Paver walkways and driveways in Missoula
The walk to your door and the driveway out front take the most abuse in winter. Pavers can make them look better and stay level longer.
Walks and driveways get shoveled, salted, plowed into and driven over every day of a Missoula winter. Snow piled along the edges melts in the afternoon sun and refreezes at night. A paver surface handles that well when the base is built thick enough and drains, and a section that lifts after a hard winter can be taken up and reset instead of jackhammered out.
Which projects are most common?
- Front walks from the driveway or sidewalk to the porch steps
- Side-yard and garden paths to gates, sheds, raised beds and the alley
- Steps and landings where a yard climbs toward the front door, common in the South Hills and Rattlesnake
- Driveway borders and widening strips next to existing concrete
- Full paver driveways in place of cracked or settled slabs
What about the curb cut and the street side?
Your lot and the public right-of-way are treated differently. Outside city limits, Missoula County says an address and approach permit is required when a driveway will be built along a public right-of-way, and work inside the right-of-way may also need an excavation permit. Inside the city, ask the City of Missoula before changing the public sidewalk, curb or approach. Your contractor should know which office applies to your address.
What keeps a walk or driveway in shape?
- A deeper compacted base under driveways than under foot traffic
- Pavers rated for vehicles, often in a herringbone pattern that resists shifting
- A strong edge restraint so tires and shovels don't push the edges out
- A pitch toward the lawn or street, never toward the garage or foundation
- Joint sand topped up after the first season
Snow, ice and de-icers
Plastic shovel blades and snow blowers with their skid shoes set a little high are easier on pavers. Ask the contractor and the paver maker which ice melt products are safe for the units you choose, and use as little as you can, since what washes off a driveway can drain toward a dry well and the aquifer below.
No two Missoula yards are alike, so the contractor sets a price only after seeing the site, checking the soil and slope, and going over the layout and paver style you want. We don't quote prices, and any figure mentioned on a first phone call is a rough starting point at best.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Do I need a permit to add a paver driveway outside Missoula city limits?
If the driveway will connect along a public right-of-way, Missoula County says an address and approach permit is required. Work inside the right-of-way may also need an excavation permit.
Will a paver driveway hold a truck or camper?
Yes, when the base is designed for that weight. Tell the contractor what you'll park on it so they can size the base.
Related services
More background: Missoula paver patio guide.
Ready for a patio that drains well and stays flat through a Missoula winter?
Call the number above and a Missoula-area paver contractor will talk through your yard and set up a visit.