Driveways

[Hossienda]

I am looking for some opinions on what to do with my driveway. I know that I am going to have it done with either tar or concrete/cement. Does anybody have any thoughts on which route is the best to go and why?

Also if there are thoughts on what some have encountered for cost. I have a 3 stall garage and the driveway is a max of 60-70 feet long with a slight narrowing at the entrance.

-Hossienda

[JohnMickish]

Concrete will cost you many times more than tar but will last many times longer. If it where me and I planned to live there long I'd spend the money and go with concrete. Colored concrete and maybe stamped to make it look cool too. Concrete also will add to the resale value of the house.

[fish2live]

i would say $3.50 - $5.50 a square foot for concrete depending on size and what you want done. color and stamping you can double it easy if not more.

[kaz2611]

if you have close neighbors id take a look at what they all have or what seems to be more appealing with your property as this will increase your property value either way tar or concrete concrete will last longer as far as stamping it or coloring it i would say depends on what your property is now (new construction vs old farm house) if it were me i wouldnt spend the money stamping or coloring my driveway unless it was a popular thing with my immediate neighbors or if my house was of newer contstruction.

[BoxMN]

If you have a motorcycle, park a trailer on it, have kids with bikes, or need to turn your wheels at all on car, go with concrete. Otherwise the tar will get soft and "dent". Even just parking in the same spot often will dent it.

I will always have concrete, always. Mine is not stamped, but my folks is, and it looks fantastic! Matches their sidewalk and all, and is nice. If I would do it again, I would pop for the extra money for the stamped, but my cousin the concrete guy didn't do it yet when I had mine done, but now he does.

Good luck either way, tar is cheaper, that is for sure. And looks nice for a while. Grew up with tar, but now folks have it concreted, after getting it retarred (not just coated, but redone) several times over 20+ years

[bottomdweller]

I would go with concrete for the durability. Plus with the price of petroleum asphalt is now getting higher and higher. Priced my driveway which is 450 feet long and the price changed almost five thousand because of the price of gas. gl

[Walleye Guy]

When you have a concrete driveway that is stamped, how much more difficult is snow removal with either a blower or a shovel?

[BoxMN]

I did my folks, and theirs is like a slate color and texture, with grooves and cuts. Shovel and 2 stage blower cleaned it down to nothing really good. Theirs is a darker blue/slate color, so the sun heats it up a bit too, so nice and clean. Neighbors have a wood color/texture and it blows easy and clean, no catching. Basically no more than a groove or cut in regular concrete.

[nitrokfa]

I replaced my driveway last year over 2000 square ft concrete for 7500.00 asphalt was going to be over 10000.

[JohnMickish]

When you get concrete stamped the indentations are usually no deeper than what pavers are. Maybe 3/8th inch max. Along with stamping you will have many options besides just a brick look. Do a search on the web and you will surprize yourself with what colors and stampings are available. It dosen't have to be a new house to make it all come together, just a little planning to integrate with the landscaping you have. Darker colors will definitly help with the snow melt in the winter time.

[Iron Cowboy]

I'm in the same boat. I am getting concrete for the reasons everybody said if anyone knows of a guy I can trust to do a good job at a fair price I would appreciate the info. [email protected]

[Bigdaddy18]

Why not go with pavers. They do not crack, get too hot and leave tire marks or dent, if they settle, they can be lifted up and leveled out, ifthey get stained they can be lifted up as well. My be alittle bit more money, but in the long run alot more for your money. Looks alit better than concrete and asphalt...

[JohnMickish]

We did a paver patio last year and I asked them about driveways. They said they don't work so well if you have a tendancy to drive/park on the edge.

[Bigdaddy18]

Whoever you asked does not know pavers very well then and they are not installing pavers the correct way. You should be able to park a dump truck, pay loader waht ever right next to the edge and it should be fine. They are not extending their base out far enought past the edge of the pavers.

Hope they installed yours correctly???

[JohnMickish]

They didn't install mine.

[BoxMN]

Try shoveling or snowblowing a paver driveway before you put one in Even a 100% perfect one. Or if a Bobcat hits a high paver edge/corner

I still have about a couple hundred granite pavers from my folks, from the old downtown St. Paul roads from days long ago. They won't be in any of my driveways But to each his own, of course. I still hate it when I hit those small, perfect, concrete cuts at just the right angle... aaargh!

[Bigdaddy18]

Hitting or shoveling any surface that has cracks or high spots suck. But if a bobcat does hit and crack or break a paver it can be easily replaced where a asphalt or concrete driveway needs to have a section cut out and patch. Which looks terrible.

[Shack]

For gosh sakes, if you go with azzfault, put a concrete apron in. Hope there is one there now. Nothing looks worse than a sagging azzfault dip going into garage. Tar is for parking lots that you do not have to look at every day. I personly can not think of any reason for a tar driveway. The cons out weigh the pro's. They all have been stated in above post's. Assfault is a home builders cheap way of abiding by a local of private convance. Also it does not last long and requires messy maint. All you have to do with concrete is pressure wash, bleach or cleaner and reseal. Good luck!

SHACKBASH

P.S.

I spelled a word wrong in above post for a reason.

[boatfixer]

Asphalt is for driving on, concrete is for parking on, IMO