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Why Choose Concrete over Asphalt

As a commercial property manager, you devote a significant amount of effort and money to ensuring that your business is both accessible and attractive. The less landscape upkeep required the better. Landscape projects that take up a lot of time disrupt company, because staff struggles to do their jobs, and may even drive consumers away. Asphalt is a popular choice for commercial paving, but concrete offers superior durability, lifespan, and versatility in application, making it well worth the extra upfront expense of having paving constructed.

Let’s take a look at the distinctions between them and how they apply to paving projects.

  • Material differences

Paving systems vary depending on a number of criteria, including the application and area. Knowing how each material is made is the first step in understanding the benefits of concrete over asphalt. Asphalt is a mixture of stone, sand, and gravel held together by an oil-based bonding agent.

Concrete, on the other hand, is composed out of limestone, rock, and water. Because of the variations in composition, stiff concrete is more stronger than asphalt once it has hardened and cured, resulting in a longer-lasting drive or parking lot. Over time, concrete tends to keep up better than asphalt to normal wear and tear.

  • Safety Differences Between Paving with Concrete or Asphalt

Asphalt-paved areas require greater care than concrete-paved areas. As a consequence, repair teams are no longer required to maintain concrete streets and parking lots. This implies reduced traffic and interruption in work zones, as well as decreased risk to road personnel and drivers.

Asphalt is less durable than rigid concrete. This means that concrete-paved roadways are less prone to potholes. Concrete is also superior at avoiding automotive sliding, ensuring the safety of drivers and their families.

  • Cost Differences of Building & Maintenance of Paving Materials

The lifespan of a concrete pavement might range from 20 to 40 years. When annual maintenance is taken into account, however, asphalt pavement may cost four to seven times as much to maintain. This will save you money in the long run on repairs and upkeep.

An Iowa newspaper recently published a story on a town’s decision to cover its roadways with asphalt or concrete. It was pointed out that whereas a concrete street would require little maintenance over the course of 30 years, an asphalt roadway would require a substantial resurfacing after only 15 years. “Asphalt pavement is estimated to require substantial restoration in nearly half the time as concrete pavement,” according to an Iowa Department of Transportation official.

  • Concrete’s benefits extend much beyond its long-term costs

Environmental concerns and efficiency are also advantages. Asphalt is a hazard after it has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be disposed of, in addition to the toll it takes on our natural resources. Concrete, on the other hand, is far more environmentally friendly than asphalt.

Concrete offers greater alternatives for the look and feel of the completed project, in addition to these other benefits. Concrete can be stained, tinted, etched, and stamped to fit the aesthetics of the surrounding area. The colour and style of asphalt are not as changeable as they are with concrete.

  • Concrete is Hardier

The adhesive substrate that keeps the stone, sand, and gravel together in asphalt and concrete differs substantially. Tar is used in asphalt, while cement is used in concrete. The former is less costly, but it is softer and more susceptible to environmental variables like heat and UV radiation. Asphalt is prone to wear and degeneration as a result of this, especially in hot areas. To keep asphalt paving in excellent condition, it must be resealed on a regular basis, and even then, its lifespan is only around 20 years. Concrete may endure up to 50 years with little care, while it is more susceptible to frost cracking in colder climates. Even if hard winters aren’t common, concrete holds up exceptionally well and requires little maintenance.

  • Concrete is Versatile

Concrete may be used for a variety of purposes besides sidewalks and roads. Any commercial facility should consider concrete parking lots and ADA-compliant ramps. It may also be used for more specific applications like as industrial machinery foundations, basketball or tennis courts, airport runways, and more. Concrete’s aesthetics may also be more easily tailored to your property’s needs; the material can be stained or colored to a number of hues, etched or engraved with eye-catching designs, and worked with a variety of finishes. Outside of adding colored sealer, asphalt’s material qualities make it impossible to treat in these ways.

Set It and Forget It with Concrete!!

Asphalt-paved driveways, lots, and slabs also require more care than concrete-paved driveways, lots, and slabs. Using concrete saves time, energy, and money in the long run when it comes to fixing or sealing the area.

While asphalt may have a lower initial cost for paving, many contractors and building professionals will advise you that the maintenance costs will be significantly higher in the long term. A professional concrete paving job is the way to go for individuals who want to set it and forget it.