300' stone drive to be completed - concrete or asphalt?

[Unregistered2013]

thank you for this all -- you have me RUNNING towards the asphalt idea --

i will put 8" concrete around the base of the carport, if they'll do it, and call it a day --

-- thanks all!

eric

 

[DCRC]

Asphalt Stinks!

The problem with asphalt is that you have to have a perfectly compacted base, and then it will still get soft in the sun, and possible buckle and crack. If you turn your tires on it while sitting still in the sun it will leave marks.

If you are seriously considering this. Ask for references and go look at the work that is 1years old, 5 years old and 10 years.

Most of the better asphalt road around my part of Texas have Concrete under them.

With concrete you can allow for expansion with expansion joints, and somewhat control cracks with control joints. 5" concrete needs control, or expansion joints every 10-15ft.

You still need a good base with both and proper drainage. It's just with asphalt you will find out a lot sooner if you don't.

From what I have read asphalt holds up better in servere cold weather.


I suggest you checkout Concrete Information and Photos - The Concrete Network There is some good information there.

 

[Unregistered2013]

dayum --

-- now y'all have me in a pickle --

 

[DCRC]

Wasn't trying to be a jerk, or scare you.

You can do asphalt, but you have to have a really good base. About 8-12inches of compacted road base with proper drainage. Do some searching on the web you will find some good info.

 

[Unregistered2013]

-- sounds great -- i'll check around, and focus on the installer who does the most prep work and who has the best long-term jobs --

thanks --

eric

 

[bill177]

Best thing I ever did was to blacktop my driveway and parking area. Now I hit it with a plow and let the sun take care of the rest of it. I should have done this years ago.

Yes, the base is old, built well, and very compacted. I do not expect any settling with it - and have seen none in the two years since the job was done.

Upstate NY is not like the ovens of Texas - turning a wheel on my surface does not mar it - just doesn't get that hot here.

No problems with stones or banged up plows. No stones on the lawn any more to clean out in the spring. Can't say enough good about the blacktop. I never considered concrete for a moment - I saw to many problems with it.

 

[CharlieTR]

At $3.00 per SF that is a good price (at least for around here, North Texas).
I was quoted at $3.25 a year before oil prices went through the roof.

Not an expert here so not sure about how many inches you need.
I have bid several telecom cable jobs that spec concrete pours must be 3500 psi for vechicular traffic. So I think 4000 PSI is above average.

If you got the $$$ concrete can't be beat, cracks or no cracks.

 

[mjarrels]

Had asphalt put down last August at .99 cents a SF and I thought I was being robbed.

mark

 

[Tom_H]

...you could have a portion that's closed to your house paved, and the remainder chip and tarred...

Greg,

I have to respectfully disagree. The common lane that I share with several neighbors is what we call "chip 'n seal", same thing you mention. This stuff is very thin and whenever one tiny place begins to deteriorate, the breakdown spreads readily in every direction. It's basically a thin veneer and has little strength. In summer it's soft; in winter, brittle. Additionally, the rock chips rise a considerable height. As the original poster is in NY, and I suspect will need to plow snow on this irregular surface, I have a strong suspicion that the first pass with any type blade would rip this material to shreds. Even if you didn't plow it, little openings where moisture can get through would allow frost heave to quickly destroy the thin brittle layer. I have lived in places where it never snows and several places where it snows a lot. I have never seen any chip 'n seal in snow country, only in places where it doesn't snow.

Tom

 

[Gatorboy]

I would think asphalt would be cheaper and easier to maintain over the long run over concrete, but I have no experience with concrete driveways.

Well, you're half right, asphalt is cheaper.