When doing repairs, deciding whether to use asphalt or concrete pavement might be challenging. Both of them are equally beneficial, and some are more suitable for particular purposes. You must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of asphalt and concrete when choosing between them for roads or parking lots. Most people make their decision depending on the cost of materials, but doing this is not a good idea.
You must choose the material depending on your need. A lot of people want affordable or inexpensive solutions. If you select a material by looking at the price simply, it may not satisfy your paving needs. In fact, it provides only a short-term solution to your problem.
Benefits of Concrete Roads
When it comes to concrete, has a longer shelf life. In fact, the concrete pavement lifespan would be 25 to 40 years on average. Concrete roads are perfect for –
- New Constructions
- Urban area’s road expansion
- Urban area new roads
Concrete is completely recyclable. It is used for new bridges and roads. Additionally, because concrete requires less regular maintenance and repairs, you can expect the fuel costs to be lower for heavy machinery and construction equipment. Decreased fuel prices indicate lower emissions. As a result, the environment looks clean. Overlays are a good option for both asphalt and concrete.
Overlays can extend the lifespan of pavement materials by offering resistance to chemicals, salt, UV rays, and other hazardous elements including freezing and thawing as well as vehicle spills. The primary varieties of concrete overlays are white topping, unbonded overlay, and bonded overlay. If you are looking for the best concrete contractors okc, you could choose the companies like Concrete Contractors DKC.
Disadvantages
The price of paving concrete roads is often a little greater than the price of paving asphalt. In many cases, finding the money to build a concrete road can be challenging because concrete isn’t typically thought of as a temporary fix. Repairing concrete roads frequently necessitates rebuilding the entire slab, which raises the expense of the repair. When it’s raining or snowing, cars tend to skid more on concrete roads than on asphalt ones.
Asphalt Roads
Building a road of asphalt is quick and less expensive than building one out of concrete. Just like concrete it can melt down and is recyclable. Some types of asphalt structures are durable and just need surface upkeep, asphalt is a good material for building and maintaining roads in rural locations. Asphalt overlays include Superpave, rubblization, recycling, etc.
Concrete is less used compared to asphalt. However, this doesn’t mean that asphalt is always the best option. Asphalt roads are affected by harsh weather conditions and normal wear and tear in areas that frequently receive icy and heavy rain and snowy winters. Asphalt roads frequently have potholes.
Speak with multiple concrete contractors before you make any decision. Find out how they respond to their clients. Some contractors look negligent and do not pay any attention to the requirements of their clients. Avoid choosing such concrete contractors.