The question is inevitable: asphalt or concrete? Each time someone has an area that needs a hard surface, people wonder which type of surface they should purchase. The two are similar, but not the same, and they differ more than in mere color. Both are built upon a similar base of gravel. Both have sand and stone as their first and second ingredients. The primary difference in the composition of asphalt and concrete is in the adhesives. Asphalt’s main adhesive is tar. Concrete’s is cement. One makes for a flexible bond whereas the other is hard and enduring. Asphalt, because of the tar, softens slightly in the summer months and is flexible enough to adjust to minute shifts in the earth’s surface. Concrete remains hard, is very durable, but is more prone to cracking. It’s a relatively simple process to repair asphalt, but more complicated (and costly) to repair concrete. Asphalt is 30-40% less expensive overall than concrete, and requires more maintenance. You save money over concrete when you choose blacktop in Columbus. Asphalt is always black, whereas concrete can be tinted a number of exotic colors. You definitely get a “better buy” when you choose asphalt, which is why it’s been the top choice of so many commercial businesses over the years. Asphalt is less “fussy” than concrete, takes less time to cure and most projects can be completed in about half of the time it takes when using concrete. Both asphalt and concrete are recyclable. If and when the surface cracks, it is easier to repair asphalt than concrete, because you can simply cut out the bad portions of asphalt whereas concrete must be chiseled out by hand.
When it is all sorted out, you get more “bang for your buck” with asphalt. It doesn’t last quite as long, but you can extend its life greatly with regular sealing. Asphalt is 100% recyclable. Asphalt looks good, sort of an extension of the road that runs before your house, and it adds value to your property. An additional plus is that small repairs can often be made by the homeowner with a bag of top dress asphalt from the home supply store.
While concrete has some advantages, the bottom line is that the money conscious home owner cannot go wrong with using asphalt for his paving needs.
