Asphalt vs Concrete Driveway
Asphalt usually costs less to put in, is easier to repair and handles freeze-thaw winters with fewer surface problems. Concrete costs more up front and can go longer between replacements, but cold, salty winters are hard on it. In an asphalt vs concrete driveway decision, climate and budget usually settle it. In snow country, most homeowners land on asphalt.
That's the pattern you see on streets across Pittsburgh and the surrounding counties. Steep driveways, plowed snow and rock salt are part of every winter here. A concrete driveway can last a long time in this climate. It just needs more care in its first year and more money when something breaks.
How Asphalt and Concrete Are Built Differently
Both start with crushed stone and sand. They differ in the glue that holds the stone together. Asphalt uses a black petroleum binder that stays slightly flexible after it cools. Concrete uses portland cement, which hardens into a rigid slab.
That difference drives almost everything else in this comparison. Asphalt is laid hot, rolled tight and can take cars within a few days. Concrete is poured into forms, finished by hand and cut with joints so it cracks in straight lines where it's supposed to. Our guide to what asphalt is made of explains the asphalt side in more detail.
Is Asphalt Cheaper Than Concrete?
Yes, asphalt is usually cheaper to install. The material costs less, the crew lays it faster and the driveway is ready sooner.
Both prices still swing with the size of the driveway and the base work. Oil and cement prices in a given season move them too. A long driveway, a tear-out or a steep grade can matter more than the material you pick. That's why every honest price starts with someone measuring the site. Our breakdown of what an asphalt driveway costs walks through each line on a quote.
Over the long run the gap narrows. Asphalt needs sealing every two to three years. Concrete needs less routine care, but repairs cost more when a slab cracks or heaves.
Which Driveway Lasts Longer?
Concrete often lasts longer, sometimes 30 years or more in mild climates. A well-built asphalt driveway usually lasts 20 to 30 years with upkeep.
Those numbers shift in a place like Pittsburgh. Water gets into the surface of both materials, freezes and expands. Asphalt flexes a little and cracks can be filled. Concrete can't flex, so it cracks, and salt can make its top layer flake off.
How Each One Handles a Pittsburgh Winter
Winter is where asphalt pulls ahead in this region.
New concrete is at its weakest in its first winter. The Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association's guide to concrete scaling recommends using no deicers at all during a concrete pavement's first year. Scaling shows up in spring as flaking and pockmarks across the surface. It's common in the Northeast when concrete gets salt too early or wasn't mixed and finished for freeze-thaw weather.
Asphalt takes salt better. Its dark color also soaks up sunlight, so snow and ice tend to melt off sooner on a bright day. Salty meltwater still hurts asphalt when it gets into open cracks, so crack filling before winter matters. Our post on whether salt damages an asphalt driveway covers which ice melts to use.
Plows are hard on both. A steel blade can gouge asphalt and chip the edges of concrete joints. Ask your plow driver to raise the blade slightly on either surface.
Which Is Easier to Repair?
Asphalt is far easier to repair. Cracks can be filled, small holes patched and worn surfaces overlaid with fresh asphalt. A patch on asphalt turns the same black as the rest of the driveway within a season or two.
Concrete repairs are harder. A cracked or sunken slab usually has to be cut out and poured again. The new section almost never matches the color of the old one, so the repair stays visible.
What Upkeep Does Each Driveway Need?
Asphalt needs a little attention on a schedule. Fill cracks every fall and seal the surface every two to three years. Wait six to 12 months before the first seal on a new driveway. Our guide on how often to seal an asphalt driveway covers the timing.
Concrete needs less, but it still needs some. Keep the joints sealed so water stays out from under the slabs. A penetrating sealer helps against salt once the concrete has cured. Wipe up oil and fluid leaks, since they stain a light surface.
How Long Does Each Take to Install?
Asphalt is faster from start to finish. Once the stone base is graded and compacted, the asphalt goes down and gets rolled in a single visit. Light traffic can usually go on it within a few days.
Concrete takes longer. Forms have to be set, the slab poured and finished, and the joints cut. It then needs about a week of curing before cars, and longer for heavy trucks. Rain or cold during the pour can push the schedule back.
Which Handles Heavy Vehicles Better?
Concrete carries heavy point loads well once it has fully cured. Asphalt handles them too when the base is deep and the asphalt is thick enough.
