Driveways get used and abused on a daily basis. So, it’s imperative that its finished with the best material—one that will allow it to do what it was meant to. The vast majority of residential and commercial driveways are finished with either asphalt or concrete. While both are cost-effective, there are more benefits to using asphalt.
Whether you’re paving a new residential or commercial asphalt driveway in Toronto or refinishing an existing one, it’s important to understand why asphalt is the best option for your commercial and residential driveway.
Asphalt Pavement Costs Less
When it comes to cost, nothing comes close to asphalt. Asphalt has a low initial cost, is faster and less expensive to install, lasts longer, and is cheaper to repair.
With regular preventative maintenance, a professionally installed asphalt driveway should last for 20-years or more. Over that time, it will experience regular wear and tear. With asphalt, small lineal cracks repairs are easy and inexpensive to do. Crack sealant products are easy to find and easy to apply.
Concrete, because it cannot be heated and repaired with the same ease as asphalt, is a lot more difficult and costly to maintain.
Asphalt Offers Both Installation Speed and Fast Usability
Depending on the size of the project, an asphalt driveway can be laid in one or two days. Concrete on the other hand, takes twice as long to lay and then needs more time to set. Depending on the weather, an asphalt driveway can be driven on in as little as two days after its been laid. It can take up to a week for concrete to cure.
Asphalt Offers Driveway Durability
Asphalt is more durable than concrete. Where asphalt is a flexible pavement, one that provides give when a big truck drives over it, concrete does not. On top of that, asphalt is mixed based on the area of the country you live in, allowing it to withstand different seasonal temperatures, from the baking heat of the summer to the harsh freeze/thaw cycles of a Toronto winter. Because of this, asphalt is less likely to crack over time and is not subject to surface flaking.
Asphalt Is Safe
Commercial and residential asphalt driveways are laid with a number of safety features. That smooth black surface provides maximum tire contact, which prevents skidding. Because of its flexibility, it can be laid to promote water drainage. The dark colour of asphalt also helps snow melt faster.
Asphalt Will Get You Through the Winter
The cold winter months in the Greater Toronto Area can be brutal on driveways, but asphalt has what it takes to get you through this season.
It wouldn’t be winter in Toronto without snow. And keeping a commercial or residential driveway clear can be difficult. But asphalt is up for the challenge. If you prefer to deal with the snow by sprinkling salt on it, asphalt holds up better to salt rock than concrete does. Because asphalt is black, and helps snow melt quicker, you won’t need to use as much salt as you would with a concrete driveway.
Toronto is also famous for its freeze/thaw cycle, with temperatures plunging below freezing then creeping back up again. When the temperatures dip, water under the pavement expands; when it warms, it contracts. Because of its natural flexibility, asphalt can withstand the freeze/thaw cycle better than concrete.
Ivy Property Services Inc., Keeping Your Asphalt Driveway Looking New
Ivy Property Services Inc. provides high-quality, dependable asphalt paving and maintenance services. Some of the asphalt services we provide include: commercial and residential asphalt paving, asphalt crack sealing, asphalt sealcoating, parking lot resurfacing, line repair, snow removal, asphalt speed bumps, concrete curb and sidewalk repairs, excavation and grading, culvert replacement, and more.
With fast turnaround times, exceptional customer service, and affordable estimates, let Ivy Property Services Inc. be your first choice for commercial and residential asphalt paving and snow removal.
If you’re interested in an asphalt driveway or parking lot, call Ivy Property Services today and get a free quote and consultation. Contact us at (416) 818-0970. We are always available at info@ivypropertyservices.com and are ready to respond to all client inquiries.
