Life is a Driveway - Asphalt or Concrete?
A driveway is a very functional part of your home, but as with anything in one’s home, the driveway should also have curb appeal. There are many materials you can use for a driveway - asphalt, brick, cobblestone, concrete, gravel and many others.
Asphalt vs. Concrete Driveway?
The two most common materials used in our area are asphalt and concrete. Which is better? Let’s compare!
Characteristics
Asphalt
Asphalt is a mixture of aggregates like gravel and sand with a binder known as asphalt cement that is usually a thick, liquid form of petroleum called bitumen. It has more give and flexibility, making it easier on the body should you use your driveway to exercise or play sports like basketball. It also offers better shoe grip than concrete.
Concrete
Concrete is primarily made up of three components: water, aggregates like rock, sand, and gravel, and a powdered binding agent called cement. Due to its pale gray color, concrete reflects sunlight and stays cooler in summer. Concrete won’t warp in the heat the way asphalt can.
Cost & Lifespan
Asphalt
According to Home Advisor, Asphalt costs between $7 to $13 per square foot, which includes both materials and labor. As a general rule, asphalt driveways have a relatively short lifespan of 15 to 20 years, although a well-maintained driveway can last up to 25 years.
Concrete
According to concretenetwork.com, Concrete costs between $8 to $18+ per square foot, with decorative elements such as color and stamping increasing the cost per square foot. A concrete driveway has an expected lifespan of between 30 to 40 years. This lifespan can be reduced if the driveway isn’t adequately sealed from time to time.
Installation Process
Asphalt
Depending on the size of your driveway, it typically takes installers just one day to lay asphalt. However, the ground needs to be prepped in advance with a sub-base, which provides stability and a frost barrier for the asphalt driveway. Asphalt installers typically lay the sub-base on the same day they demolish and remove your existing driveway. Once the asphalt is down, the material takes 3 to 5 days to cure partially. After that time, it’s safe to drive on your asphalt driveway but not to park on it. It takes an additional 2 to 3 weeks to fully cure.
Concrete
Concrete driveways typically take between 1 to 3 days to complete, depending on the driveway size. Once the concrete driveway is poured, you typically only need to wait seven days before parking your vehicle on it. However, for heavier vehicles or equipment, you’ll need to wait as long as 30 days.
Maintenance
Asphalt
You should seal asphalt every three years or so. A homeowner can save money by purchasing the tar sealant themselves and brushing on the coating vs. hiring a sealcoating company. You also should fill minor cracks with an asphalt crack sealer. Fail to seal these cracks regularly, and you risk weakening the structural integrity of your asphalt driveway.
Concrete
You should regularly seal a concrete driveway every 4 to 5 years. Homeowners can purchase concrete sealer and tackle the job themselves, or hire a company to seal the concrete. Just like asphalt, concrete driveways may crack over time, especially in Chicagoland with harsh winters. You can fill concrete cracks between a quarter-inch and half-inch wide with concrete crack filler.
Aesthetic
Asphalt
Really only one choice with asphalt - your driveway will be black or dark gray.
Concrete
Concrete on the other hand offers dozens of design options because of the number of ways you can color and manipulate this flexible material. You can tint or stain the concrete to match or complement the color of your house. You can also add complex designs and patterns to existing concrete if you want to change the style later. You can also stamp patterns and designs into concrete to mimic brick, cobblestone, and complex medallion patterns.
Climate
Asphalt
Since asphalt is a deep black in color, it absorbs heat, and during the summer, can become sticky and pliable. In cold climates, asphalt’s flexibility becomes a liability as it can crack or become destabilized. Asphalt is more porous than concrete, allowing water to run through it rather than get trapped and freeze, as sometimes happens to concrete.
Concrete
Concrete is the go-to driveway in southern states, but it can work in colder climates like ours, too, since the material is low maintenance and less prone to cracking than asphalt. However, there are some drawbacks to concrete driveways in colder climates. Concrete driveways with their interior rebar and wire mesh reinforcements are essentially rigid. When moisture from rain and snow soften the soil underneath concrete, the concrete surface may heave upward. Concrete is also less porous than asphalt, so water can get trapped inside and freeze, causing the concrete to crack.
Resale value: It’s a tie!
A paved driveway can add $10,000 to $20,000 to your home’s value, especially if you live in areas with extreme weather. When your driveway material choice is between concrete and asphalt, the added value is essentially a draw. Both materials add more value than a gravel or unpaved driveway; however, neither adds more value than the other.
Concrete vs. asphalt: Which one is right for you?
There’s no clear frontrunner when you weigh the benefits and drawbacks of a concrete driveway versus an asphalt driveway. Asphalt is a great choice for homeowners who care more about function than fashion, want savings in both time and money, and don’t mind regular maintenance. While concrete is the better choice for homeowners looking for a stylish driveway that requires less maintenance over time.
In the end, the right choice for you is the driveway material type that best meets your needs. Concrete requires less maintenance, but can be a higher initial investment.