When it comes to installing a driveway on your residential property, two of the most popular choices are asphalt and concrete. While each type of driveway has its pros and cons, asphalt provides some key benefits over concrete.
Here are four significant reasons to choose an asphalt driveway over a concrete driveway.
1. Asphalt Is Less Expensive
If you are like most homeowners, the type of driveway you choose largely depends on your budget. If you are leaning toward an asphalt driveway over a concrete one, you will be glad to know that asphalt is often much less expensive than concrete.
In addition to being cheaper to install, asphalt driveways are also often cheaper to repair.
2. Asphalt Is Easier to Repair
When it comes to maintenance, asphalt is easier to repair than concrete. When an entire asphalt driveway needs repairs, only a repaving of the top layer is typically required. This is because both the base layer and the middle layer of an asphalt driveway are considered permanent.
Most homeowners can easily repair cracks or small holes in an asphalt driveway. While asphalt is easier to repair, this type of driveway still requires proper maintenance. Although an asphalt driveway typically doesn’t last as long as a concrete driveway, it can last up to 30 years with proper maintenance.
Concrete driveways do require less maintenance than asphalt driveways; however, a concrete driveway is much more difficult to repair. Oftentimes these repairs need to be made by a professional. When a concrete driveway gets too many cracks, the entire driveway needs to be replaced.
3. Asphalt Driveways Have a Smooth Appearance
Because concrete contains cement, it tends to give the exterior of a home an industrialized look, rather than looking warm and inviting. If this look concerns you and you would rather have a driveway with a nice, smooth appearance, asphalt is the way to go.
Despite the fact there aren’t any many colors to choose from when it comes to asphalt, there are some specialized tints and finishes available for asphalt driveways. For example, your paving contractor can add a color coating that contains mineral aggregates, which provide increased slip resistance and traction.
Filling in cracks, holes, and chips as they appear, and also sealing the driveway when it’s necessary to do so, will also keep your asphalt driveway looking nice and smooth.
4. Asphalt Offers Several Other Advantages Over Concrete
As you can see, there are many advantages for choosing an asphalt driveway instead of one made with concrete. Beyond the reasons listed above, asphalt driveways also come with several other advantages including:
- When it comes to installation, asphalt driveways are a clear winner as they take less time to make.
- When it comes to curing, you can drive on asphalt almost immediately after it’s been installed.
- When it’s time to replace your asphalt driveway, you can have the material recycled more easily than concrete, which is difficult to remove.
Compare all these advantages to concrete driveways. Installing a concrete driveway can take several days to install and after getting it installed, plus you will need to wait up to one week before you can drive on it.
If you agree that there are many advantages that asphalt driveways provide over concrete driveways, and would like to get one installed on your residential property, don’t hesitate to contact J R Paving Co.We are located in Latrobe, PA and offer professional paving and driveway installation services for residents throughout Western Pennsylvania and the surrounding Tri-State area.
