Concrete Versus Black Top?

[Indian113]

Getting Bids on a New shop and garage combo to park my Motorhome in. I will also end up with a 24x48 ft shop just for my toys so I will have room to actually tear something down and WALK around it! I am putting in a 6 inch thick concrete floor so I can handle weight of my Class A and put a Auto Lift in shop area. My question is has anybody used black top for driveways or would I be better off to just go ahead and pour concrete all the way. I'm looking at atleast 70 ft by 12 ft driveway and a 15 x 40 area in front of Garage. I wonder if prices are comparable?

[Killer Bee]

concrete ftw, driveway quality asphalt may be grossly disappointing.. be careful not to compare your favorite stretch of city avenue for reference

asphalt of that quality would be prohibitively expensive and still not as suitable for parking and standing equipment as concrete..

asphalt is flexible and will not stay flat and square like a good concrete slab for my taste..

to be certain, you should be able to get a couple of free quotes.. compare their recommendations, qualities, and warranties..

good luck!

[truckster]

If you can afford it, concrete is going to be a much better surface for your purposes. If you spill gas or ATF on asphalt, you're going to soften it. Heat will soften it as well, but I'm not sure how much of a problem that will be where you are.

As Killer Bee says, it is possible to lay a really high quality asphalt. I've seen some in Germany and in Iraq, of all places (laid by a German company). But the stuff I've seen here just isn't the same quality.

Now, for a driving surface, I really prefer asphalt over concrete. It's noticeably quieter (I drive a convertible) and it's also better for running. But for a work surface, concrete wins hands down.

[Dead Parrot]

For a basic drive on driveway, plain gravel works pretty good. I would avoid blacktop as it gets fairly hot in the summer. Concrete for the working area in front of the shop.

[mongocanfly]

asphalt cheaper..concrete last longer

[Indian113]

Thanks for the feedback fella's! I know I want concrete in the shop and garage part but my Banker about fell over when we started getting bids on concrete drives. She brought up the black top because a friend of ours did their rather long lane and it has held up even with the crazy winters we get here. I want a driveway that is smooth enough I can blow the snow off of it in the winter that eliminates Rock. My snowblower will throw a rock a long ways. As far as prices I haven't gotten any on Black top as I'm dragging my feet on it and hoping she lets it slide.

[truckster]

I think blacktop is fine for a driveway as long as you remember it's soft and it will be damaged by heat, solvents, or weight concentrated in one place. A jackstand will leave a lasting impression, and even turning your steering wheel while parked on a hot day can do some damage.

[dajn]

I could be way off on prices but I remember hearing that as a rule of thumb you can figure asphalt will be around half the price of concrete. And if you go concrete, make sure they know what they are doing as far as joints. Where to saw them and also joint spacing. You dont want your panels too big. You dont want to pay all that money and then have some ugly random cracks show up within a couple years. And if you really want a quality long lasting driveway, you would want dowel bars in the concrete where the joints are and also seal the joints with silicone so no water gets in.

[dajn]

And I would also like to add, 6 inches for concrete should suffice. I wouldn't want it any thinner than that if it was mine. As far as asphalt, I see it all the time in new developments at work. 500k houses brand new and they all have this little paper thin asphalt driveway. Like 2 inch thick. What a joke. I think you can do ok with asphalt if they put on at least two lifts minimum each lift at least 2 inches thick. The thicker the better obviously. That way you dont have to come back and redo it in 15 to 20 years.

[68panelman]

Concrete all the way. Asphalt in my area is terrible, little to no Petroleum, very dry mix. Must be a Delaware thing, cause NY asphalt was acceptable, here they do it in a day,and people reseal every year? Stupid... Proper base is key, my guy in NY graded and spread and compacted RCA base and said see you in a month to do the asphalt.
An excellent job to this day with no re-sealing or cracking. Depends on your contractor and area.

[Killer Bee]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Getting Bids on a New shop and garage combo to park my Motorhome in. I will also end up with a 24x48 ft shop just for my toys so I will have room to actually tear something down and WALK around it! I am putting in a 6 inch thick concrete floor so I can handle weight of my Class A and put a Auto Lift in shop area. My question is has anybody used black top for driveways or would I be better off to just go ahead and pour concrete all the way. I'm looking at atleast 70 ft by 12 ft driveway and a 15 x 40 area in front of Garage. I wonder if prices are comparable?

break it down;

24'x48'x6" shop = 22 yds

15'x40'x6" apron = 12 yds

70'x12'x6" drive = 16 yds

not sure what a yd of concrete goes for there, but my quick googling came up with about $100/yd

and I'm not sure what $labor is there, but can't be anything like it is here.. you'll have to shop rates there for the different types of pours..

you're knocking 50 yds total yet your driveway is barely a third of that and the cheapest of all three to cut, form, and finish..

concrete https://concrete.promatcher.com/cost/iowa.aspx

driveways https://driveways.promatcher.com/cost/iowa.aspx

Cost of Asphalt Driveway Installation in Iowa
$3.14 per square foot (tearout and install) (Range: $2.34 - $3.93)
Free Estimates from Local Pros

Cost of Concrete Driveway Installation in Iowa
$4.92 per square foot (Range: $3.35 - $6.49)
Free Estimates from Local Pros

if you calculate the totals I don't see substantial savings, $1-3k maybe? and compared to the overall project cost and practical use difference..

now if your driveway was couple hundred feet or longer, than you may see a greater savings with asphalt..

and I suggest you get at least three quotes.. our project was quoted $35k to $60k and we're looking at about $25k subbing it all out ourselves..

I'm right in the middle of something similar so I know how you feel

good luck!

[87max]

concrete all the way 4" with wire, compacted earth correctly will be just fine. Been pouring 25 years on and off. Ask around for a reputable contractor or even call a few batch plants for recommendations.

[dajn]

The company I work for does a lot of curb and gutter. Also sidewalk, ped ramps, driveways, etc. We are expanding and now going to do our own asphalt paving also. Just thought I would share this machine that showed up last week. $550,000. Nothing is cheap that's for sure. And a new paver for concrete than can handle mainline is a million dollars.

[dajn]

But again I really have to stress the joint layout. This attached pic is 4 inch thick sidewalk. Its ten feet wide at this spot. The sidewalk is six foot wide coming into this ten foot. Notice I put a centerline at six feet and my cross joints are 5 feet apart. With 4 inch, you really need small panels. I cant tell you how many driveways I have seen that have a massive nasty longitudinal random crack because the concrete guys didnt think it needed a centerline. Anyways, good luck with your project however you go with it.

[truckster]

For the shop area I would specify sawn joints. They'll be much smoother when you roll over them with a creeper or engine hoist.

[Nut Case]

I've been building homes and commercial building for over 40 years, here is my .10
If you use asphalt for a pad right in front of the garage door don't park motorcycles there on the 4th of July.
No matter which you use have a least 4 " of compacted road base under both.Make them provide a compaction test from a reputable engineering firm.
In all concrete have #4 rebar on 24" OC and have "Strike" joints. Don't let them talk you in to saw cuts. The cuts wil cave in on the sides and after 5 years the crisp cut will look the the material falling out of a north bound cow.

I suggest 5" concrete pad going back 35' from the garage door, 5" compacted road base with #4 bar on 24 OC, with the concrete be a 6 bag mix, with strike joints, not saw cutt no no no. Do the drive in Asphalt with 5" compacted road base, and 4" compacted asphalt, make sure they compact the edges as well to get the edge sealed.

Only pour durning summer to the end of september , same for asphalt.
Do it this was and it will last as long as you're alive in this ole mud ball.

Just sayin

nutz

NUtz