I lived in Minneapolis for 20+ years and the majority of driveways are asphalt.
Here in Nebraska, 99.99% are concrete. Anyone know why?
What’s preferred where you live, and why? Is one “better” than the other?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Skim-coating with joint compound covers texture, renews old drywall and plaster, and leaves smooth surfaces ready to paint.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I think it depends on the situation. I like the look of a long winding asphalt driveway. But I prefer the look of a short straight concrete one over asphalt. With Asphalt you don't need to form it up, so you can conform to the sight a little easier as far as going around obstacles. I think Concrete is a little easier to maintain though, and if you have kids, it's a little easier on their feet in the hot sun.
Comparitive costs often times.
Asphalt is directly tied into Oil prices and for years was less expensive than concrete, not so any more.
Availability, it is more common to see see rural areas have Asphalt used than concrete around here.
Slope of drive, Concrete is harder to place on a steep slope than Asphalt is.
Asphalt can be laid in a "seamless" roadway , Concrete can't.
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
One advantage of concrete is that it doesn't creep. Important if you leave a heavy vehicle parked for several days in the summer.
Also, concrete is less susceptable to oil/gas damage (but more susceptable to salt damage).
Some folks like the looks of one vs the other.
Some communities/subdivisions mandate one or the other.
(Concrete's the norm here in the Rochester MN area, though there are neighborhoods where you see a lot of asphalt.)
also asphalt is only good for about four years
I've seen asphalt drives much older than that, but you're right that concrete generally has a longer service life than asphalt in typical residential driveway conditions, and requires less maintenance.Another advantage of concrete is that it can be effective (if not exactly ideal) with less preparation. No need to dig up the area and put down a gravel base, just form it up and pour. Big advantage to a contractor in a hurry.Ideally, the base for asphalt should be put down and allowed to settle for several months, preferably with traffic on it.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Now that has got to be a regional thing. Everyday I drive my trucks in and out from my house on an asphalt driveway was put in in 1975 or so . I put a neighboring asphalt driveway in in 1989 and it is just fine."Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Edited 7/3/2007 7:05 pm by dovetail97128
when asphalt heat up in the sun, its expands. the rubber tires of a vehicle compacted it back down, that why you see wheel ruts on highways. If you leave asphalt along it will expand and as it cools it does not go back together, it starts to crack. And stores make money selling asphalt crack sealer, which does nothing. So about every four years asphalt needs to be repavedConcrete just lays there.
bb,
Dont know how they are doing asphalt in your area, but the 24' x 50' asphalt drive in front of my house lasted from 1978 to 2001. It actually was still in pretty good condition except for the areas that the cheap builder made only an inch or so thick :( I did replace it with concrete, but only because I like the appearance better. It is also much easier on the footsies when washing cars barefoot in the summer :)
Snow definitely melted quicker on the blacktop.
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
Edited 7/3/2007 7:14 pm ET by MrBill
when asphalt heat up in the sun, its expands
see now there is where dovetail was going wrong
oregon= no sun
(going to be 85 for next few days, Oregonians in heat stroke, send beer)
Keep it up...I love those misguided weather and climate reports....keeps the riff-raff out.
Shhhh!"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Asphalt does actually hold up better if subjected to moderate traffic, vs left untraveled. The traffic helps to keep it from developing wide cracks, as you suggest.But, properly installed, it will hold up well with virtually no traffic.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Four years?! Asphalt drives up this way go 20 years and better depending on how they're maintained. I just had a new one put in last fall after living here 8 years, the owner before us was here for 5 & never did a thing to it, and the owner before him.. who knows? So there's no telling how old the thing was.Maybe it's the heat where you live that shortens their lives.
That sounds like you get poor asphalt, laid too thin on poor substrate.CConcrete is better than asphalt, but take ppor crete, laid too thin on poor substrate not compacted and you get plenty of problems with it too!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
ten years
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Neighbor has concrete. Said he misses the asphalt because the black melted the snow better. I think concrete looks better most of the time and is nicer when working on vehicles.
Economy of scale decides which is cheaper here. The asphalt guys charge a base amount on all jobs to come out with a crew, roller, trucks etc. Unless it's a long driveway, it's cheaper for me to call for a few yards of concrete and pour it myself.