All About Asphalt Driveways

Looking for driveway ideas? Considering a new driveway? Which driveway surface is best when choosing between asphalt, concrete or permeable pavers? What are the benefits of an asphalt driveway vs concrete or permeable pavers? What type of ongoing maintenance does an asphalt driveway require compared to a concrete driveway or permeable paver driveway? These are all things to consider when shopping for a new driveway.

Asphalt Driveways

Whether you call them asphalt driveways, black top driveways, ash-phalt driveways tarmac or macadam driveways... they're all the same!

The further North we travel in the United States, the more likely we see asphalt driveways. The further South we travel in the United States, the more likely we see concrete and/or permeable paver driveways. This is due to the amount of freeze and thaw cycles that occur in colder regions.

Asphalt is pliable allowing it to handle heaving from freeze and thaw cycles much better than concrete. Owning an asphalt driveway is also very beneficial if you happen to live in a snowy region. The black asphalt can soak in the heat from the sun and melt snow much faster than any other type of driveway.

A new asphalt driveway can be installed by an asphalt paving contractor in a relatively short amount of time, usually a day or two, and can generally be driven on at least 24 hours after installation. There's very little inconvenience when having an asphalt driveway installed. However, new asphalt can take years to fully cure, so minor scarring of the surface may occur from sharp turns, power steering divots, tractor tires, snow blade... a variety of things for the first couple of years, especially on hot sunny days.

Cost Chart:

Permeable Paver Driveway - #1 - Most Expensive

Concrete Driveway - #2

Asphalt Driveway - #3

Gravel Driveway - #4 - Least Expensive

An asphalt driveway is the least expensive compared to the other hard surface driveways.

Ongoing Maintenance Chart:

Gravel Driveway - #1 - Most Ongoing Maintenance

Asphalt Driveway - #2

Concrete Driveway - #3

Permeable Paver Driveway - #4 - Least Ongoing Maintenance

An asphalt driveway requires the most frequent amount of ongoing maintenance, compared to the other hard surface driveways.

Life Expectancy Of An Asphalt Driveway

A properly installed asphalt driveway with regularly scheduled maintenance can last up to 20 or even 30 years! That variation in age can be determined by the stability of the sub-grade, the quality of the installation, the type and frequency of maintenance, and the climate.

Types of ongoing maintenance services you can expect to perform on an asphalt driveway?

Treating oil spots,sealing cracks, weed control, edging and sealcoating.

New asphalt driveways should NOT be sealed until they are at minimum 6 months old. Asphalt should then be sealed every 3 to 5 years thereafter to slow down the deterioration process. However, only a quality commercial grade asphalt sealer is recommended and applied either by yourself or a reputable seal coating contractor. When cracks develop, they should be sealed frequently. Ultimately cracks should be sealed every fall when the asphalt is cool and it has contracted. The cracks are open at their widest this time of year and will be optimally sealed when the heat from summer comes back around and the asphalt has warmed and expanded. Sealing the cracks will help to prevent further damage and pavement failures like alligatoring and potholes.

Choosing The Right Driveway For Your Home

When choosing between an asphalt driveway and the other three types of driveways, take into the consideration these things:

Budget - Curb Appeal - Climate - Amount Of Ongoing Maintenance

If the short term, up front cost is a deciding factor, gravel driveways or asphalt driveways are excellent, low cost options, depending on the size of your driveway. The long term trade off however, is more ongoing maintenance costs. If cost is not as much of an important factor, and aesthetics are important, then concrete driveways or permeable paver driveways are alternatives for a hard surface driveway. While initially the up front costs are higher, long term they require less maintenance costs.

Also take into consideration the effects of an asphalt driveway if it's not maintained properly or how it can look as it ages.

Asphalt driveways can be beautiful addition to your home. That sleek black look can provide a very sharp, clean look. The black color is also very appealing for snow melt in the wintertime. There are however, new sealers on the market that offer a variety of colors to choose from. See some different colorful design ideas for asphalt driveways.

If you're considering an asphalt driveway, see our Asphalt Driveway Installation FAQ's section for more information.

You can also learn more about the ongoing maintenance of an asphalt driveway by visiting our Asphalt Driveway Maintenance FAQ's section!

Before you hire a contractor to install or perform maintenance on your asphalt driveway, be sure and review our video and eBook series, "The most Common Ways Asphalt Contractors Rip Us Off And How To Avoid Them" TM You'll learn everything you need to know to hire a reputable contractor and get the job done right.

Or save time and take the guesswork out of hiring a contractor to install or maintain your asphalt driveway and Request an estimate from one of our Trusted Asphalt Installation or Asphalt Repair Contractors in your area!

Last, if you would like to learn how to perform maintenance services on your driveway yourself, visit our "Do It Yourself" Training Center for great tutorial videos and eBooks that cover How to repair and sealcoat an asphalt driveway!

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