Concrete Vs Asphalt: Which is the Best Material for Driveways?

Driveways are considered as one of the most valuable and the safest medium for parking your vehicle, knowing that it is safe on your own property in Melbourne. It is also a universal truth that a perfect driveway plays a key role in home improvement, giving a nice classic look.

Invest in Driveway to:

• Make a good first impression
• Add a functionality to your home
• Get more parking space for your vehicles
• Invest less time in maintenance

Overall, investing in a driveway is an easy way to increase the value of your property while adding visual appeal. Also, it is the fact that a driveway is the most overlooked architectural element of a house, yet it is the first thing that your guest encounters.

A driveway looks best when it is installed keeping in mind the style of your house and the surrounding landscape. Therefore, whether it is rustic, rugged or smooth material, your decision to choose will play a very important role in how the driveway fits the aesthetic of your property.

Factors to Keep In Mind While Choosing a Driveway Material

While choosing the right paving material, there are various factors that have to be considered including:-

• Climatic conditions of the region
• Cost of the installation and maintenance
• A wide range of colour options
• Matching and contrasting textures
• Flexibility and durability

Your driveway will be driven on nearly every day, so it needs to hold up tire marks, oil drips and other hazards. Due to this, it becomes essential to choose the material which provides stability and requires less maintenance. Do not miss a good read on the 2 proven ways to extend the life of your driveways.

From many driveway paving materials, including pavers, gravel, one of the popular materials are concrete and asphalt for driveways. Still, there are many individuals living in Melbourne who got confused in choosing between concrete and asphalt material. To help you to decide which material is perfect for your upcoming project, here is the comparison guide.

1. Look

• Concrete is fairly easy to work with but when it comes to installing an entire driveway it can be a challenge. The concrete driveway is developed using the combination of water, cement and sand offering a grey appearance. You can opt for resurfacing a concrete driveway which offers more creative appearance. Also, it can be tinted with different colours, stamped with patterns or engraved with designs.
• Several asphalt companies in Melbourne create asphalt driveways by combining sand, crushed rock or gravel together with a binder such as bitumen (a mixture of hydrocarbons used for surfacing and roofing). Asphalt is a softer material and known for its dark and textured look.

2. Durability

• A well maintained concrete driveway can last up to 40 years. Due to the strong and solid nature of concrete, it is renowned as a durable option for different types of driveway construction projects. Also, concrete driveways are known for becoming stronger with age.
• On average, asphalt driveways can remain intact for 25 years or more. However, there are various factors which are responsible for affecting a lifespan of asphalt driveways including climate or traffic.

3. Maintenance

• Maintenance is important for a driveway that will last a lifetime. As concrete maintains its appearance and quality, there is no need for regular maintenance. Therefore, you can clean your concrete driveway occasionally and maintain it by sealing with a durable chemical solution.
• Compare to concrete, asphalt driveways need regular maintenance in order to keep it in good condition. With the careful visual inspection, you can come across hairline cracks and it can be treated by sealing with chemical solutions.

4. Price

• Generally, concrete is more expensive than asphalt, but when you think about long-run usage it is comparatively less expensive than asphalt. This is because of its stability and low service costs.
• Asphalt requires regular resealing and repair service due to its minimum longevity. Therefore, the cost of maintaining asphalt driveways is more and it has to be resealed every three to five years. Also, resurfacing of asphalt can be done at low cost and in case of concrete, it costs more.

5. Climate Compatibility:

•  If you are looking for an environmentally-friendly option, then concrete is a more suitable choice, as it is developed using readily available limestone and water. Also, concrete is more suitable for locations with the hot weather because it is resistant to high temperatures.
• Asphalt driveways in Melbourne are renowned for its usage in cold regions because the hot weather makes the material soft and it causes cracks and holes. Also, asphalt release oils when exposed to heat or sunlight, so it is more suitable for freezing temperature.

Conclusion

Overall, there are various factors to consider when choosing between concrete and asphalt material for your driveways. But, one of the most important factors to be considered is cost and climate, especially if you are living in places with extreme weather conditions.

If on one side concrete is best for its durability, then on other side asphalt is preferable for its low cost and ease of repair. So, you have to understand the basic difference between concrete and asphalt material, before selecting the best for your upcoming pavement project.