New driveway: concrete or asphalt?

[Oakie]

Getting my money for the replacement of my driveway shortly (earthquake damage ... total replacement). There is enough money for both options but do I choose concrete or asphalt ... and why?

[Berg]

My pick would be concrete. Reasons being, it holds its shape even if the land under it settles a bit, impervious to any spilt oil or fuel which will break asphalt down, doesn't dent if a heavy vehicle is left on it on a hot day and concrete drives are normally better should your neighbors trees decide to send roots under it.
BUT, stay away from that exposed ag shit. I've got it and hate it. It's hard to kneel on and holds water causing moss. Slowly getting fit of it here going back to smooth concrete

[Crasherfromwayback]

My pick would be concrete. Reasons being, it holds its shape even if the land under it settles a bit, impervious to any spilt oil or fuel which will break asphalt down, doesn't dent if a heavy vehicle is left on it on a hot day and concrete drives are normally better should your neighbors trees decide to send roots under it.
BUT, stay away from that exposed ag shit. I've got it and hate it. It's hard to kneel on and holds water causing moss. Slowly getting fit of it here going back to smooth concrete

Wot he says.

[Gremlin]

Wot he says.
Yeah, wot e sed.

[Edbear]

Wot he says.

Wot he says...

[oldrider]

Concrete cobbles, you can lift and refit them easily and they move with tree roots and maybe even earthquakes etc.

Be interested to know how they fared in and around Christchurch in the earthquakes season actually? :confused:

[ellipsis]

...wot they said...'ceptin the cobbled bit...

[400sm]

croncrete.
...

[HenryDorsetCase]

Asphalt's cheaper innit? Our asphalt is OK after the EQs. but the fucking useless pricks doing EQ repairs have dropped oil on it and there is masonry dust etc. I like exposed aggregate concrete personlly and it is better for walking on when wet. too-smooth concrete is very slick when wet.

concrete (without surface treatment) is porous too so oil will soak into both. Just saying.

depends how long you want to live in the house. I would get whatever is cheapest and spend the rest on Jack Daniels, coke and hookers.

[Swoop]

It's Chch.
The land is fucked, so go for dirt.

Spend the $$$'s on BIKES!!!

[tigertim20]

yet another vote for concrete - all my reasons have been listed already above re: spills and damage

[R650R]

If I ever had to do it I'd go for gravel/pebbles for the security aspect, you can hear intruders walking on it.
You can always have a short pad of concrete in front of shed for working on car/bike etc.
Ashphalt/bitumen is easily wrecked by degreaser/solvents also.

[Oakie]

Asphalt's cheaper innit? Yeah about 10% cheaper


depends how long you want to live in the house. I would get whatever is cheapest and spend the rest on Jack Daniels, coke and hookers.

Can't see us moving. Our land is pretty good even though we're in the east. As for the balance ... gotta spend it on carpet. So sorry ... no JD or coke... and no hookers!

[Kickaha]

Yeah about 10% cheaper


Spend the extra for concrete, got asphalt and it's shit

[AllanB]

Got asphalt. Like it.

But it's all fucked up now since Sept 2010 .............

[Ocean1]

Both need a good base, which often doesn't happen and will shorten the life dramatically.

For me, if it's flat then +60mm of hotmix. Done properly it's no cheaper than concrete done properly but it looks better in large blocks.

If it's not flat then concrete, leave rod continuous through joints, either cast or cut and backfill with sealant.

[strumpet]

Had mine done about a year ago in Chch. I had a good look round the new sub-divisions and nearly all opted for exposed Ag. I went with that and it certainly updated the house. Homes with pressed concrete or asphalt tend to look cheaper - although the cost of all three is about the same. It is harder to walk on thou because of the stones. No good for a little un on rollerskates or a little trike thing.

[skippa1]

Concrete for me but hotmix can look really good, especially if it has a strip of exposed aggregate concrete either side.

