The best border materials include:

• Belgian blocks
• Brick pavers
• Stacked stone
• Concrete: flat, molded, patterned, or curb
• Cedar pickets
• Railroad ties
• Metal edging
• Plastic or rubber edging

Each border material has its pros and cons and works best with certain driveways. In this article, we’ll detail each type of edging material, the best ways to protect gravel and asphalt driveways, and the function of a driveway apron. Keep reading to learn more!

Best Borders For Driveways

Installing a border or edging along your driveway can be helpful in several ways:

• A border provides a visual cue or a physical barrier to keep drivers from going off the edge of the driveway, which can damage the lawn and the edge of the driveway.
• You can select border materials that complement your home and landscaping style, adding to the overall ambiance of your property.
• Both borders and edging create a clear visual division between your lawn and driveway.
• Edging and some types of borders also help keep grass and weeds from growing into your driveway.
• If you have a gravel drive or parking area, certain types of edging and borders prevent the gravel from spilling onto the lawn.

Belgian Blocks

These light-gray rough-hewn stone blocks add a classic look that goes well with vintage homes.

Belgian blocks are perfect for bordering brick, cobblestone, or gravel driveways.

Their rough surfaces mean they are usually installed as raised borders to prevent tripping, creating a clear visual and physical separation between the driveway and the lawn. 

Brick Pavers

A brick paver border gives your driveway an upscale, classic look. Brick pavers are more versatile than Belgian blocks and come in various shades and styles.

A dark brick border on a light concrete driveway makes a dramatic statement, while light-gray bricks can beautifully divide an asphalt drive from the lawn.

You can even create a contrasting brick pattern on a brick driveway. Brick borders can be flat or raised.

Stacked Stone

Stacked stone creates a stylish, natural-looking border.

Because it looks best when at least four rows of stone shards are stacked atop each other, it is typically used to construct retaining walls in areas where the driveway is lower than the surrounding yard.

Stacked stone driveway borders can also take the form of small raised beds with shrubs or other plantings. They look best with gravel, asphalt, or concrete driveways within naturalized landscaping.

Concrete 

Concrete is an inexpensive and surprisingly versatile material for driveway borders. It is strong and durable and can be formed in a variety of colors, shapes, heights, and textures.

A flat, white concrete border complements an asphalt or brick driveway. As described below, you may also use molded or patterned concrete or install a concrete curb.

Molded

For a three-dimensional concrete border, you can buy pre-fabricated sections or create your own using molds.

Available in scalloped, dental, and stone-shaped shapes, molded concrete borders can also be tinted to any color.

These borders are ideal for gravel or loose stone driveways. They provide a visual break and keep gravel from scattering into the lawn.

Patterned

If you have a concrete driveway, you can make a striking statement with a flat border of colored or patterned orte.

These borders visually separate the driveway from the lawn and add a modern, sophisticated look to the landscaping. Dramatic patterned concrete drives and borders work well with modern brick, stone, and stucco homes.     

Curb

If your lawn is higher than your driveway, you may need a concrete curb to prevent soil erosion and keep cars from driving onto the lawn.

Curbs can also assist with drainage, channeling rainwater down the driveway to the street, assuming the driveway is properly sloped. This helps direct water into the storm sewer, preventing pooling and potential damage.

Cedar

A short, picket-fence-style border of cedar makes an attractive alternative to concrete and stone. Cedar creates a natural but sophisticated look that complements driveways and parking areas of gravel and loose stone.

This type of border is effective only for its visual impact: the gaps between the pickets will allow gravel to filter through, and the fencing is not strong enough to stop a vehicle from driving over it.  

Railroad Ties

Railroad ties are the ultimate driveway border for creating a rural or rustic look. They can be used in a single layer or stacked atop each other and bound together with metal braces for stability.

Railroad ties provide a visual divide and a strong physical barrier that prevents driving onto the lawn.

They are most often used with gravel, loose stone, or plain dirt driveways; however, they can also border concrete or brick drives. 

Metal Edging

Metal borders are often used as nearly invisible edging, driven into the ground to create a sharp, clean division between a cultivated lawn and a concrete or asphalt driveway.

They also reduce the spread of grass and weeds into the driveway by cutting off root access. Metal edging is ideal for highly manicured landscapes where precise definition is important.

Plastic Or Rubber Edging

Non-metal landscape edging comes in various forms, from inexpensive black plastic to eco-friendly recycled rubber.

While not a true border, edging prevents grass and weeds from encroaching and maintains a clean visual edge between your driveway and lawn. This edging is best used along concrete or brick driveways.

Retaining Wall

If all or part of your driveway is substantially lower than the surrounding ground, you may decide to build a retaining wall to border one or both sides of the driveway.

These walls can be built of Belgian blocks, brick, stacked stone, poured concrete, or railroad ties. 

How Do I Protect The Edges Of My Asphalt Driveway?

The edges of asphalt driveways slant down at a 45-degree angle to the ground. This renders that portion of the driveway thinner and thus more vulnerable to damage under the weight of vehicles that drive off the edge.

Installing a border of brick, Belgian block, or concrete helps to support the structure of the driveway.

It also provides a visual aid to help motorists avoid driving off the edge. As an alternative to a border, some homeowners install special metal edging that invisibly supports the drive’s structure.

What Is The Purpose Of A Driveway Apron?

The apron is the section of the driveway that connects to the street. Its main functions are to facilitate the transition from street to driveway and to drain rainwater.

In areas with sidewalks, zoning typically requires each driveway to have an apron that extends from the edge of the sidewalk to the street.

The apron is made of the same material as the driveway and is usually the same width; however, in some cases, it is wider than the driveway.

In fact, the only way to tell the difference between the apron and the rest of the driveway is that the apron has a sharper angle of decline. 

In Closing

Protecting your driveway and integrating it into your property’s overall look helps keep your home looking great and functioning efficiently.

By installing edging and/or a border along your driveway, you can not only maximize its functionality but also increase your home’s curb appeal and value.