Best asphalt driveway pros near Oxford, NE

Common alternatives to a gravel driveway include concrete, asphalt, brick, stone pavers, and permeable pavers. Concrete and asphalt are generally the most affordable options. However, concrete can be prone to cracking in cold climates, while asphalt may soften in areas with high heat and direct sun exposure. For enhanced curb appeal, brick, stone, and permeable pavers are popular choices, though their installation can be more expensive due to intricate designs. Stone pavers offer a natural look and are sometimes installed with gravel around them. Both permeable pavers and brick driveways provide excellent drainage, which helps prevent flooding and reduce water runoff.

There’s no single best asphalt grade—it all comes down to where and how it’s used. Highways and heavy-traffic roads need something tough, like polymer-modified asphalt (PMA) or Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA). Local roads and parking lots rely on the Performance Graded (PG) system, chosen based on climate. A PG 64-28 mix, for example, handles a broad temperature range while simpler, more cost-effective mixes are typically enough for residential driveways. The best grade of asphalt depends on traffic, weather, and your budget, which is why a professional’s input is always a smart move before making a decision.

Overall, a paver driveway is considered the easiest to maintain because homeowners are able to do driveway repair one piece at a time without impacting the rest of the driveway. Unlike paved options, paver driveways contain individual stones that aren't physically connected. By comparison, you may need to reseal or redo a full asphalt driveway if just one portion sustains a significant crack.

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.