[awa355]

If I ever had to do it I'd go for gravel/pebbles for the security aspect, you can hear intruders walking on it.
You can always have a short pad of concrete in front of shed for working on car/bike etc.
Ashphalt/bitumen is easily wrecked by degreaser/solvents also.

The crims wont be walking up a noisy driveway, they'll use the lawn.

Re concrete, will it have vehicles heavier than cars on it, if so does it need reinforcing?

[strumpet]

I watched while the old drive was ripped up and there was reinforcing down, so I got reinforcing for the new drive. I believe it doesn't always happen, and U have to insist on it. Insurance company, IAG, has got smart now, and my $300 excess on driveways, paths and fences turned into a $5000.00 excess with my yearly renewal. :argh::bash:

[awa355]

$5,000 excess? How the hell can they justify that?

[skippa1]

$5,000 excess? How the hell can they justify that?
Couple of earthquakes sorted that

[AllanB]

$5,000 excess? How the hell can they justify that?

Earthquake event excess in CHCH. Common here now, houses can have up to $50k earthquake excess :wacko:

In theory with the thousands of shakes we have had the chance of another big one should be lower than anywhere else in NZ .... (he crosses fingers).

[Akzle]

farken softcock townie fucker. gap 20. spend the difference on hookers and blow.

[Akzle]

this is why i should read the thread before replying.


So sorry ... no JD or coke... and no hookers!

[Oakie]

Earthquake event excess in CHCH. Common here now, houses can have up to $50k earthquake excess :wacko:

In theory with the thousands of shakes we have had the chance of another big one should be lower than anywhere else in NZ .... (he crosses fingers).

Yep. I think as far as earthquake potential is concerned I'd rather live in Chch than Wellington.

[far queue]

I've had a large asphalt drive/parking area with concrete edging for around 20 years and it's been great. Any oil leaks just soak in and disappear in a month or so without leaving any sign behind. It got munted in the quakes and I'll be replacing it with asphalt again when my rebuild happens.

[Kickaha]

I've had a large asphalt drive/parking area with concrete edging for around 20 years and it's been great..

I dont have the concrete edging but if I was to do ashphalt again I wouldn't do it without one

[R650R]

The crims wont be walking up a noisy driveway, they'll use the lawn.

Don't equate logical thought with criminal behaviour. While there may be the odd pro that gets all ninja on the entry and exit the two cases I've caught before in the act have been bold normal entry so they don't look suss to neighbours passer bys etc... Its just one easy tool you can add to compliment other non conventional security measures.

http://series20.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/reddington-blacklist.jpg

[skippa1]

Don't equate logical thought with criminal behaviour. While there may be the odd pro that gets all ninja on the entry and exit the two cases I've caught before in the act have been bold normal entry so they don't look suss to neighbours passer bys etc... Its just one easy tool you can add to compliment other non conventional security measures.


Are you not being a little paranoid

[Grumph]

Concrete for all the reasons above - plus if it happens again, it's fucked and gets replaced completely - if it's asphalt, it gets patched....

[R650R]

Are you not being a little paranoid

No just proactive living in a high crime suburb. Was taught the ethos of the army that if you make it easy for thieves your as guilty as them.

Back to the Ashphalt vs concrete I've seen very few NZ operators lay the black stuff down in a tidy manner despite having all the gear. Its easy for it to look messy where as concrete seems more workable.
Paving stones are an option too if done properly...

[oldrider]

Hmmmm I said cobbles ... meant paving stones (flat ones)!

[R650R]

Hmmmm I said cobbles ... meant paving stones (flat ones)!

Dang cobber ya beat me to the draw then :)

[oldrider]

Dang cobber ya beat me to the draw then :)

S'OK my guns are not loaded these days anyway! :thud:

[HenryDorsetCase]

Dang cobber ya beat me to the draw then :)

the items are cheap but very dependent on good application and in particular, like painting completely dependent on the prep. We have laid a fair few of them over the years. Expensive to get someone to do... lots of labour involved. can be a good repairable finish though.