What Is Used to Pave a Driveway?
The paving of a driveway is an issue facing those who are building a home and many homeowners in established dwellings, if the old driveway has deteriorated or has remained unpaved. Several materials are used to pave a driveway, two of the more popular being concrete and asphalt. Both materials come with their advantages and disadvantages. Does this Spark an idea?
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Facts
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Concrete is usually a mixture of gravel, sand, pebbles, cement, stone and water. Asphalt on the other hand, is a substance made from crude oil. It is usually around 80 percent carbon and gets mixed with gravel or sand to form the material popularly used on roads and driveways.
Cost
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Asphalt is one of the least expensive materials to use to pave a driveway. Concrete is more expensive in general than asphalt. Paving a driveway with asphalt can cost anywhere from $1 to $5 per square foot installed; paving with concrete will cost anywhere from $3 to $10 per square foot installed.
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Considerations
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Asphalt driveways need to be re-sealed every couple of years or so to keep them from deteriorating. Concrete driveways are stronger than asphalt, but they are more susceptible to cracking and fading from overexposure to the sun.
Benefits
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Both asphalt and concrete are strong, durable materials that can last many years without cracking or crumbling if well-maintained. Asphalt and concrete also both perform well in cold and rainy conditions.
Other Options
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Other less popular options than concrete and asphalt are brick and stone, as well as tar and chip. Brick and stone are very expensive materials but are as durable as concrete and can last as long. They are just as weather resistant as asphalt and concrete, if not more so, and add a distinctive character to a home's appearance. Tar and chip pavement is exactly the same as asphalt with the addition of loose stones steamrolled onto the surface. This surface provides great traction and needs no sealing.
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