Why Asphalt Is A Good Driveway Material For Cold Climates
Two common surfaces for residential driveways are concrete and asphalt. While either one is a suitable choice, asphalt tends to be a better choice for northern climates. Unless you just prefer the look of concrete, you may want to choose asphalt when you put in a new driveway. Here are some reasons why.
Fewer Cracks In Cold Weather
Concrete and asphalt contract in cold weather and expand in hot weather. However, asphalt has more elasticity than concrete, so it resists cracking. This is a major reason asphalt is popular in colder regions. Cracks are not only an eyesore, the allow rain to seep into the soil and cause further problems such as sinkholes and heaving. Since you'll see fewer …show more content…
Salt has no effect at all on asphalt, but it can cause damage to concrete. Concrete is a porous material, so it naturally soaks up a certain amount of water. Salt absorbs water, so when it's in contact with concrete, it causes the concrete to absorb more water when the temperatures rises above freezing. Then when the temperature falls below freezing again at night, bumps and pits can form on the concrete.
Less Expensive To Install And Maintain
Asphalt driveways are less expensive to install than concrete driveways. They require occasional maintenance even though they are not damaged by cold weather. You'll need to resurface the driveway every few years to restore the color and seal cracks. Resurfacing applies a new layer of asphalt on top that makes the driveway look good as new.
In warmer climates, concrete driveways don't need much maintenance at all. However, due to their tendency to crack or pit in cold climates, you may need to spend money filling cracks and leveling heaves. Concrete is more difficult to repair than asphalt since it can't be resurfaced in the same way. Plus, it shows stains, and crack repairs will be easily visible too. If you go with concrete, you'll have to pay more initially, and you'll probably spend more over the life of your driveway to keep it in good
Two common surfaces for residential driveways are concrete and asphalt. While either one is a suitable choice, asphalt tends to be a better choice for northern climates. Unless you just prefer the look of concrete, you may want to choose asphalt when you put in a new driveway. Here are some reasons why.
Fewer Cracks In Cold Weather
Concrete and asphalt contract in cold weather and expand in hot weather. However, asphalt has more elasticity than concrete, so it resists cracking. This is a major reason asphalt is popular in colder regions. Cracks are not only an eyesore, the allow rain to seep into the soil and cause further problems such as sinkholes and heaving. Since you'll see fewer …show more content…
Salt has no effect at all on asphalt, but it can cause damage to concrete. Concrete is a porous material, so it naturally soaks up a certain amount of water. Salt absorbs water, so when it's in contact with concrete, it causes the concrete to absorb more water when the temperatures rises above freezing. Then when the temperature falls below freezing again at night, bumps and pits can form on the concrete.
Less Expensive To Install And Maintain
Asphalt driveways are less expensive to install than concrete driveways. They require occasional maintenance even though they are not damaged by cold weather. You'll need to resurface the driveway every few years to restore the color and seal cracks. Resurfacing applies a new layer of asphalt on top that makes the driveway look good as new.
In warmer climates, concrete driveways don't need much maintenance at all. However, due to their tendency to crack or pit in cold climates, you may need to spend money filling cracks and leveling heaves. Concrete is more difficult to repair than asphalt since it can't be resurfaced in the same way. Plus, it shows stains, and crack repairs will be easily visible too. If you go with concrete, you'll have to pay more initially, and you'll probably spend more over the life of your driveway to keep it in good