Curious about the benefits of asphalt paving? Whether you’re paving your new driveway or installing a new subdivision, asphalt is ranked as America’s number one paving option. So, should you jump on the bandwagon?
Though asphalt isn’t the best choice in every circumstance, it is in most. Here are three of the top reasons consumers choose asphalt over its competitors, so you can see for yourself. Read on.
1. Asphalt Paving is Recyclable
Did you know asphalt is 100% recyclable? Yep, it’s one of the asphalt benefits that’s driven the asphalt industry into seemingly endless success. America recycles over 80 million tons of asphalt each year, which saves taxpayers over $1.6 billion.
It’s the #1 recycled product in America. So, what types of asphalt are recyclable? The answer is all types.
Asphalt actually refers to a bituminous substance that binds the rock and other solid material that makes up asphalt concrete (AC). The industry standard says this bituminous substance makes up 5 to 7 percent of the final AC product.
You don’t need to know the history of concrete to see the wide-reaching benefits of a 100% recyclable product. Sure, it saves the government and taxpayers money. Yes, it also reduces waste.
But during this time of global warming and environmental crisis, the most important benefit is the reduction of petroleum products. The bituminous substance is composed of petroleum products. When you reuse asphalt, you’re reusing the petroleum products therein, so the industry uses less petroleum overall.
2. Asphalt Costs Less
If you’re still stuck on the concrete vs asphalt driveways conundrum, consider the cost. When you hire asphalt paving contractors, they’ll guarantee the following asphalt facts:
- Low initial cost
- Greater residual value
Another price-reducing factor is your contractor’s ability to “stage” your asphalt installation. In other words, it can be built in stages. This reduces your overall construction bill.
Your contractor can lay your initial base course of asphalt. Then you may build your subdivision or commercial building. Afterward, your asphalt contractor can come back through and drop in the asphalt surface, completing the project.
Overall, it saves your heavy construction workers time and defers the cost of part of the construction.
3. Asphalt is Durable
Asphalt is less rigid than concrete. This flexibility allows it to withstand stresses that concrete can’t. That includes freeze/thaw cycles, harsh sun, winter chains, and extreme weights.
Asphalt also comes in different grades. Each grade includes a slightly different recipe.
Some include more of the resinous material, asphalt while others include less. Some include smaller chunks of rock aggregate, while others include less. The aggregate type also varies in each recipe.
If you pull out the heavy construction directory for your area and make a few phone calls, you can determine which grade is right for your situation. Keep in mind things like what vehicles will drive on the asphalt and other factors that may affect which grade you choose.
What’s Next?
Now that you know the main benefits of asphalt, you can decide for yourself. It’s less expensive, more durable, and 100% recyclable. Does it suit your needs?
If you’re interested in learning more about asphalt paving, reach out to your local paving contractor today.
10 Comments
It’s terrific that you highlight the fact that asphalt is more durable than concrete. I want to get a new driveway for my house that will last for a long time, so I’m thinking about having an asphalt one installed this summer. I’m going to search for a reputable paving contractor in the area that can install an asphalt driveway for me.
It’s interesting that you highlight the excellent durability of asphalt as a paving material. I want my new home to have a driveway that will last for a long time, so I’m considering having an asphalt one added to it this month. I’m going to see if there’s a good business in my area that installs asphalt driveways.
Thanks for highlighting the fact that asphalt pavement is more durable than concrete. My wife and I want to get a driveway for our new home that will last as long as possible, so we’re considering hiring a residential paving service to build an asphalt one for us next week. I’m going to see if there is a residential paving service in the area that can build an asphalt driveway for our home.
It’s terrific that you highlight the durability of asphalt as a paving material. My wife and I want our new house to have a driveway that will last for a long time, so we’re considering hiring a paving specialist to install an asphalt one for us next week. I’m going to search for a good asphalt paving specialist in the area that we can hire.
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It’s awesome that you point out that asphalt pavement is more durable than concrete. I want my new house to have a driveway that will last as long as possible, so I’m considering hiring a paving contractor to install an asphalt one for me next May. I’m going to look for a good paving contractor in the area that offers asphalt driveway installation services.
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It’s great that you highlight the fact that asphalt pavement has very good durability. My wife and I want to get a new driveway for our house this summer that will last for many years, so we’re considering hiring a professional to install an asphalt one for us in June. I’m going to search for a reputable asphalt paving company in our area that we can employ.
It’s valuable that you highlight the fact that asphalt pavement has better durability than concrete. I’d like to get a new driveway for my home this spring that will stay in good condition for many years, so I’m thinking about hiring a professional to install an asphalt one for me this month. I’m going to search for a reliable residential paving service in my area that offers asphalt driveway installation services.
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