Asphalt vs concrete driveway! What you should know!

[@RobertSmith-pr8hv]

I’ve been paving for 36 years, owned my own business in north ala for the last 30 years. When i seen the finished driveway with all the rough spots i knew there was gonna be issues in a matter of months, i felt kinda bad for you because i didn’t think they would come back and make it wright, glad to see there are still some good pavers out there. The fly by nighters have made the good paving companys look bad. Big shout out to EDD’S paving. Hope you enjoy your driveway and don’t have any other issues.

[@ProjectDadLife]

Thanks for the support Robert!

[@MichaelJeffers75]

Asphalt can also be reheated to be reworked whereas concrete can never be made workable again. So not only can asphalt damages be repaired, but it can also be beautified with stamped asphalt.

[@alexmaclean1]

My brother owns a concrete foundation business so I had him do my driveway too, but for those seams I do miss the previous asphalt driveway. But I have a 6 inch thick insulated and heated concrete one now so that was worth the tradeoff lol

[@tonymontana897]

You're a great Dad thinking of your kids getting the asphalt drive. Me personally prefer concrete, but I can understand your reasoning for the asphalt. God Bless you and your family man. Good people. Love the videos too, especially the shed build series. Keep up the great work !

[@TimHannaford]

I like your video nice job. Short and to point very helpful we live in cold weather. Also not loud obnoxious music. Good job “Project Dad Life.” ✝️🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒🇺🇸

[@rickjohnson1632]

Ashphalt is all about the base. You need at least 8 inch of a COMPACTED stone. If you can , if your installing new stone base leave it sit over winter to settle. Also make sure you are getting a 1 1/2 of ashphalt. When they are done rolling it make sure there are no lines left in the surface. As far as seal coating goes you need to let the fresh ashphalt sit for 6 months or so to let the oils in the material leach out. Until the fresh ashphalt is sealed do not let ANY oil or gasoline drip on the surface for it will eat a hole in your pretty , new ashphalt. Once the driveway is sealed it is protected from anything penetrating the mix. After the initial seal cost you will know when it’s time to seal agsin by looking at the surface. If you can see white, your seeing the very top of the aggregate, where the sealer is starting to wear off. Never use the sealer / product “ Gilisinite( sic)” . It sucks. Only use a quality / good brand water based sealer. As far as concrete goes well , if you want to spend the extra money it is a very durable product : a side note. I was working on a paving crew and I was able to get everyone and installed a driveway at my home. I put in 1 1/2 & 1 1/2 for a total of 3 inches. The driveway lasted for 30 years and still didn’t crack. It was starting to pop in some places but no cracking. Like I said, with ashphalt, it’s all about the base . Put down a inch and a half on a good stone base , seal it every couple of years and you will have a good product. I speak from experience as I did paving for close to 30 years and have done more than my fair share of home driveways

[@ProjectDadLife]

That’s some good info thank you sir. I’m really hoping this last. It was pretty bad before when it rained.

[@rickjohnson1632]

@@ProjectDadLife I can’t emphasize how important the stone base be solid. If the bobcat sinks in the stone anywhere or water starts pumping up through the stone the situation has to fixed. If you pave over soft spots the ashphalt will fail

[@pmg2120]

Unless you live way up north I think 8” of base overkill on a residential job.

[@BiltwellCycleParts]

Sweet Lane Splitter in background. Nice shop!

[@time55k28]

new that driveway was thin too, i would of been at 8 grand for that driveway put 42 tons in it i know there is not 42tons in that sucker, we would of got the transit out shot grades prepped it if soft, rolled it let it sit till it hardened up , and then come back and pave it. Up in pa i love getting the calls from people that just got the driveway done and have to rip it out in the same season.

[@billboy7390]

To bad the problem happened but I’m Glad to see you got it fixed. I need to do something like what you have done. It’s about 25’ x 90’ but slopes downhill alongside our concrete driveway. Can’t even come close to affording concrete at $185 a yard and at least 6 month wait.

[@ProjectDadLife]

Thanks. Yea I got some concrete work to do also and it’s $225 a yard here and 3 month wait.

[@billboy7390]

@@ProjectDadLife Things are beginning to ease up and the housing boom is slowing. I'm in Prescott AZ. and all of California is coming here or feels like it. It's a Mile High City and great weather.

[@Bewefau]

The color of new Asphalt is pretty I love the dark black. I wonder if there's a way to get that look with other materials but is cheaper and just as good. Or better.

[@michaelfike7542]

I did asphalt for 30 years and we would have been fired if we did a job that looked like that. Not enough prep work doing it the first time paving over dirt and grass was a total failure from the start.

[@ProjectDadLife]

Yeah luckily they came backed and fixed it best they could anyway.

[@brenyz5013]

The problem from the beginning was the price I still have no comment about this work !!! Everyone gives cheap prices so they’ll get the that’s all I can say

[@intheshoptv]

Hope it holds this time. We still have to grade and pave in front of our 26x40

[@ProjectDadLife]

Thanks for the support friend!

[@TheSlim2none]

Just got a bid for concrete over 50% more vs asphalt. Prefer concrete but cost wise just doesn’t make sense now. Either way have to hire qualified pros u get a cheap bid it won’t last.

