March 03rd, 2020

This is a common debate in the concrete world.  It seems like when I go out to give an estimate for driveways, the homeowner is always weighing the options between concrete and asphalt and of course trying to get the best price.  But what does that mean? The best price for upfront cost? Well sure, you can go with asphalt and get a good “deal” but what homeowners might not consider is the difference in lifespan, and upkeep.  Asphalt does not last nearly as long as concrete. You will notice within a year or two, especially if you live in the northern states, the asphalt will start to crumble, crack, and break off. You will undoubtedly be repairing your driveway regularly, or even paving over it after a certain point.  Some people have even gone as far as to admit to defeat, tear out the black stuff, and install a fresh and beautiful concrete driveway. A concrete driveway or sidewalk by far outlasts any other material and in my opinion just looks so much nicer. I guess I should’ve named this post: reasons to get concrete instead of asphalt, but it is always a cheaper option if money is an issue, and you don’t mind the upkeep.  Because another pro for concrete over asphalt is cleanliness. This is one I feel is completely left out of the equation. Ever walk on black top with bare feet? What about concrete? The difference is visible. All of that blackness that tracks wherever you go next, compared to being able to walk all around your concrete sidewalk and driveway with not a trace of smudge. All you have to do to keep it nice and clean is power wash once a year or even just spray it down with a hose to keep it free of dirt and debris.  For me, I’d rather be driving on, riding bikes on, playing on, and living on concrete. Because it really is an extension of our homes. For years my own personal driveway was gravel/dirt and made such a huge mess, not only in the garage and the cars, but it also always made it’s messy way into the house. We never went out in front of the house to play or hangout, and it was just really ugly and brought our house down in looks and in value. It wasn’t until we got our concrete driveway that we realized just what we were missing out on.  Now that we have this nice clean driveway, we spend SO much time out front, we play, we chalk, we ride, we play games, we use it a fun place to spend time outdoors, doing things that we usually do inside. Not to mention what a huge difference it made in our dogs’ lives. You could tell immediately how much they loved the change. They relax in the sun, and run freely all around the house. Also they aren’t dirty messes when they come into the house anymore. Just all of it added together makes the choice obvious to me. And yes the asphalt could very well be the cheaper option for upfront cost, but I challenge you to do the math on lifespan and upkeep before making this decision.