Concrete Vs Asphalt for Your Custom Driveways in Nashville

It's an old dilemma - which should you use for your  Custom Driveways in Nashville concrete or asphalt? These two are the most popular materials used for paving driveways. Each has a distinct advantage over the other, with that being lower initial installation costs for an asphalt driveway versus a concrete driveway. Indeed, you'll normally spend just half of the concrete cost if you use asphalt. So, why do many people choose driveway concreting anyway? Here's why:

Durability and Maintenance

Concrete offers high durability and, unlike asphalt, it is very low maintenance. If a concrete Driveway Installation Services  is placed properly with steel reinforced concrete and a well-compacted sub-base and then sealed, then you can expect it to last more than 30 years even with minimal maintenance depending on the finish.

On the other hand, asphalt requires resealing every 3 years, which is the greatest number of years it will last without any sort of maintenance. In addition, you may also need to add another asphalt layer in as early as 5 years. Asphalt stays soft until it has cured, which can take 6 to 12 months. The first sealing of asphalt is normally done 6 to 9 months after installation, doing it too soon before the asphalt has cured, can make an asphalt surface permanently soft.

Still, even fully cured asphalt will not be as durable or hard as concrete. You probably have noticed asphalt roads and driveways becoming sticky during a hot day, particularly, in a temperature of 80 degrees or above. In this scenario, a vehicle or other heavy-weight object will certainly leave a permanent mark on an asphalt driveway. Therefore, if you live in a hot climate area, asphalt is clearly not suitable for your driveway.

Appearance

Your driveway is right in front of your home so wouldn't you want it to look nice? With asphalt, you'll basically have what is also known as a black top driveway. Although decorative asphalt already exists, it's fairly new, not widely available and the options are still limited compared to decorative concrete. For instance, the leading provider of decorative asphalt services offer just 6 types of patterns available in about a dozen shades with an option to put an accent and/or a cobbled or brick border. While the technology is quite innovative, it just doesn't compare to the wider array of style techniques, design and colour options that decorative concrete offers.

Long-term Cost

Lower upfront costs is the main reason homeowners decide to use asphalt on their driveway with up to 40 percent savings on installation costs compared to concrete. However, although you will spend less initially to install asphalt than concrete on your driveway, asphalt will not last as long as concrete. So, in the long run, you will spend more on maintaining and resurfacing an asphalt driveway than you would a concrete one.

So, if you are considering resurfacing your old driveway or you're getting a new home, concrete driveways are the best way to go. It combines durability, curb appeal, and long-term savings so you get excellent value for your money.

Cory Grant is a second generation Decorative Concrete Professional. He is an enthusiast and enjoys sharing his knowledge on what he learns in the industry with other professionals and those who are seeking advice for their Decorative Concrete Project.