Your choice of paving for your driveway is a very important decision and one you’ll have to deal with for years to come. The type of paving you choose will have a direct impact on your house’s exterior appearance and will also impact its value and how attractive it will be to prospective buyers.
Choosing the wrong type could also cost you more in maintenance depending on how you intend to use your driveway and the weather conditions. This is why you can’t make this decision haphazardly and you have to know the pros and cons of each paving option, so you can make the best choice for you. Here’s a rundown of a few popular options and what they have to offer.
Asphalt
Asphalt is one of the most popular paving options and it does have its benefits. For one, it is easily the cheapest of all options. However, it’s not necessarily the most aesthetically pleasing. While an asphalt driveway will look great when new, it can start to slowly fade after a while. But this can be fixed with asphalt resurfacing.
Asphalt is also a very flexible surface and a great choice if you’re going to be doing some dirty work on the driveway, like mechanic jobs, for instance. However, it is not the most durable option, and you may have to do many repairs if you’re living in an extreme climate.
Concrete
Concrete can be a great option for many reasons. One of the reasons why concrete is so popular as a building material and on public roads is because of how durable and long-lasting it is. A properly installed and maintained concrete driveway can easily last as long as 40 years. Most concrete mixes used for driveways also allow rainwater to permeate through the surface, which limits runoff and allows for groundwater recharge.
It’s also a very sustainable material, looks great, and can handle heavy-duty usage. One of the only downsides with concrete is that it can be prone to cracking. However, this can be solved by using sealers. Sealers can limit damage if you’re dealing with a very damp climate or if you often have to use de-icing agents. Contraction joints also allow cracking to be confined to specific areas, which will allow you to save on repair costs.
Pavers
Pavers are also a very popular option that you can consider. The thing that stands out the most about pavers is their appearance. Pavers will instantly add curb appeal to your property and come in many shapes, sizes, and colors.
Pavers joints are also permeable, which allows rainwater to seep through to the ground. The only issue with pavers is that they tend to be expensive. Another issue is that it can be difficult to find the exact type of paver you had installed in case you have to make repairs, so you may not get a uniform look if you need to replace one or a few pavers.
Conclusion
Now that you know a bit more about major paving options, you’ll be able to make a better decision. Make sure to take your local climate, budget, and potential resale value into consideration when picking any option.
Leave a Reply