One of the most common materials being used in making driveways is asphalt and concrete. Knowing the pros and cons of the materials before constructing a driveway is very important. The reason why asphalt has an adhesive property is because it contains tar. While the adhesive property of concrete is cement. The different characteristics of these two materials are due to the two different substrates, they also affect the cost, durability and maintenance requirement.
The base of the Ace Driveways Falkirk must be compact before using the concrete or asphalt. This is done to make sure that the road can take the weight of the materials and its load. The components of the two materials are sand and stones.
Aesthetics is important.
As people, we see beauty in many different ways. Therefore, it is expected to have a lot of opinion when it comes to aesthetic concept of the roads. If you want a feeling that a driveway should be an extension of the road, then you must go for asphalt. But it is also important to know that this particular material doesn't have a wide range of finishes. This is why it needs to be compressed and rolled. Also, you don't actually have a lot of options for driveway colors when choosing an asphalt road, it only comes in standard color and that is black. Read http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-power-wash-a-driveway for tips on how to power wash driveways.
Concrete has a wide selection of finishes making it a material that generally is easy to work with. They can be engraved, etched, stamped to different designs. Also, concrete can be stained to achieve different colors.
Maintenance is important
An installed and properly sealed Ace Driveways Stirling asphalt can actually last for 30 years. Sealing process of the asphalt is performed a year of post installation, then again for every 3 to 5 years. Concrete driveways last about 50 years or more without sealing, this means that asphalt can be a bit pricey compared to concrete.
Concrete driveways can be stained easily compared to asphalt driveways. Detergents are therefore used to get rid of the stains. Cracks found in asphalt are a lot easier to seal compared to the driveways made from concrete. Basically, asphalt and concrete have their very own pros and cons when it comes to their maintenance.
Cost
You always need to consider the two costs that matter, they are maintenance cost and installation costs. Installing asphalt is more inexpensive compared to concrete. Asphalt costs is affected by oil prices. The price of concrete driveways are more expensive depending on the kind of finish you want it to possess. Asphalt will require a low initial cost. But if you want to go for "value over time", concrete will be the best choice for you because it can last longer.
There are no perfect material out there, so before you install a driveway, analyze the area where you want the driveway to be installed, this will definitely help you choose the right decision.