Should a Lawn Be Higher Than a Driveway?

A picture-perfect low-cut lawn next to a driveway looks perfect, but it’s difficult to know how long the grass should be. If it’s too low, you’ll risk creating a moat of water or scraping the asphalt when you mow. However, a high lawn looks tacky and can cover your driveway in dirt and grass.

A lawn should be one to two inches higher than a driveway, which means the soil should be between 0.5 to 1.5 inches below the asphalt. The grass needs to be about 2.5 inches long, letting you mow the lawn without the blades of the mower hitting the edge of the driveway.

Throughout this article, we’ll break down how you can grow a lawn near or around a driveway, why you can’t let it be too low or high, and how you can fix the grass if it’s the wrong height. We’ll also talk about what you can put as a divider between the lawn and the driveway.

How Do I Grow Grass Next to My Driveway?

To grow grass next to your driveway, follow this process:

1. Till the soil to revitalize it and introduce aeration, nutrients, and drainage. Tilling the whole dirt plot next to the driveway is important because it loosens the compact dirt that could otherwise make it quite difficult for the grass seeds to sprout and grow roots.
2. Lay a thin layer of fertilizer or compost over the soil until it’s level with the driveway. Use a rake to spread the compost until it’s flat from edge to edge. It’s important to evenly spread the fertilizer if you want the whole lawn to look vibrantly green and uniform.
3. Grade the edges of the soil slightly downward toward the driveway. A five-degree slope is more than enough to promote drainage and let excess water flow down to the sideway or gutter. It also helps you steer clear of using the mower too close to the asphalt.
4. Spread the grass seed throughout the lawn. If you already have a lawn established but you want to bring it back, try Scott’s EZ Patch & Repair Grass Formula. It comes with mulch, grass seed, and fertilizer to kickstart the growing process. Otherwise, I recommend following the grass guide by Lowe’s.
5. Water the lawn and ensure it gets plenty of sunshine. Much like all plants in your garden, it’s important to let the lawn get enough sunlight and hydration.

Once your lawn is growing and looking good, review my guide regarding how you can cut even lines with your lawnmower.

Why You Shouldn’t Grow the Lawn Too High or Low by Pavement

You shouldn’t grow the lawn too high or low by the pavement because it can cause the blades to hit the asphalt, creating sparks and dull edges. This mistake can be costly, loud, and potentially dangerous if the sparks hit the grass. Instead, keep the lawn at about 2.5 inches tall, with the soil sitting no lower than 1.5 inches below the driveway.

Sunken lawns used to be a popular trend a few decades ago. Homeowners did their best to make the top of the grass level with the driveway for uniformity, but it caused all sorts of issues.

For example, when the lawn sits too far below or flush with the driveway, it’s prone to flooding. The low soil acts as a bowl that collects rainwater and garden hose water, turning the soil to mush and ruining the lawn.

Another problem is that every time you mow the grass, you’ll risk hitting the driveway with the mower’s blades. If the loud screech and sparks aren’t enough to drive you in the other direction, you’ll be met with dull blades that don’t cut the lawn properly.

On the other hand, letting the lawn sit too high above the level of the driveway will cause the soil to fall around the edges. Your driveway will always look muddy or dirty. Furthermore, it can invite weeds in the cracks of the driveway.

All in all, it’s best to follow the previously mentioned recommendation of a 2.5-inch lawn with soil about 0.5 to 1.5 inches below the driveway. If your lawn is damaged from these common mistakes, review the following section for a few quick and useful suggestions.

How to Fix Your Lawn Next to the Driveway

To fix your lawn next to the driveway, ensure the soil is between 0.5 to 1.5 inches below the driveway’s level, then decide if you need to reseed it. Overseeding can help a lawn full of brown grass come back to life right before springtime. Make sure you add plenty of water and fertilizer.

Try these tips to repair a lawn near a driveway:

• Add lawn edging between the driveway and the grass. Lawn edging is the perfect treatment for many homeowners because it doesn’t require much maintenance. Grass often turns brown near driveways due to getting run over, vehicle fumes leaching into the soil, or oil spills. The edging will take the blow, preserving the lawn.
• Make sure your sprinklers are reaching the edges of the lawn. As silly as it might sounds, many sprinkler systems don’t pour water directly under them. This leaves a strange, brown circle around the sprinkler near the driveway’s edge.
• According to Home Guides, you can dig a 4-inch trench between the grass and the driveway. Add more soil and fertilizer, then top it off with grass seeds and water. It’s quite easy to bring your lawn back to its original shape if it was caused by being driven over.

Some of us don’t want to spend the time fixing grass that always turns brown at the end of the season. While mowing your grass at the right time of year is always a good idea, there are a few solutions you can follow in the next section to save yourself time and energy.

Can You Put Something Between Grass and an Asphalt Driveway?

You can put rocks, flowers, succulents, lawn edging, and many other things between grass and an asphalt driveway. A one-foot strip of lawn edging, rocks, or pebbles will prevent the soil from getting onto the driveway. It also helps you mow your lawn without worrying about sparks, dull blades, and so on.

The Dimex EdgePro Lawn Edging Kit is a great choice for those looking for a low-maintenance solution. You don’t need to dig a trench or till the soil. The kit comes with everything you need to make a thin, heavy-duty barrier between the lawn and the driveway, including 100 feet of edging.

While flowers and other plants might not withstand the tires, vehicle fumes, or oil spills, they’ll create a beautiful, natural barrier to prevent you from scraping the driveway while mowing the lawn.

Rocks and pebbles are quite useful for creating a divide between the level of the lawn and the level of the driveway. You can also use rocks to stop grass growing through a pool liner, landscape fabric, and more.

While your grass should be a little higher than the level of the driveway, it’s always good to create a little barrier if you’re having maintenance troubles. These solutions should make it much easier to handle without mowing incorrectly, dulling your mower’s blades, or taking away from the natural beauty of your lawn.

Wrapping It Up

Now that you know how much higher your lawn should be than your driveway, you can create the perfect front yard setup. Grass looks perfect next to a driveway, but it can be difficult to maintain without the proper techniques. However, that’s only half of the battle. It’s important to choose the right type of grass for the climate to ensure it stays healthy throughout the year.