Blacktop vs. Asphalt: Which Is Better?

Ask three neighbors what their driveway is made of and you might hear “blacktop,” “asphalt” and “macadam.” Some homeowners assume these are competing products and wonder which one is better. The short answer is that they are close relatives, and the words get mixed up all the time. The longer answer helps you ask better questions when you get a paving estimate.

Where the Confusion Comes From

All of these surfaces are made from the same two basic ingredients:

• Aggregate: crushed rock, gravel and sand in a range of sizes
• Asphalt binder: a thick, sticky petroleum product (sometimes called bitumen or asphalt cement) that coats the aggregate and glues it together

When those ingredients are heated, mixed and laid down, the result is the pavement you see on driveways, parking lots and roads. Technically, the binder is the “asphalt,” and the finished pavement is a hot mix asphalt. In everyday conversation, though, people call the finished pavement asphalt, blacktop or both.

How “Blacktop” Is Usually Used

In the paving trade, “blacktop” is most often used to describe the asphalt mixes used on residential driveways, parking lots and local streets. Compared to some highway mixes, these driveway and lot mixes are generally designed to give a smoother, tighter surface that looks good and handles car traffic well.

On the East Coast, and in New Jersey especially, “blacktop” is also simply the everyday word. Plenty of homeowners say “we’re getting the driveway blacktopped” and mean exactly the same thing as “we’re getting it paved with asphalt.”

How “Asphalt” Is Usually Used

“Asphalt” is the broader term. It covers everything from the binder itself to the many different mixes produced for different jobs. Highway mixes, base course mixes, surface mixes, and porous mixes are all asphalt. Some are built for heavy truck loads, some for a smooth finish, and some to let water pass through.

So blacktop is, for practical purposes, one kind of asphalt. Saying one is better than the other is a little like asking whether a pickup or a vehicle is better.

What About Macadam?

You may also hear older homeowners call their driveway “macadam.” The original macadam roads were layers of compacted crushed rock. Later versions added tar or asphalt as a binder. Today, people often use the word loosely to mean any dark paved driveway. If someone offers you a macadam driveway, ask what exactly they plan to install.

The Questions That Actually Matter

Since the names do not tell you much, focus on what goes into your job:

What mix is going down? Your contractor should use a surface mix suited to residential or commercial traffic, sourced from a reputable plant.

How thick will it be after compaction? Thickness is measured after rolling, not before. A driveway that carries delivery trucks or an RV needs more than one that only sees a couple of cars.

What is the base? The aggregate base under the asphalt does most of the structural work. It should be graded for drainage and compacted in layers.

How will water drain? With New Jersey’s heavy rains, nor’easters and freeze-thaw winters, proper pitch is non-negotiable.

Who is doing the work? A registered New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor who is insured and gives you a written estimate.

So Which Is Better?

Neither, because they are essentially the same thing. What makes a driveway good or bad is the right mix for the job, a properly built base, correct thickness, careful compaction and good drainage. That is what we focus on with every asphalt driveway paving project.

If you want to go deeper on mix types, see our guide to the common types of asphalt and which to choose. And if you are still deciding whether to pave at all, read six reasons asphalt pavement is a great choice. We are happy to explain the mix and build-up we recommend during a free estimate.