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Concrete vs Asphalt Driveways

concrete driveways, asphalt driveways

Picture this; it’s time to sell your home, and you’re stunned to learn that it’s worth less than you thought.
This is a nightmare scenario for homeowners, but it can be avoided with the right investments. Both concrete and asphalt driveways can boost your home’s curb appeal and overall value.

Even if you aren’t planning to sell anytime soon, it’s always a good idea to invest in your property. Once you’ve decided to get a new driveway, your next decision will be between concrete driveways and asphalt driveways.

 
The decision depends on several factors including your climate, your driveway design ideas, and your maintenance expectations. The article below goes through each of these factors in detail, so read on to help inform your decision.

 

How Does Climate Affect Concrete Driveways?

Extreme heat and extreme cold are your two primary concerns with concrete and asphalt. Concrete isn’t as flexible as asphalt. Ice can cause serious damage to your concrete driveway, causing it to develop deep cracks in freezing temperatures. 
 

While asphalt holds up in cold weather, it does contains materials that can actually begin to melt in extreme heat. Concrete isn’t affected by heat making it an ideal material for places where the temperature gets over 100 degrees in the summer. 

 

What Are the Design Options for Concrete and Asphalt?

One big advantage concrete has over asphalt is its endless options for design. You can add a stamped design to the concrete or choose different color variations. Asphalt, on the other hand, is generally just black and smooth. 
 

If you have a bigger budget for asphalt driveway cost, you can add seals to the top or cobblestone edges, but that’s about as far as you can go in terms of changing the appearance.

When examining your concrete driveway cost, remember that it usually lasts longer than asphalt. One of the drawbacks with stamped designs on the concrete, however, is that the designed areas are more likely to crack than the flat concrete areas of the driveway. Still, you can expect to get about 30 years out of a concrete driveway, as opposed to 20 from an asphalt driveway. 

How Much Upkeep Does Each Material Require?

Maintenance is another long-term budget concern to account for when deciding between concrete vs asphalt. As most concrete driveway contractors will tell you, concrete requires little maintenance. Just give it a good pressure wash every few years. Asphalt, on the other hand, should be resealed every few years. 
 

If your driveway does develop cracks, asphalt is much less costly to repair than concrete. This is because asphalt cracks can be filled, whereas a cracked concrete driveway must be replaced entirely to restore its appearance. 

The Final Word on Concrete vs Asphalt

For those living in extremely cold or extremely hot climates, the choice between concrete and asphalt is easy. If you live in a more moderate climate, you’ll have to decide whether the added lifetime of a concrete driveway and lower maintenance costs make it worthwhile to spend a little more upfront. 
 

You can move your decision-making process along by getting an estimate on your concrete driveway costs. Contact us at Advanced Construction for a free estimate today!