Asphalt vs. Concrete Driveway—Which Is Right for You?

It’s easy to overlook your driveway when planning a home renovation. This often happens because people underestimate the impact a new driveway can have on the entire aesthetic of their property. The driveway is the first thing people notice as they approach your property. If it’s worn out, it may cast a negative light on the rest of your home—even if the rest of it is nicely built. However, if you decide that you want to add your driveway to the renovation list, we will help you decide—asphalt vs. concrete driveway—which is right for you?

What Are the Main Differences?

There are many differences between the various materials you can use when building or repairing your driveway. However, when it comes to asphalt and concrete, one of the main differences is the binder they use. Asphalt employs bitumen, while concrete uses cement. This distinction adds to the overall qualities of the pavement, such as the appearance, feel, cost, and durability of the ultimate product. One of the primary advantages of an asphalt driveway over a concrete driveway is that it does not need expansion joints or curing time. This results in a shorter installation procedure and downtime before you can use it.

Asphalt, on the other hand, can be ready for use within a few hours. This is especially useful for driveways of storefronts, warehouses, or businesses that can’t afford to be out of use for an extended period of time.

Asphalt Vs. Concrete Driveway Cost

If you are not looking to spend a lot of money on your driveway remodeling projects, asphalt is your best choice. Asphalt pavement is often less expensive than concrete. A concrete driveway costs almost twice as much as an asphalt driveway. However, when it comes to long-term expenditures, concrete will save you the most money. This is due to the fact that asphalt driveways need a lot more maintenance and regular upkeep, which will eat into your budget for years to come. 

Time for Installation and Curing

Because both concrete and asphalt driveways must be built over a well-compacted, correctly graded subgrade, the foundation preparation work is comparable. Placement timeframes are similar, taking roughly a day once subgrade preparation is completed. For a different kind of concrete, like stained concrete, the curing time can be different. If you decide to go with asphalt, you will be able to use your driveway a lot sooner, however. After you install. A concrete driveway must cure for at least seven days before it can be used.

However, as we’ve mentioned before, concrete could take up to several weeks to completely cure. Therefore, if you don’t want to compromise the integrity of your driveway, you should avoid using it before at least three weeks have passed. What this means is that if you decide to use concrete, you may not have access to some parts of your home for an extended period of time. For example, if you have a garage, you may need to take off your garage door in order to properly connect your concrete driveway to it. In situations like this,  247logisticservices.com experts recommend that you rent out a storage unit for all of the items in your garage.

Decorative Possibilities

If we are talking about remodeling a driveway, we have to talk about how customizable concrete and asphalt are. This is because driveways can add to your home’s curve appeal, which will undoubtedly increase its value. That being said, concrete driveways provide more flexibility in terms of design and form. Concrete is very malleable; this will allow you to create a driveway in any shape you like. You can stain, stamp, texturize, or integrate color to generate an infinite number of distinct designs. An asphalt driveway, on the other hand, has very limited personalization possibilities. 

Maintenance and Durability

Asphalt driveways can last for up to 20 years if you properly maintain them. On the other hand, a concrete driveway can last for almost double that. Furthermore, asphalt requires much more maintenance than concrete. That being said, asphalt is often less expensive and easier to install and maintain than concrete. When it comes to asphalt maintenance, you only need to keep the top layer repaved to keep it in shape. The deeper layers are permanent, so you won’t have to replace them. On the other hand, if your concrete driveway sustained major damage, you would have to replace the whole thing. As you can imagine, this is time-consuming and expensive to do. 

When it comes to durability, the weather has a big impact on how long your driveway will endure. This is the case no matter what material you use for your driveway. A concrete driveway is preferable if you live in a hot climate since asphalt may get sticky and fracture as it cools. Concrete, on the other hand, may expand in cold weather. This can result in costly driveway repairs. Furthermore, because asphalt absorbs more heat from the sun, it allows snow and ice to melt faster. This would make it an excellent choice if you live in a colder climate.

Conclusion

So, asphalt vs. concrete driveway—which is right for you? As you can see, it’s not as simple as saying one or the other. Although an asphalt driveway is typically the least expensive choice at first, it will not last as long as a concrete driveway. You may also need to replace it sooner than you would a concrete driveway. If you need something done right now and you don’t concern yourself about the future, asphalt is a good choice. However, if you don’t want to think about your driveway and have the time needed to install it, you should go with the concrete.