[@ProjectDadLife]

I know how that feels, good luck, thanks for watching

[@mr.boniato6402]

I would have used recycled millings asphalt which is fantastic, but much cheaper than virgin asphalt.

[@ProjectDadLife]

I’ve used those before. There also getting pricey

[@mr.boniato6402]

@@ProjectDadLife still a lot cheaper than the new stuff..but after you seal the millings, they look like new asphalt and it gets rock hard.

[@426superbee4]

You got a good contractor. 👍👍 Not some one out to rob people

[@joequixotic3039]

I've been looking at how I want to do my driveway and I think I'm going to go for option C: concrete pavers. As many people have said, the base is very important and because of that I think I'm going to go for "mechanical concrete". That's recycling tires with the sidewall cut off, filled with rock like a giant geogrid reinforcement. This technique is being used as a road base for some freeways so it should last a very long time under a driveway. The pavers themselves allow for drainage through the joints and a stone base should drain well too. Also when one paver gets damaged, an extra can be swapped out for an easy repair. It's not great for kids playing on it but it should look nicer than plain concrete in my opinion and if I do the labor, I think the cost will land somewhere between asphalt and concrete, probably closer to concrete but arguably better.

[@nicoleadams6593]

This was helpful! Thanks

[@ProjectDadLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jeffmcniel3321]

This video is a year old an I believe you still have issues in the same area if you could show a picture of the same area updated I'm most certain there will be cracks and damage areas

[@ProjectDadLife]

Yes sir there is

[@davidanderson1451]

Sorry, but I have been in the Business of Asphalt for 30 years. The surface texture looks horrible. What time of year was this originally paved? I will also mention that the tack coat between layers was not sufficient enough for a good bond. The new surface looks better, but leaving the bones on the surface like that is not a good practice.

[@ProjectDadLife]

Hey David thanks for the input. We definitely got screwed with the weather and original paving was done in January last year. Luckily the original driveway was a construction entrance and had plenty of compacted rock. But the kick off going to the shop was added after and I’m afraid never got enough compacted rock as you stated. Thanks for the knowledge for sure.

[@suejasinski833]

Can you asphalt metal building floor?

[@guymiller7795]

Like a pole barn? Sure can!

[@PeterPula-z9k]

I have news for you brother. Been in the paving industry since 1962. The actual product is all recycled the ac oil is not the same. The tac is not the same nothing is made virgin mix anymore. Asphalt doesn’t last anymore. The last 10 years every asphalt plant has been making garbage. Anyone who has been in the business for a number of years will understand what I’m talking about. Back in the day you didn’t need to heat the paver screed. Spray a little diesel on it. Sit it down on the mat and within minutes screed was hot. Because the asphalt was hot. Material was so hot you could put the entire job in and wait before you roll it. Now it’s about making a product that doesn’t last. So they can make more money Nothing is made to last anymore. No matter what you do to your asphalt driveway or parking lot. O matter what stone you use. Or even if you use base and top. The material is garbage driveways used to last 20 years no problem. Now 8-10 your gonna need another one.

[@pmg2120]

True. If the plant isn’t running for DOT jobs that require no more than 25% RAP they’ll put so much RAP in the mix it cools off before you can get a roller on it and doesn’t hold up.

[@pmg2120]

I’m pretty sure there’s no base under that driveway.

[@guymiller7795]

Man Edd’s paving lost his shirt on this job. Bid it too cheap rushed the job late in the season and warranty work ate the small profit. Hopefully lesson learned Ed 😅

[@nealdickman5897]

That was great.

[@ProjectDadLife]

Thanks for the support

[@jerryharris2408]

Ghost rider you still got seal concrete bc it got million little holes in it it

[@corydriver7634]

I hear what you’re saying about asphalt but you are totally wrong about what you said on prep work with concrete. Concrete needs as much prep if not more than asphalt especially a good compacted base or it will fail. I know this from personal and professional experience. I don’t disagree with your reasoning for choosing asphalt but really you said it at the end…all the expense of concrete is up front (and the devil is definitely in the details with prep work) where you’ll keep paying for asphalt over its life span. In the end it’s probably a wash. Good on your paving contractor for making it right but we still won’t know the answer to that one for a few months.

[@chaunceypullman3380]

Way older than you so what i have to say will make it. No matter how much it cost, concrette is the worst thing to have. Asphalt tops 1st, pavers 2nd, 3rd is pea gravel road and concrette last. Reason being. Over the long run of it. Base has to be correct, mixture has to be on point, cant leave out staining, cracks that can and will happen before a year is out. My late Grandmothers place is asphalt. Hasnt been done since i was in elementary school. I am few years from 60. Road is still there. No repairs, overlay other than rain washing it off. Street is almost white. And has never been redone. While the concrette street in same area has been redid more than 3 times and looks like crap. Been in this home 23 years and some months. The school and church i was raised in since birth. Catholic, has never had a problem. Asphalt. 75 years plus. Oldest siblings went there when 1st built. I am number 7 in the ranks. Still in perfect shape.

[@maxwellwalter506]

ｐｒｏｍｏｓｍ

[@TimHannaford]

I like your video nice job. Short and to point very helpful we live in cold weather. Also not loud obnoxious music. Good job “Project Dad Life.” ✝️🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒🇺🇸