Deciding on what type of paving material to use for your paving project is an important decision, and one that can be costly if you make the wrong choice. If you’re considering whether to choose asphalt or concrete for your new driveway, parking lot, or other paved surface, we have some important information to share with you. While it’s true that concrete is a very popular choice, asphalt is actually often the better material for several different reasons.
- Asphalt can save you money in the long run. That’s because asphalt doesn’t flake or develop cracks as easily as a concrete surface would, so you won’t have to repave an asphalt surface as often as you would with concrete. The money you save in the cost of repaving alone makes asphalt a smarter choice. Of course, you’ll have to maintain your asphalt on a regular basis to keep it in tip-top shape, but if you do that you’ll save an impressive amount of money in the long run simply because you won’t have to repave the surface as often.
- Asphalt is usually more durable than concrete. Asphalt is more flexible than concrete, which means that it doesn’t age the way that concrete does. We’ve all seen concrete driveways, for example, that begin to flake and crack – sometimes after just a year or two. But because asphalt is more flexible than concrete, it usually holds up better over time, particularly if you pay close attention to maintaining it by repairing minor flaws and seal coating periodically.
- Asphalt is easy to maintain. With the help of a reliable paving contractor, you’ll be able to easily maintain your asphalt surface. Fortunately, since asphalt is dark in color, it doesn’t show stains the way a concrete surface would, which means that asphalt usually looks cleaner simply due to that darker color. Still, it is important to keep any asphalt surface clean by regularly sweeping and/or rinsing it off. You’ll also need to have minor cracks and indentations repaired as quickly as possible. And asphalt should also be seal coated on a regular basis to protect the surface.
Of course, nothing lasts forever and any paved surface will have to be replaced eventually. Even though asphalt is quite strong, after a certain number of years, the surface will need to be repaved. This is particularly true with surfaces that are exposed to a variety of harsh weather conditions, as well as those that undergo vigorous use – such as parking lots and roads, for example. However, with regular maintenance, your asphalt surface should last for many, many years.
