Get matched with top paving pros in Seeley, CA

The material that’s best for your private road depends on your property, the climate in your area, and your personal preferences. Gravel is an affordable option, but some homeowners don’t like how it looks. It can be a pain to remove snow from, and it requires more ongoing maintenance than asphalt or concrete. However, while these other options require less maintenance and make snow removal a breeze, they’re more expensive and will need repairs from time to time. Ultimately, you’ll have to choose the road material that suits you and your property best.

The main difference between asphalt and blacktop is that asphalt has a lower ratio of bitumen—a low-grade tar-like crude oil—than blacktop. While blacktop is heated to 300 degrees or more, hot-mix asphalt is heated to a lower temperature, typically between 275 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Consult an asphalt driveway professional about which type of material is the best fit for your future asphalt driveway.

Heated driveways cost an average of $12 to $25 per square foot. Depending on the size of your driveway, you may pay between $3,500 to $25,000 in total. Several factors can affect your bottom line, including material, labor, and system types. Investing in a heated driveway can save on snow removal costs because it will automatically melt the snow that falls on your driveway.

You can expect your asphalt pavement to last anywhere from 20 to 30 years, or 25 years on average. The life expectancy of your asphalt driveway depends on the climate, the amount of traffic, and how well you maintain it. While you can’t necessarily control some of these factors, you can control the amount of maintenance effort you put into your driveway. 

To prevent your asphalt from deteriorating prematurely, you should follow a good maintenance routine involving regular cleaning, reparation work, and resealing.