Asphalt Paving Overview

Also known as “blacktop”, this beloved surface covering is a frequent choice for a wide variety of commercial and residential applications from parking lots and driveways, to interstate highways and airport runways.

Asphalt is one of the most popular paving materials on the planet and this is due in large part to its outstanding versatility, durability, and cost-effectiveness.

When you consider the many benefits of using this smooth, quiet, durable, sustainable, and budget-friendly material, it’s not hard to see why so many people choose asphalt as a top-shelf paving option.

Advantages of Asphalt Paving

Whether you’re paving a large parking lot or small residential driveway, asphalt should be a serious consideration for several important reasons:

Whether you’re paving a large parking lot or small residential driveway, asphalt should be a serious consideration for several important reasons:

1. Fast Installation Time

Asphalt takes far less time to install than concrete, as it does not require the extensive drying and curing time that is common for concrete installations.

Asphalt paving can be installed in as little as 24-48 hours, depending on the size of the project.

On the other hand, concrete paving would take roughly twice the amount of time, not to mention the additional time it takes for concrete to set and cure. By contrast, most asphalt projects are ready to go in as little as 2 days after installation.

2. Durability

Due to its high bitumen content (the sticky black substance inside), asphalt is quite flexible making it an excellent surface for supporting and efficiently distributing load stresses.

It also has the remarkable ability to expand and contract making it an ideal paving choice for driveways in colder climates, as well as areas that experience extreme fluctuations in temperature.

In addition, your blacktop surface can be salted in the winter to help the snow melt faster and provide better traction. By contrast, concrete can sometimes be damaged by certain salts or de-icing agents.

While asphalt tends to develop cracks at a slightly higher rate than that of their concrete counterparts, it is far easier (and much less expensive) to repair cracks in blacktop versus concrete.

Your paving contractor can seal any cracks or fissures in the surface of the blacktop using a specialized sealant or emulsified liquid (known as “sealcoating”).

Speaking of durability, when asphalt is correctly installed and cared for, it can normally last up to 15 to 20 years or longer depending on factors such as climate, traffic, and overall wear and tear.

3. Heat Retention During Cold Months

In colder climates, an asphalt surface can really demonstrate its usefulness during the winter months because its dark color absorbs sunlight which makes it retain heat. This causes snow to melt much faster than it would on a lighter colored surface.

This means that if your neighborhood were to get hammered by a major blizzard, the snow would melt quicker on your asphalt driveway than it would your neighbor’s concrete driveway.

Hey, who knows – maybe if you let the sun shine long enough, you can cut your snow shoveling duties in half by letting your driveway do its thing.

There is a flip side to this, however: During the heat-drenched days of summer, a blacktop driveway is definitely no friend to bare feet!

4. Highly Cost-Effective

Of all the different paving options there are to choose from, asphalt ranks as one of the absolute cheapest to install (aside from gravel).

You can usually get your driveway paved with asphalt for around $3 to $6 per square foot – basically half of what it would cost to cover a similar-sized area with poured concrete.

And since blacktop can be installed within a quicker time frame than other paving materials (e.g. concrete paving stones), you’ll spend less money on labor costs as well.

The budget-friendly nature of asphalt should not only be considered in terms of its installation cost, but also its low long-term maintenance costs as well.

As mentioned earlier, if your blacktop driveway begins to show signs of cracking, you can simply hire a trusted paving professional to seal those cracks for a reasonably low price.

It should be noted that if you just had asphalt installed, you should not have any sealant applied until at least six to nine months have passed. Otherwise, you can run the risk of damaging the foundation.

Regular upkeep tasks such as sealcoating (every 2-4 years), sweeping, crack filling, and general maintenance can add several years to the lifespan of your asphalt surface, at a lower average cost than that of concrete.

5. Environmentally Sustainable

Believe it or not, asphalt is one of the most eco-friendly building materials on the planet.

It is comprised of several different naturally occurring materials (e.g. sand, gravel, bitumen, etc.) that are renewable, making it a prime candidate for recycling.

With the colossal amount of asphalt that is recycled on an annual basis, economists have estimated that it actually saves taxpayers roughly $1.8 billion per year.

Not only can damaged or out-of-service roads be broken up and recycled into new asphalt, but other post-consumer waste products such as old shingles or used tires can be recycled into new blacktop pavement as well.

This high “recyclability” gives asphalt a virtually unlimited life cycle, as it can be used over and over again in a variety of forms or applications.

Asphalt Paving: Bottom Line

There are dozens of asphalt paving contractors in Austin, but not all of them provide the same level of service, expertise, and workmanship.

RDC Paving ensures professional customer service and exceptional results.

We understand that the needs of every customer will be different, and they are willing to take the time to thoroughly assess your paving project so that they can make the most appropriate recommendations.

Whether you have a residential, commercial, or industrial project to take care of, you can rest assured that we will handle the job.