Why an Asphalt Driveway Is a Good Choice: Our Guide

If you drive around Monmouth, Ocean or Middlesex County, you will notice that most residential driveways are asphalt. That is not an accident. Asphalt suits the way New Jersey weather works and the way homeowners use their driveways. Here is our guide to what makes it such a practical choice, and what it takes to get the most from it.

It flexes with the seasons

Our winters bring a long series of freeze-thaw cycles. Ground moisture freezes and expands, then thaws and contracts, sometimes several times in one week. A rigid surface fights that movement and tends to crack in straight lines when it loses. Asphalt is a flexible pavement. It can tolerate small movements in the ground underneath without breaking apart, which helps it handle the constant shifting a Jersey winter throws at it.

That flexibility only helps if the base is built right. A well-compacted aggregate base with proper drainage keeps the ground from moving very much in the first place.

Installation is fast

Asphalt is placed hot, rolled and then cools and hardens in place. A typical residential driveway can be prepared and paved in a short time, and most homeowners are driving on it again within a few days. There is no long curing period where the driveway is roped off for weeks.

The dark surface helps in winter

Asphalt’s black color absorbs sunlight. On a clear winter day after a storm, that helps the last bits of snow and ice melt off faster than they would on a light-colored surface. It is not a substitute for shoveling, but it makes cleanup easier.

Problems are easy to trace

Every driveway eventually takes some damage. With asphalt, the cause is usually easy to read: water pooling at a low spot, a crumbling edge where tires run off the side, or a soft area over a weak base. Fixing the drainage or edge that started the trouble, then repaving, puts the whole surface back in one piece with a uniform look.

It can be renewed rather than replaced

When an asphalt driveway is worn but its base is still sound, the old surface can often be milled off and repaved with fresh asphalt instead of tearing out everything down to the dirt. Milling keeps the finished height right at the garage and street. That option gives asphalt a long, flexible lifespan.

It is fully recyclable

Old asphalt does not have to end up in a landfill. Removed asphalt is commonly ground up and reused in new paving mixes and base material. That is a real plus for homeowners who care about where construction waste goes.

It looks sharp and clean

A fresh asphalt driveway has a deep black finish that sets off a lawn, landscaping and the house itself. Crisp, well-compacted edges and a smooth tie-in to the garage and street make a home look finished. As it ages, it softens to a charcoal tone that still looks tidy if it is kept clean.

A good value for the money

Without getting into specific numbers, which depend on size, site conditions and base work, asphalt is generally an economical driveway material that delivers a lot of service for what it costs. If you want to understand what drives the price of a driveway, see our article on how we price each job.

What it needs from you

Asphalt is low maintenance, not no maintenance. Keep it healthy with a few simple habits:

• Keep gutters, downspouts and lawn grading sending water away from the pavement.
• Clean oil and fuel spills promptly, since petroleum softens asphalt.
• In summer heat, avoid parking heavy trailers on a single point or turning the wheel while stopped.
• Use plastic shovels and go easy on ice melt in winter.
• Call about holes, soft spots and broken areas early, before water gets into the base.

Learn more

If you are weighing the terms people use, our explanation of blacktop vs. asphalt clears up the confusion. And for more on residential benefits, read 3 reasons to choose asphalt for your residence.

Thinking about a new or replacement driveway? Take a look at our asphalt driveway paving in New Jersey and ask for a free estimate.