concrete-or-asphalt

Benefits of Concrete Over Asphalt

There are several important exterior elements of a given home when it comes to everything from home value to basic curb appeal, and one such element is the driveway. As one of the largest and most noticeable design and practical elements of your home, your driveway and the materials you use for it are extremely important.

At Lift-Up Concrete Lifting, LLC, our professionals can help you maintain a perfect driveway through high-level residential concrete lifting and leveling services. We can also help you understand why concrete is such a great material, not only for driveways but for several important hardscape areas. One great way of doing this is by comparing it to another common driveway product: Asphalt. These two materials are often the final choice homeowners are deciding between when they get a new driveway – here’s why concrete is the right choice for you.

Durability and Value

Concrete is significantly more durable as a driveway material than asphalt. If all else is equal, in fact, it will last about three times as long. It will also do much better at standing up to basic wear and tear and weather elements, which is important if you have lots of cars or feet regularly pounding the driveway.

This durability also has a major impact on your cost efficiency, as well. It’s true that asphalt is cheaper than concrete up front – this is why some buyers gravitate toward it. But these folks aren’t thinking of things from a broad enough perspective: A driveway that lasts three times as long will provide far greater value over time than one that costs a little bit less but won’t provide nearly the same quality. In addition, concrete adds greater curb appeal and resale value on average.

Safety

Particularly for homeowners with young children or pets, concrete driveway materials are far safer than asphalt. Not only is it non-skid by nature, making it easier to walk on when there’s moisture or even ice formed, it provides more visibility when it’s dark – asphalt’s deep color can make it very tough to see water or ice at night.

Aesthetics

The driveway is often the very first thing guests or passers-by look at when they se your home. While asphalt looks fine in most cases, it simply can’t compete with the elegance and beauty provided by concrete options.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Another area where there’s no comparison between these materials is maintenance. Asphalt coatings are particularly burdensome here, often requiring major time consumption – concrete requires virtually no maintenance after installation.

In addition, concrete is far cleaner. We’ve all seen asphalt stick to shoes during hot weather, then track into the home and stick to the carpet. There are no such concerns with concrete.

Comfort Considerations

For children or adults who might walk outside in bare feet often, such as during gardening projects, concrete is much better to walk on. Asphalt can heat up to dangerous temperatures in the summer, and it’s also rougher and tougher to walk on year-round.

For more on why concrete is preferred over asphalt for your driveway, or to learn about any of our driveway, patio or walkway leveling or raising services, speak to the staff at Lift-Up Concrete Lifting, LLC today.