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Asphalt Vs. Concrete | What is The Best Choice for Your parking Lots Pavement?

Whenever construction related topics are discussed, the use of asphalt VS concrete always creates a bit of controversy. This is especially true when the discussion focuses on paving. Even the word paving these days is used to describe mostly asphalt. But the truth is pavement is any material used to created roads or driveways. The most common modern paving methods however are asphalt and concrete.

Both asphalt and concrete have a long history in the building industry because of the variety of ways the materials can be used. However, in regard to paving parking lots and driveways the biggest argument has mainly been about initial cost.

Now comes the inevitable question, “Which is the better material for parking lot and driveway surfaces?” The answer may surprise nearly everyone. And if you are a property or business owner, the results documented by industry experts as well as scientific studies are quite revealing.

According to Wikipedia, Discovery.com and Industry Sources, here are the latest findings. We’ll start with Concrete Paving.

The Complete details about Concrete Paving:

- Concrete is more prone to cracking and buckling because it’s rigid and dense design. Tree Roots, Ground Movements, Freeze Thaw Cycles and soil movement are huge contributors to concretes deterioration.
- According to the Ohio Highway Commission, concrete costs of to 0 per cubic yard were more than double the costs of asphalt paving. All Ohio highway paving is now done with asphalt.
- Concrete paving of parking lot and driveway surfaces requires more time and initial cost than asphalt paving. This hold especially true the larger a project gets.
- Repairs to concrete paving surfaces are more costly to repair than asphalt. They also don’t blend as well as paving does. Especially after asphalt gets freshly seal coated.
+ Concrete paving last far longer than asphalt paving surfaces.
+ Concrete paving maintenance cost over time, is far less expensive than asphalt paving.
+ Concrete paving requires far less on-going maintenance to keep its strength.

The complete details about Asphalt Paving:

- Asphalt requires continual maintenance including seal coating, striping, crack filling, and many other forgotten costs when deciding what type of pavement to install.
+ Asphalt Paving offers more flexibility giving a light advantage over concrete in terms of handling stress and cracking.
- + Asphalt is the easiest to use and most economical pothole repair product available. It can be applied as a cold patch, hot patch, and become a permanent solution for repairing potholes in a shorter amount of time than concrete and other more costly hybrid mixtures. Keep in mind that potholes are far less likely in concrete.
+ In addition to pothole repair, asphalt is used to repair parking lots, driveways, and roadways on a larger scale. The preparation for paving with asphalt is relatively easy, depending on the condition of the surface being covered. Asphalt paving can be done directly over the present pavement in many cases.
+ Asphalt is very strong, durable and weather resistant in addition to being resistant to damaging effects from chemicals
- Only when the maintenance schedules are kept up.
+ Asphalt sets faster than concrete giving it a strong advantage in both cost and convenience for parking lot and driveway paving.

In summary,

Asphalt : An environmentally friendly and recyclable paving product that provides many benefits for driveway, road, and parking lot paving applications. With its upfront cost savings, it is by far the more popular choice for parking lot and driveway paving construction. However, those upfront savings are quickly lost with in the first 5 years of installation through ongoing and costly parking lot construction projects.

Concrete: Also highly green in its recyclable qualities. Concrete paving is a long lasting, low maintenance cost product which looks great over time. Although typically more difficult and slightly costlier to repair, when that time comes. Over time the cost to maintain a concrete pavement surface is much lower. Over the life span of 20–30 years there will be even a larger saving on concrete constructed projects VS its asphalt counterpart.

So now its time for you to decide what pavement medium fits your needs!

Paving the new driveway

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Cleaning for Driveways, Paths, And Parking Areas

Time was when most houses were approached on foot up the garden path and entered through the front door; the horse or carriage presumably was left by the front gate. The advent of automobiles and busier roads has left the front doors of many older houses high and dry, blindly facing a busy highway on which it is no longer safe for horse or automobile to tarry. Many of these older houses are now entered by what was once the back or side door, and a new approach has been necessarily created, often involving some form of driveway and parking space. Modern houses are designed with their main entrance oriented to the automobile’s requirements, usually up a private driveway. In the suburbs, it may be a short suburban tarred strip; in the country, a longer shaled driveway leading to the house.

Whether you have a short or a long driveway, it will need certain maintenance from time to time. Make your inspection after you are sure the last snow has come and gone. If yours is a gravel driveway, clean up and rake back any gravel that may have been snowplowed off (usually onto the adjoining lawn).

