Asphalt vs. Concrete Paving: The Choice is Clear

The majority of commercial and residential driveways are finished with one of the two most cost-effective materials on the market: asphalt or concrete. If you're paving a new driveway or parking lot, or refinishing an existing one, you’re probably wondering about the relative benefits of these common options. Asphalt has many benefits beyond its price, which is typically 30 to 40 percent less than concrete. Asphalt paving is ideal for streets, highways, pathways, parking lots, industrial sites, recreational trails, agricultural uses and even 
corrective and preventive maintenance on concrete (PCC) pavements.

Why should your paving project use asphalt? 

• Environmentally-friendly
• Economical (Lower Maintenance Costs)
• Versatile
• Safe

An Environmentally-Friendly Paving Choice

Asphalt pavements are 100% recyclable, and commonly contain reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). RAP is old asphalt that has been milled off of pavements that have reached the end of their service life. By reusing the asphalt binder in the RAP, less virgin asphalt (and thus less petroleum) is needed, and reusing the rocks means a reduced need for mining aggregates.  

Virtually all of the 18 billion tons of asphalt currently on U.S. roadways will be available for future generations to re-use.

Asphalt Paving is Economical with Lower Maintenance Costs

Asphalt paving project costs less upfront than concrete paving, and long term maintenance and repairs cost less too.

Asphalt paving is completed more quickly than concrete, allowing active traffic to return in a matter of hours, rather than days or weeks. An asphalt driveway, for example, can usually be laid in one or two days depending on the size of the project. Concrete, on the other hand, typically takes twice as long to lay and even longer to set. Depending on the season, asphalt driveways can be ready for use in as little as two days or less after completion, whereas concrete can take up to a week.

When an asphalt surface starts to show cracking, these can be repaired easily and inexpensively. Crack sealant doesn’t cost very much and are easily applied.

Asphalt’s black color also helps it draw and retain more of the sun's heat. In the winter, snow will melt faster on an asphalt driveway than it will on a concrete driveway, making property maintenance easier and improving safety.

More Construction and Installation Choices: Asphalt Paving is Versatile

Asphalt can be completed in stages over time, as funds allow and as traffic loading increases, and can be done at night or other off-peak traffic times, with minimal disruption to traffic.

Beginning with a good, stabilized base, asphalt layers can be added as needed. On existing roads in need of maintenance, more layers can be added or some of the aged pavement can be milled off and replaced with new asphalt to keep the same elevation.

Asphalt Paving is Safer

Shorter lane closures during asphalt paving construction mean greater safety for workers and vehicles traveling through the work zone. Once completed, asphalt’s additional safety benefits include:

• Smoother surface than cement
• More skid resistant (higher friction number) because it uses hard, durable aggregates
• Textured (open-graded) asphalt surfaces can reduce the amount of splash and spray during rainstorms, greatly improving driver visibility
• Black surface also helps in the visible delineation of lanes and pavement markings.

For resources to help select a paving material for your project, and to estimate your project right the first time, download Basic Construction’s free ebooks:

• Tips for Estimating Your Project Right the First Time
• Choosing the Best Material for Your Commercial Asphalt Job
• Project Profitability in Heavy Construction

If your next project is located in Eastern Virginia, contact us at (757) 249-3789 to schedule a paving consultation or to request a bid.