Both asphalt and concrete make good driveways in the tri-state area. The better choice depends less on the surface than on the property: the base, the slope, how water moves across the lot, and how the driveway is used. A surface placed over a poor base fails the same way whichever one you choose.
How each surface handles our winters
Freeze-thaw cycles are the defining stress on pavement in the Ohio Valley. Water that gets into cracks or under the surface freezes, expands, and lifts or breaks the pavement.
- Asphalt is flexible. It tolerates small movements in the ground, and cracks can be filled and the surface sealed as routine maintenance.
- Concrete is rigid. Control joints are cut so it cracks where intended. Air-entrained concrete resists freeze-thaw damage, but a slab over a soft or wet base can still crack and settle in sections.
Deicing salt
Rock salt and other deicers speed up surface scaling on concrete, especially in its first winter. Asphalt is less sensitive to salt. If the driveway will be salted heavily, factor that into the choice and ask about sealing.
Slopes and hillside drives
Steep drives are common on tri-state hillsides. Either surface can be installed on a grade, but drainage design matters more than the surface: water running down a drive carries base material with it and undermines the edges. Cross-drains, a proper cross-slope, and stable edges at the bottom of the grade are usually where the real work is.
Maintenance over the years
- Asphalt needs cracks filled and periodic sealing to keep water out of the base.
- Concrete needs its joints kept sealed, cracks addressed early, and a penetrating sealer where salt is used.
- Both need downspouts and surface water directed away from their edges.
Questions to ask before you choose
- What is under the existing driveway, and does the base need to be removed or rebuilt?
- Where does water go during a heavy rain, and how will the new surface handle it?
- What thickness and base depth are proposed, and why?
- How will the edges be supported?
- What maintenance will the surface need, and how often?
Ask for the recommendation in writing with the reasoning attached. For repair versus replacement, read when to repave vs. resurface an asphalt driveway, or see driveway paving and concrete paving.