Asphalt paving and concrete have both been around for thousands of years. Over that time, their formulas have been refined and improved to create two substances that get the job done.
However, knowing which material is better for your next project can be tricky. That’s where we come in. What are the pros and cons of asphalt paving and concrete?
Asphalt has so many advantages we could write a blog just about them. First, it is much less expensive than concrete. Depending on what your project looks like, concrete can cost 33 to 50 percent more than asphalt.
Another benefit to paving with asphalt is that it dries extremely quickly. You can have it laid out and steamrolled and drive on it that day.
Asphalt is also easy to repair and 100 percent recyclable. You can even add a seal coat to asphalt that gives you color options. The white or light colors can help reduce the heat index in urban areas, and other colors can give your paving a unique and distinctive look.
Asphalt requires more maintenance than concrete. However, this maintenance is relatively easy. It’s recommended that you get your driveway or parking lot resealed every couple of years to protect against cracks and erosion.
The last disadvantage is that in areas of high heat, asphalt softens, although this is a bigger problem when not installed correctly, and in areas where very high temperatures are common.
One of the advantages of concrete is the available color options. While it’s more widely known that concrete can be poured and set in a variety of shapes, it is true for asphalt as well. In fact, you might have even seen stamped asphalt and mistook it for concrete.
Another advantage of concrete is that maintenance costs are low.
However, one of the disadvantages of concrete is that repair costs can be high. When concrete breaks, you sometimes have to replace the entire slab. This isn’t the case with asphalt paving. Instead, with asphalt, you can hire a repair service and they will fix anything from potholes to cracks in less than a day.
Another disadvantage of concrete is that it tends to break in freezing weather. If you live where it snows a lot, you can expect your concrete to need more repairs.
Ultimately, the decision on whether to use asphalt or concrete rests with you. Thousands of people have had positive experiences with both. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a paved surface that will be easy on the wallet and easier to maintain, we recommend asphalt paving.
If you are ready to start your project, your asphalt paving company is here to help! Call us with any of your questions.
