Asphalt is a common paving material for driveways, roadways, sidewalks, and parking lots
Asphalt driveway composition includes 95% aggregate materials like crushed rock and gravel, plus 5% bitumen, giving your driveway flexibility and weather resistance.
Asphalt driveway repair costs average $2,450, so addressing cracks and surface issues early helps you avoid higher expenses down the road.
Your asphalt driveway needs resealing every few years to maintain its durability, and this simple maintenance step protects against weather damage and extends lifespan.
Hiring a local asphalt company keeps installation fast and stress-free, with professionals handling the entire paving process so you can drive on your new driveway within a day.
Asphalt is an incredibly common material that we walk and drive on every day. Asphalt covers our highways and city streets, our bike paths and race tracks, our parking lots and sidewalks, and even our airport runways and our roofs. But what is asphalt made of?
Below, we’ll define asphalt, discuss its common uses, and review its pros and cons.
Asphalt is a composite material used for paving surfaces for walking and driving. It is made of aggregate materials—such as crushed rocks, sand, and gravel—and bitumen, a sticky, petroleum-based substance. The ratio is typically 95% aggregates and 5% bitumen. When mixed together at high temperatures, these materials form a highly effective (and affordable) paving material.
Asphalt may also contain additives, such as polymers, rejuvenators, mineral fillers, and polyphosphoric acid, to increase its performance.
Asphalt is a highly versatile paving material that can be used for a variety of public, commercial, and residential uses, including:
Roadways
Driveways
Sidewalks
Parking lots
Play areas
Sport surfaces
Bike paths
Airport runways
Race tracks
Roofs
Flooring
Railway tracks
Ports
Landfill caps
Asphalt is a common driveway paving material, but it’s not your only option. Here are some other ways you can pave your driveway or walkway at home:
Concrete: Durable, versatile, and common, though it requires a fair amount of maintenance.
Gravel: Permeable and easy to install, but can be tricky with steep slopes
Brick: Elegant and durable, but expensive
Asphalt is a great driveway material with plenty of benefits, but there are also some disadvantages to consider.
Affordable: The cost to install an asphalt driveway is more affordable than that of a concrete or brick driveway.
Easy to install: Asphalt driveway installation is fast and easy. You should be able to drive on your asphalt within a day of installation. A local asphalt company can tackle the job in a single day.
Easy to maintain: Asphalt maintenance is easy; the main task is resealing. You may need to resurface and repair cracks over time. Asphalt driveway repair costs $2,450 on average.
Durable and flexible: Asphalt is a great paving material because it’s highly resistant to weather, including rain, snow, and extreme temperatures. It’s less likely than concrete to crack over time.
Amount of maintenance: Asphalt maintenance may be easy, but the material also requires more frequent maintenance than some other materials.
Longevity: Asphalt driveways last 15 to 30 years—not bad, but still shorter than the typical lifespan for concrete driveways.
Archie did a good job cleaning up the driveway before he laid down the sealer. It looks good. He was gracious and even helped me bring up my groceries. His rate was comparable to another company who came out to give me a quote and he talked to me personally rather than just text me a quote...
Pro Seal Roofing & PavingVery well! Two men came to do the work. They were both polite, punctual and professional in manner. When they finished, Cameron explained about preserving an asphalt driveway, as I had never had one in the past. I will definitely be calling them in the future.
All Star Paving and SealingWorking with Peter and his crew was a breeze. They were exceptionally polite and did a neat job to repair and seal our driveway. I will definitely talk to them first for additional work.
Central PavingThe preformed a really good job the staff is incredible never been so happy with my home, A brand new driveway is like a face lift!!
Pristine PavingCalled Mark on a Thursday morning. Not really knowing if he could help me or not. I was having driveway, flooding issues due to a clogged channel drain and I was trying to figure out what direction to take. Heavy rains had come on Monday and again on Thursday leading to flooding in my garage...
Mark Rodgers ConstructionHad already met with 2 other contractors before Blue Ring, and Blue Ring's price quote for the work was better than either of the other 2, and the came out the next morning and cleaned up a very large fallen tree branch from a storm that was blocking my driveway. Work was completed in...
Blue Ring Residential Services, LLCJand J has provided services for clients of mine for 15 years or maybe longer. They are always honest with their recommendations, providing good advice to my clients and competitive pricing. All three of the structural engineers whom I have dealt with in recent years have Jand J on their...
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