The time may come in the near future where you decide its time to upgrade your driveway with some brand new paving. Over the years you may have thought about what kind of driveway paver you want for your driveway, but now that the time has come to decide, you want to be sure you’re making the right choice. For the most part, there are three common ways to pave a driveway. Most paving companies will be able to provide you with either an asphalt, brick, or concrete driveway. To help you select which one will be best for your needs, we have prepared a brief guide below which compares cost, lifespan, installation time and the overall quality of each driveway paving material compared to the others.
Options For Driveway Pavers
Brick Driveway Paving
For exotic patterns, interesting shapes, designs and colour schemes to match your home and yard’s decor, brick driveways can make a good choice. There are of course some benefits and drawbacks with choosing bricks for your driveway, so lets explore the material and see how it compares to your specific needs.
Cost
As a driveway paving option, brick driveway can get on the expensive side. This is because the bricks itself is expensive, and the labour is time consuming and takes a certain level of expertise. While you may find a better deal depending on your supplier, you can typically expect to pay at least $30/ square foot for your brick driveway materials alone. Labour will be an additional cost on top of this, and depending on the frequency of traffic your driveway sees, maintenance costs may also be factored in to take care of sinking or shifting bricks.
Lifespan
Speaking of sinking and shifting bricks, the lifespan for a driveway made from this brick material will likely be shorter compared to concrete and asphalt. As more car and foot traffic runs over the driveway each year, the likelihood bricks start shifting and coming out of place increases. While some minor shifting is to be expected, if the driveway is not well maintained, or if it was improperly installed in the first place, you may need to start replacing and repairing shifted bricks in a matter of years.
Installation Time
A brick driveway can look absolutely beautiful when it is finished, but it can take a number of days, even weeks depending on the size of the driveway, to get the whole thing paved. Brick laying also takes considerable prep time and planning for drainage and patterns. The longer a driveway happens to be, and the more intricate the brick pattern, the longer you can expect for the installation to take.
Overall Quality
In terms of appearance, there are few better options than brick for a driveway. Unfortunately, that is where this material’s superiority stops compared with asphalt or concrete. Brick is prone to shifting and sagging over time. That means regular maintenance and the likelihood for higher costs associated with cleaning and upkeep.
Asphalt Driveway Paving
Solid, reliable and strong for a number of years, asphalt driveways can stand up to plenty of abuse and remain intact. They may leave something to be desired in terms of appearance, but with proper care and treatment, an asphalt driveway can look and perform its best for years.
Cost
The associated costs with asphalt driveways are one of the most attractive things about this material. By far it is one of the cheapest ways to get your driveway paved, with material costs ranging around $4/square foot. In some cases, additional sealers and crack fillers may need to be applied, but these materials usually cost far less to purchase and apply on your own than hiring a company to come and repave the driveway.
Lifespan
Part of the reason why asphalt driveways are so inexpensive is because they have a shorter lifespan than most other materials, except for brick. Over time, even the best asphalt driveways will start to chip and crack, and the colour will fade as well if it is not treated regularly with a sealer coat. For the most part, you can expect a well built asphalt driveway to last about a decade before serious cracks and chunks start forming.
Installation Time
Another reason why asphalt driveways are the least expensive option of the three materials discussed here is due to the short installation time. A full paving crew can easily lay down an asphalt driveway in roughly a single day depending on the size and detail of the paving pattern. Once the asphalt driveway is installed it will require periodic maintenance, but nothing so intricate that you’ll have to spend more than an afternoon working on the driveway.
Overall Quality
When it comes to getting a reliable paved surface that will last for a number of years, asphalt is a good option. This is especially true for property owners on a budget who are in need of more permanent paving for their driveway. Keep in mind that an asphalt driveway can only remain intact for about 10 years before starting to crack however.
Concrete Driveway Paving
For versatility in terms of colours and design schemes, as well as long lasting durability, the ideal choice for driveway paving is concrete. When choosing this material, you will be giving yourself plenty of things to choose from in terms of driveway patterns. You can also expect a concrete driveway to out last the other materials discussed here as long as it is properly installed by experienced professionals.
Cost
A concrete driveway is going to cost a bit more than any asphalt surface, but far less than a brick driveway per square foot. For the most part, people can expect to spend about $7.50/square foot on a new concrete driveway, but for more intricate, custom designs, you may have to spend a bit more.
Lifespan
A concrete driveway will easily last for more than a decade without developing any major cracks or shifts. Eventually, you will see some chips and cracks over time, especially after that first ten years of use. The cracks are very common for this material however, and properly installed concrete driveways should account for this possibility. You can expect to get about 20 years of solid performance from a concrete driveway before cracks become too defined and hazardous.
Installation Time
A concrete driveway can vary on installation time based on a number of factors. The size and shape are of course going to have an impact, as well as any patterns you want stamped or cut into the concrete. Once the form is set and the concrete is poured, it takes a day or so to dry completely. The good news is that once the installation process is over, a concrete driveway will require little to no maintenance during its lifespan.
Overall Quality
In terms of lifespan, price and maintenance requirements, concrete is probably the best of the three options for driveway paving.
More Ideas of Concrete Driveway Paving
For more helpful information about driveway paving, or to get started on you next paving project, be sure to contact the friendly experts at Pacific Coast Paving today.
