Driveway surfaces come in many forms, usually chosen for their aesthetic qualities or for ease of maintenance. Most will agree that gravel looks great as a driveway surface but usually requires too much maintenance to keep it looking its best. Paved driveways on the other hand also look good but require far less maintenance as they’re more durable and less prone to shifting under stress.
For some, the choice is only ever going to be between two materials; concrete or asphalt, sometimes known as tarmac. If you fall into this category, we’re going to outline some of the key differences between both materials, hopefully helping you to decide which is right for you.
Cost to Install
Top of the list of some people’s considerations is the price of entry as whatever material you choose, none of them can be described as cheap as any new driveway will run into the region of thousands of dollars.
With that said, the cost of both concrete and tarmac are usually comparable, especially for driveways which are smaller in size. The larger the driveway, the more it will cost to resurface it with concrete.
If cost is an issue, we would suggest finding out the size of the area that you need resurfaced and then finding out how much concrete and tarmac cost to install per square metre in your area. With that information, you should be able to decide which material will work out to be the cheapest.
Maintenance and Durability
Second on the list for most people will be just how long their driveway is going to last without defect as well as the type of maintenance required to keep it in good working order.
On that basis, we can say the following:
- Concrete laid in bays with an expansion joint in between is always going to be the most durable solution. Cracking should be minimised as each individual concrete bay is free to move as required.
- Tarmac on the other hand is prone to degradation caused by the turning motion of a vehicles wheels, especially during slow manoeuvres. If your driveway is limited by size, we would suggest proceeding with concrete to ensure longevity.
- Tarmac is much better at hiding stains due to its colour. Concrete on the other hand is much harder to clean, especially if oils and other contaminants manage to leak onto it.
Which is Right for You?
Based on what you now know, you should be able to make decision on which surface would be most suitable for your home driveway. For those livings around the suburbs of Melbourne, concrete driveways in Mount Waverley are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners. We would suggest taking a drive through the area for inspiration.
If you decide on concrete, simply approach a construction firm that specialises in the construction of driveways and provide them with your requirements. Your driveway should take no more than two weeks after it has been laid for it to be ready to accept the weight of vehicle traffic.
Once cured, you are now free to park on your driveway as required.