If you have a blacktop driveway, check for cracks and holes. If these are minor, they can easily be repaired with special tars available from hardware stores and lumberyards. Occasionally, the whole driveway can benefit from a coat of blacktop sealer that creates a new wearing surface.

Similarly, minor repairs to concrete driveways are easily made at this stage using a concrete mix that can be bought in small sacks from building suppliers, lumberyards, and many hardware stores. (See pages 21-24 for more information on concrete repair.)

If yours is a longer driveway made of shale, crushed stone, split rock, or gravel, it will probably require more regular maintenance than either blacktop or concrete. Snowplowing, if necessary in your area, can exact a heavy toll by removing surface material along with the snow.

Any hole or rut-even a small one-will be enlarged by the action of rain and runoff and eventually become a major hazard. No matter how carefully a graded driveway is originally graded, sooner or later it will develop ridges and depressions that begin to collect water. The holes seem to grow of their own accord; in attempting to skirt them, drivers gradually change a smooth, straight run into a winding obstacle course.

This process, however, can be slowed greatly by a little rake-work now and then. When all the frost is out of the ground and any heaved sections have subsided-and the ground is reasonably dry-fill in holes and depressions with material raked from the high spots. If permanent ruts across the driveway persist from heavy rains and runoff, consider installing new or additional culverts to carry off the excess water.

Even though it is important not to begin to level your driveway or parking area until you are certain that cold weather has subsided and all the frost is gone, early spring is the best time of year to do this kind of work, especially if you are undertaking more extensive repairs like major reshaling or adding additional parking space. Spring repairs allow the driveway to be compacted firmly (by use) during the summer, minimizing the amount of loose surface material that snowplows may later scrape away.

Much of what has been said about driveways is pertinent to paths. Paths and walkways that are not well drained or that are constructed over bases unsuited to their climate can suffer considerable e-raised paving material, loosened bricks, and misplaced flagstones. Before attempting any repair, wait for the effects of winter the rainy season to subside.

Technorati Tags: Areas, Cleaning, Driveways, parking, Paths

Make A Green Driveway, Parking Lot Or Paving From Los Angeles Pervious Concrete Paving

A Los Angeles pervious concrete contractor can give you all the information you need concerning pervious concrete.  Los Angeles certified pervious concrete is made from a mixture of coarse aggregate, water, admix and portland cement.  When this is combined, it creates concrete that allows water and air to flow through it due to the large pore structure of the concrete formula.  Los Angeles pervious concrete paving is better for the environment, and still offers a durable and beautiful surface for your driveway, parking lot and paving around your home or business.  

Los Angeles pervious concrete paving, unlike traditional concrete, allows air and water through the material, and this is better for the environment for several reasons.  By using Los Angeles certified pervious concrete, it helps to recharge the groundwater, a decided benefit in a dry area of the country.  The heat island effect, common in urban environments, is noticeably reduced when Los Angeles pervious concrete paving is used.  Those who are in the process of constructing a business site will also want to consider that LEED credits can be earned when Los Angeles pervious concrete paving is used for parking lots as well.

A Los Angeles pervious concrete driveway is just as strong and long-lasting as a traditional concrete driveway, but it also comes with the aforementioned advantages for protecting the environment.  This makes a big difference when a green Los Angeles pervious concrete driveway is used for each driveway in a large city housing development, for example.  A Los Angeles pervious concrete driveway  also helps to greatly reduce runoff from stormwater.  This is an important consideration for every city, because storm water goes down through the storm drains and out to nearby waterways, and if pollutants get carried to the waterway, it can harm wildlife and the natural ecosystems that they depend upon.  Cities also spend a great deal of money on treatments for polluted stormwater, so reducing that kind of stormwater also helps the city to reduce costs.  

A Los Angeles pervious concrete contractor can answer your questions about using Los Angeles pervious concrete paving, and can handle professional installations.  Your Los Angeles pervious concrete contractor can offer advice on how to plan for the use of and placement of the Los Angeles pervious concrete paving at your place of business or home, so the installation is done properly.  In this manner, you can earn federal credits for using green building materials, and have a positive impact on the local environment at the same time.

Find More Driveway Paving Articles

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Does your asphalt pavement have excessive cracks or potholes even though it was recently redone?

Houston weather with the excessive summer high temperatures, high amount of rain and year-round humidity take a toll on asphalt parking lots. In addition, leaking fluids from cars in parking lots tend to destroy asphalt as well.

When asphalt is not treated with the proper sealant, oxidation occues and Read the rest of this entry »

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