Are you in the market for a new driveway and are trying to determine whether you should go with an asphalt driveway or a concrete driveway? The following are some important factors to consider when making your choice.
Asphalt Driveways vs. Concrete Driveways
Concrete driveways are, in general, one and a half to two times more expensive to install per square foot than asphalt driveways. This also means concrete driveways cost significantly more to repair compared with asphalt driveways.
Some paving experts will tell customers that concrete driveways will last longer, but as with all home improvement services, the end results and their longevity has more to do with quality workmanship and materials than anything else. The other factor that will significantly impact the lifespan of any driveway, whether concrete or asphalt, is frequency of maintenance. A properly maintained asphalt driveway can last decades.
Here are some other factors to keep in mind when trying to decide whether you want an asphalt driveway or a concrete driveway:
- It takes seven days of curing before you can drive on a concrete driveway, but you can drive on an asphalt driveway nearly right after it has been applied.
- When cracks do appear in an asphalt driveway they can be quickly and affordably repaired and resealed while still looking great. Cracks are harder to patch in concrete, are more noticeable and may require invasive, messy and time-consuming methods to fix.
- Asphalt is elastic enough to expand or contract with changes in temperature or when bearing heavy loads. Concrete driveways are more prone to crack in cold temperatures or under heavy weights.
- If you do need to de-ice your concrete driveway with salt, it may cause pits and blemishes in the concrete’s surface.
- Oil leaks can be an eyesore on concrete driveways but are much less noticeable on an asphalt driveway.
If you live in a neighborhood with a HOA, make sure to check on their regulations before you make any decision regarding repaving your driveway. Some communities mandate a specific material for driveways. You don’t want to invest in an asphalt driveway only to discover all driveways in your neighborhood need to be concrete.
Asphalt Roads vs. Concrete Roads
Many of the same benefits and drawbacks that affect asphalt or concrete driveways are the same for roadways as well. Although some will argue concrete roads last longer at 20 to 40 years, the inevitable repair costs can sometimes counteract this advantage. If it’s determined that a patch simply won’t effectively fix a severe crack on a concrete road, the whole concrete slab will have to be replaced, causing repair costs to skyrocket.
Vehicles are also more prone to sliding on concrete roads than they are on asphalt roads in wet or icy weather conditions.
Asphalt is significantly less expensive to install and repair but may require more frequent pothole repair than concrete roads. Both asphalt and concrete can be resealed to increase their expected useful life. In fact, one of the reasons asphalt roads tend to be a much more popular city street paving option is the effectiveness of fast and affordable overlays. The more arduous, expensive and time-consuming concrete road repair and maintenance options can result in significant and prolonged traffic issues.
Properly applied asphalt paving should last decades, especially when the work is being performed by a reputable asphalt paving company that has the experience to do the job right the first time.
From a sustainability perspective, both asphalt and concrete can be recycled and reused.
Get the Right Paving Solution for Your Home or Business
Whether you need a driveway, parking lot or road paved, you can rest assure that the asphalt paving contractors at Lakeridge Paving Company can handle the job. Our Seattle area asphalt paving experts would be happy to visit your home or business, analyze the state of your current paving and suggest maintenance, repair or repaving options that will work best for your situation and budget. Call us toll free at 888-403-8290 to schedule your asphalt paving quote or repairs.