Guide
Asphalt vs concrete driveway: how to choose
Asphalt usually costs less up front and handles cold winters well. Concrete usually costs more but lasts longer with less upkeep and stays cooler in the sun. Either one depends on a good base. This guide compares them side by side and shows how to measure your driveway so quotes match.
Asphalt and concrete side by side
Both make a good driveway when they are built well. The differences show up in up-front cost, how long they last, how they handle your climate, and how much care they need.
| Factor | Asphalt | Concrete |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Usually lower | Usually higher |
| Typical thickness for cars | 2 to 3 in after rolling | 4 in, or 5 to 6 in for heavy trucks and RVs |
| Life | Shorter, longer with sealing and crack filling | Usually longer |
| Ready to drive on | Usually within a few days | Usually about a week, longer for heavy vehicles |
| Upkeep | Seal every few years, fill cracks | Less upkeep; sealing helps where roads are salted |
| Repairs | Patches and resurfacing blend in fairly well | Patches show; damaged sections are often replaced |
| Cold winters | Handles freeze and thaw and plowing well | Deicing salt can flake the surface, most of all in the first winter |
| Hot summers | Gets hot and can soften and scuff | Stays firm, and its light color stays cooler |
| Look | Smooth and black | Many finishes: broom, exposed stone, color, stamped patterns |
How each one is built
Most driveway failures start underneath, with a thin base or poor drainage, not with the surface you see. A good contractor spends real time on the ground before any paving arrives.
The base
The crew removes the old surface and soft soil, shapes the ground so water runs away from the house and garage, and spreads crushed stone. The stone is compacted in layers. Base depth depends on your soil and climate; on soft or clay soils, or where the ground freezes, expect a deeper base.
Asphalt
Hot asphalt is spread over the base and rolled while it is still hot. For a home driveway it is usually 2 to 3 inches thick after rolling, sometimes laid in two layers. The edges need support, from soil and grass or a border, or they crumble over time.
Concrete
Concrete is poured into forms, leveled and finished, then left to cure. Home driveways are usually 4 inches thick, and 5 to 6 inches where heavy trucks or RVs park. Control joints are cut or tooled into the slab so it cracks along straight lines instead of at random. A common rule is to space them, in feet, at 2 to 3 times the slab thickness in inches, so about every 8 to 12 feet for a 4 inch slab. Ask whether the contractor uses wire mesh, rebar or fibers. In cold climates, the mix should be air-entrained to resist freeze and thaw damage.
How to measure your driveway for a quote
Quotes are priced by area, so measure before you call. Then every contractor is quoting the same job.
- Measure the length down the middle of the driveway, from the garage or parking pad to where it meets the street or sidewalk.
- Measure the width in a few places. If it changes, split the driveway into sections.
- Split odd shapes into rectangles and triangles. A rectangle is length times width. A triangle is half of that.
- Add the apron and any flare where the driveway widens at the street, plus any parking pad or walkway you want done at the same time.
- Add it up in square feet. Some contractors quote by the square yard: divide square feet by 9.
For example, a driveway 12 feet wide and 50 feet long is 600 square feet. If it flares from 12 to 18 feet wide over its last 10 feet, that adds two triangles of 3 by 10 feet, or 30 square feet, for 630 in total. The paving cost calculator works out the square feet for you.
Also note what is there now (dirt, gravel, old asphalt or old concrete) and anything that affects access, such as a narrow gate or a steep slope. Removal and access both change the price.
Upkeep that makes it last
Asphalt
- Give new asphalt time to cure before the first sealcoat. Many contractors suggest waiting several months; ask yours.
- Sealcoat every few years to protect it from sun, water and oil.
- Fill cracks each year before water gets into the base.
- On hot days, avoid sharp turns of the steering wheel while parked, and put a board under kickstands and jacks.
Concrete
- Keep heavy vehicles off until the contractor says the slab is ready.
- Avoid deicers that contain ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate, which attack concrete. Go easy on salt, most of all in the first winter.
- A penetrating sealer every few years helps where roads are salted.
- Seal joints and cracks so water does not get under the slab.
Which one to choose
Asphalt is often the better fit when the budget is tight, winters are cold and plows are common, the driveway is long, or you want to drive on it within days.
Concrete is often the better fit when summers are hot, you want the longest life with the least upkeep, you want a decorative finish, or heavy vehicles will park on it.
Questions to ask every contractor
- How deep is the base, and what stone do you use? Is it compacted in layers?
- How thick is the asphalt after rolling, or the concrete slab?
- For concrete: what reinforcement, and where do the control joints go?
- How will water drain off the driveway?
- Is removal of the old driveway included? Who pulls the permit, if one is needed?
- When can we walk and drive on it?
- What does the warranty cover, and is it in writing?
Sources
- American Concrete Institute (ACI) guidance on concrete driveways and slabs on ground
- National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) guidance on asphalt driveways