Driveway
- Thread starter jerryd68
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Ryf
Well-known member
concrete!
if your into welding etc, asphalt that gets heated is no fun, maintenance is usually less on concrete as well. if its a long driveway, consider a large concrete pad directly in front of the doors as a outside work space, then whatever fits your budget for the rest of it. motorcycles on asphalt need load spreaders (piece of wood/metal/etc) to keep the kick stand from digging in on hot hot days.
I guess the bottom line is if its for cars it doesn't matter, if its for working on stuff/motorcycles concrete.
James E
Well-known member
Alot of it also depends on where you live and what you're going to do on it.
Asphalt and concrete react differently in places with wide temperature swings. Generally, concrete is way more stable than asphalt. Asphalt is not good for motorcycles if you live where it gets hot. Saw a friend's new Ninja topple over once when the parking lot outside his apartment got hot and soft and the kickstand sank into the goo.
I like asphalt because it's so smooth and uniform and it's mostly seamless. I also like black driveways. But, here in NC, my driveway is all concrete.
Asphalt and concrete react differently in places with wide temperature swings. Generally, concrete is way more stable than asphalt. Asphalt is not good for motorcycles if you live where it gets hot. Saw a friend's new Ninja topple over once when the parking lot outside his apartment got hot and soft and the kickstand sank into the goo.
I like asphalt because it's so smooth and uniform and it's mostly seamless. I also like black driveways. But, here in NC, my driveway is all concrete.
Gary S
Well-known member
Concrete definitely. Asphalt doesn't like hot days, and it doesn't stand up well to huge temperature changes from winter to summer.
Temperature here ranges from -45 in winter to +110 in summer and asphalt has a short life here. Concrete properly poured should last well over 50 years without problems.
Temperature here ranges from -45 in winter to +110 in summer and asphalt has a short life here. Concrete properly poured should last well over 50 years without problems.
thats what I was thinking also, but a friend suggested ashphalt, he has a drive up to his shop that was put in back in 1984 and is still in okay shape, but I lean toward the concrete mainly because I can do it in sections and it seems like it will have a longer life.
Steevo
Well-known member
I put an asphalt driveway in because the cost difference for concrete would have put a driveway out of reach for me.
Preparation is everything. Asphalt requires a better base prep than concrete does, because concrete, especially with reinforcing wire doesn't flex like asphalt can. If the base isn't deep enough and properly compacted enough, the asphalt will fail from flex/heave.
In S.E. Idaho:
Preparation is everything. Asphalt requires a better base prep than concrete does, because concrete, especially with reinforcing wire doesn't flex like asphalt can. If the base isn't deep enough and properly compacted enough, the asphalt will fail from flex/heave.
In S.E. Idaho:
1jjpop
Well-known member
Concrete , the only way to go for lasting the longest . 
trbomax
Well-known member
asphalt would be ok if you were never going to do any work on it,just drive over it and not park anything for extended lengths of time. When I was a kid working in my paternts 3 car, they had asphalt and I managed to completely destroy the first 40' out of the garage in a few years.bad enough that when I moved out they resurfaced the whole driveway! As others have said,30' concrete apron,finish up with asphalt if you really cant afford concrete all the way.
Steevo
Well-known member
Milton Shaw
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Concrete if you do the prep work yourself will be cheaper. Call the concrete companies and see who they recommend to finish the concrete. They know who shows up on time and finishes the job right. Don't depend on adds in the paper/phone book. They are the highest prices and normally don't do a better job. Get the area graded, forms up and rebar and you can get it poured for 400-600 for just the pour and finish work. That's higher than I spend on mine but that should be ball park figure. Make sure they come back and cut crack control joints the next day and you will be good to go.
James E
Well-known member
With that hook-up, I wouldn't even be thinking about asphalt.
ARCTIC_RAGTOP
Well-known member
This is a great thread topic. I've been debating the same question. I prefer the look of concrete much more than asphalt but the cost is much higher. Another consideration (for me, not sure about others) is that the ground moves quite a bit where I am at and some concrete driveways on my street are all cracked up, from ground movement vs the asphalt that will not crack when the ground moves. With that said, not all of the concrete driveways on the street are cracked, so I imagine alot of it has to do with prep work and proper reinforement in the concrete. I am still undecided, but enjoy reading others opinions and thoughts on the subject. I will probably go concrete as I will like it much more in the long run.
zcar751
Well-known member
Concrete for a pad in front of the garage with out a doubt. Any oil or fuel spilled on asphault will at best weaken it at worst leave an nice hole with black gravel. Reguardless of concrete or asphault you need to make sure that you don't have water that will get under the drive, so grading is critical.
justanengineer
Well-known member
When I was in the military working in west Texas I was warned not to use jack stands outside bc of the asphalt yard. Supposedly a year or so before the shop I was in had one fall over when only one side sunk.
Falcon67
Well-known member
Concrete.
And above - the pits at the track can easily get to 140F+. Set a trailer jack down without a board/load spreader under it and you'll have a dent real quick. Jack stands leave marks and floor jacks will sink under a decent amount of weight. I've seen more than one unthinking idiot drop a gooseneck and then have to round up an army of floor jacks to get the supports out of the pavement. The owner just replaced about 1/3 of the pit parking - with concrete. About $500K worth of concrete. The big rigs park there, no problems. And walking around on the concrete doesn't make your shoes feel like they are on fire either.
And above - the pits at the track can easily get to 140F+. Set a trailer jack down without a board/load spreader under it and you'll have a dent real quick. Jack stands leave marks and floor jacks will sink under a decent amount of weight. I've seen more than one unthinking idiot drop a gooseneck and then have to round up an army of floor jacks to get the supports out of the pavement. The owner just replaced about 1/3 of the pit parking - with concrete. About $500K worth of concrete. The big rigs park there, no problems. And walking around on the concrete doesn't make your shoes feel like they are on fire either.
I would reccommend concrete dyied dark like asphult as possible.
Best of both worlds. After it is down and cured I would silicone inpregnate it with something like Pourous Plus by miricle sealants and you wont have to deal with staining issues.
Best of both worlds. After it is down and cured I would silicone inpregnate it with something like Pourous Plus by miricle sealants and you wont have to deal with staining issues.
Also, the ice and snow will melt off more quickly than natural concrete color.