Most driveway damage from heavy vehicles starts in the base for either material. A camper, a box truck or a dumpster parked on a thin base will rut asphalt or crack a slab. If heavy vehicles will use your driveway, tell your paver before the job is priced. The base and the asphalt can then be built thicker where trucks turn and park.
Looks, Heat and Stains
Concrete gives you more choices. It can be stamped to look like stone or brick, tinted or finished with exposed stone. Asphalt comes in one color, and many homeowners like the clean black look against a lawn.
Asphalt hides oil drips, while concrete shows every one. On the hottest summer days, fresh asphalt can soften under a kickstand or trailer jack, and concrete won't.
Which Is Better for the Environment?
Both use quarried stone, and both take energy to make. Asphalt has one clear advantage at the end of its life. Old asphalt can be milled up and mixed into new pavement at the plant, so very little of it has to go to a landfill. Old concrete can be crushed for fill or base stone, but it rarely goes back into new concrete slabs.
A longer-lasting driveway also means fewer tear-outs. Whichever surface you choose, a deep base and good drainage do more for the environment than the material itself.
Which Is Better for a Steep Driveway?
Both can work on a hill, and Pittsburgh has plenty of them. Asphalt is the more common choice on steep residential driveways here. It goes down in one continuous mat, so there are no joints for water to run into on the slope. Concrete gets a broom finish for grip and needs control joints across the grade.
On any steep driveway, drainage matters more than the surface. Water picks up speed on a slope, so it has to be steered off the edges and away from the house.
Asphalt vs Concrete Side by Side
Asphalt | Concrete | |
Up-front cost | Lower | Higher |
Typical life | 20 to 30 years with upkeep | Often longer, but freeze-thaw shortens it |
Ready to drive on | Within a few days | Usually about a week |
Winter salt | Handles normal use | Avoid deicers the first year |
Repairs | Patches and overlays blend in | Slabs cut out, color rarely matches |
Routine upkeep | Crack filling, seal every 2 to 3 years | Joint sealing, occasional sealer |
Look | Black, one finish | Many colors and finishes |
Stains | Hides oil | Shows oil |
Weighing the two for your own driveway? Book a free estimate and we'll look at the slope, the soil and the drainage before you decide.
Should You Choose Asphalt or Concrete?
Pick asphalt if:
You want the lower cost to install
Your driveway is long or steep
You'd rather fix small problems as they come than replace whole slabs
Winter salt and plowing are part of your routine
Pick concrete if:
You want a stamped, colored or decorative finish
You can keep salt off it for the first winter
Up-front cost matters less than time between replacements
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an asphalt driveway cheaper than concrete?
Asphalt usually costs less to install on most driveways. The final price for either one depends on size, tear-out, base work and drainage.
Which is better in snow, asphalt or concrete?
Asphalt generally handles snow country better. It flexes through freeze-thaw cycles, tolerates normal salt use and melts off faster in the sun. New concrete is easily damaged by deicers in its first winter.
Can you put asphalt over a concrete driveway?
Yes, if the slabs are solid and not rocking or sinking. The joints and cracks in the concrete tend to show through the asphalt over time. A paver should check the slabs first.
Can you pour concrete over an asphalt driveway?
In most cases, no. The old asphalt isn't a stable base for a rigid slab. The asphalt normally comes out first, and the stone base is checked and rebuilt.
Does a concrete driveway add more value to a home?
Buyers notice condition more than material. A smooth, crack-free asphalt driveway looks better than a cracked or flaking concrete one. In areas where most homes have asphalt, concrete rarely changes the price much.
How long before you can drive on asphalt or concrete?
Light traffic can usually go on new asphalt within a few days. Concrete normally needs about a week before cars, and longer for heavy trucks.
Which surface is better for a basketball hoop or kids' play?
Both work. Concrete stays firm in summer heat and gives a truer bounce. Asphalt is softer underfoot and usually cheaper to cover a big play area.
Talk Through Your Driveway With a Paver
B&M Paving has put in driveways for over 50 years from Latrobe. We work in and all around Pittsburgh and across Westmoreland, Washington, Butler and Indiana Counties. Our residential asphalt paving page shows how we build a driveway from the base up.
Still torn on an asphalt vs concrete driveway? We'll walk the site with you. If asphalt is the right fit, we'll show you how we'd build it and what it needs to last. If your site suits concrete better, we'll say so. The visit and the estimate are free.
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