The ages-old debate between parking lot materials has always been narrowed down to the two primary materials – asphalt and concrete. Concrete absolutely has its purposes and applications, but we feel that parking lots and roads shouldn’t be considered in those applications. Here are five great reasons that asphalt wins over concrete for parking lots and roads.
Cost
Asphalt is made of recyclable materials and is the most cost efficient material for paving. It is, in fact, roughly 40% less expensive than the same quantity of concrete. Asphalt is much easier to replace as needed as well because the existing asphalt is ground up and mixed back into the new concrete – hence being recyclable.
Durability
Asphalt is naturally more durable than concrete and will last up to 30 years with proper preventative maintenance. No concrete road or sidewalk can boast a 30-year lifespan regardless of regular maintenance.
Ease of Maintenance
Maintaining asphalt is as simple as regular inspection, cleaning, repairing, and sealcoating. Regular inspection is the process of walking around your parking lot to look for signs of damage. Cleaning generally entails hiring a street sweeping company to regularly clean the parking lot to remove debris and gravel. Repairing is as simple as filling cracks with an asphalt crack repair kit, and sealcoating is the process of applying a sealant to the surface of the parking lot. Sealcoating is only required roughly every 3-5 years.
Installation Time
Paving with asphalt requires very little time compared to pouring concrete and waiting for it to dry. The concrete used to make roadways or parking lots is not the same as the quick-dry concrete you can get for crafts or DIY projects; it requires several hours, sometimes a full day to dry. Asphalt can be driven on within minutes of pave time.
Appearance
The dark charcoal gray appearance of asphalt looks amazing compared to the light gray of concrete. Concrete stains very easily whereas it requires oily substances or very dark liquids to stain asphalt. Crisply painted lines and arrows are extremely visible on asphalt, but not nearly as visible on concrete. Sealcoating every 3-5 years renews that amazing dark color of the asphalt and markers must be repainted, so every few years or so, it looks like you have a brand new parking lot.
Affordability, durability, and low maintenance are probably the three primary takeaways from this article if you’re considering the financial aspects of using asphalt vs. concrete. Less cracking, no spalling, and the vivid color are the takeaways if you’re looking at it for the aesthetic value. Faster installation and better visibility are important takeaways if you’re looking for quick and easy options for parking and driving. Asphalt is obviously the better choice, so call us today at 847-299-1830, email us at quotes@rapcoasphalt.com, or use our contact page for more information about our asphalt paving and repairs or our asphalt maintenance services.
