Asphalt vs Concrete Pavement – Which One’s Better?

If you are confused between asphalt or concrete pavements for your next project, there are several factors that you should consider before making a choice. At Nationwide Paving, we serve commercial and industrial clients. Our services include parking lot paving, asphalt paving, and interlocking stone.

Here are a few factors to consider before choosing a pavement option: 1. Weather conditions The primary thing to consider is the climate of the place where your project is. In areas of harsh winters, asphalt is definitely the better material to be used for pavements and driveways. Here are a few reasons why: • Concrete is susceptible to damage from expansion and contraction during frost heaves. Asphalt pavements, on the other hand, absorb more heat, which helps the snow melt faster. • Salt is scattered on roads to melt ice and snow, which harms the quality of concrete. Asphalt is unaffected by snow and isn’t damaged by salt use. In places with warmer climatic conditions, concrete tends to be a better material to use. Asphalt tends to heat up and becomes oily. 2. Timespan for repair Both concrete and asphalt tend to crack. As compared to concrete, asphalt has softer consistency and disintegrates faster. However, repairing asphalt cracks is easy as they blend well with the rest of the driveway. If the surface is marred and shows signs of ageing, a fresh topcoat of asphalt can fix it. Concrete is relatively difficult to repair, and you might have patched spots on your pavement. 3. Easy Usage Asphalt is preferred to concrete as it is much easier to work with it. Asphalt is easier to install than concrete. Concrete is costlier than asphalt. The base and middle layers of an asphalt paving are considered to be permanent. So, when asphalt needs repairing or replacing only the top layer needs to be repaved. This makes asphalt more efficient and pocket-friendly. 4. Environment-friendly Asphalt can be recycled and reused. Therefore, it is considered to be environment-friendly. You can ground up old asphalt paving, recycle it and reuse it. Concrete needs to be hauled and disposed of at an approved facility. Porous asphalt helps with water drainage by letting the water drain through the pavement right into the soil below. In the case of concrete, water drains into the local water table via streams. Choosing between asphalt and concrete can be dicey. It depends on the budget, climatic conditions and the amount of time you’re willing to invest in it. Get in Touch For reliable asphalt paving, contact us at Nationwide Paving, we’d be glad to be of assistance to you!