The further you travel from the Perth CBD, the larger the properties become. For many residential drives, farms, and businesses such as wineries or other venues, this presents the need for a large semi-rural driveway.
When considering the perfect semi-rural driveway option, there are a multitude of factors to consider. During your search, there is no doubt you would have seen asphalt as a leading contender – and for good reason.
This article breaks down the key benefits of asphalt as the material for your semi-rural driveway construction project.
More cost-effective
While there are many popular materials for a smaller residential driveway such as bricks, pavers and concrete, the cost of these would be less economical over a large area. Not to mention, the proportionate cost of asphalt reduces as the driveway size increases due to the cost-effective movement of equipment and the minimal length of time required to lay the material.
Post construction, the maintenance and upkeep of an asphalt driveway is generally lower than many alternatives. Some driveway materials are more prone to tyre marks, stains, and cracks with heavy loads, than an asphalt solution.
Sturdy and Reliable
As aforementioned, asphalt is a durable semi-rural driveway material, maximising its ability to withstand damage from a variety of avenues.
These long driveways are more likely to experience heavier vehicles, high temperatures and stormwater run-off which are known to displace and damage driveways. Thankfully, the structure of asphalt provides a tougher solution to breakdown, yet when it does require some maintenance or repair, it is easy to repair. This means the driveway could potentially be used the day after repairs are conducted.
Asphalt is also known to handle weeds and ants better than most alternative materials as there is no need for expansion joints like those in concrete or the numerous individual brick paving sections.
A curved driveway directing past a beautiful tree-lined entrance.
Ideal for Slopes
A sloping driveway becomes slippery during heavy rainfall, especially relevant to the dunes in Coastal Southern and Northern Suburbs and the Perth Hills regions. The wrong material may increase the slippage and lack of traction, either due to having a smooth surface or a loose surface such as unsealed roadbase, limestone, gravel or recycled materials. Extreme gradients may need inspection to see if asphalt is suitable.
Asphalt provides great traction and won’t become loose and washaway with rainwater run-off like these other solutions will over time.
Asphalt can also have leaves blown off without dislodging the surface.
For additional benefits, see our article: 5 Reasons Why Asphalt is the Best Material for Sloping Driveways.
Smooth and Safe
When compared to common semi-rural driveway options – (gravel, roadbase, limestone and recycled asphalt), asphalt is significantly smoother and has far less loose stones on the surface, and also has added grip to avoid slipping. Asphalt allows a smooth transition from the main road to your driveway and would allow a more consistent speed with a reduced risk of stone projectiles and frequent potholes and ruts forming after rain.
A safe, sturdy, and reliable material such as asphalt should keep its structure for a couple of decades, whereas gravel and the other materials noted above may need frequent repairs or replacement to mend cracks and potholes and to move materials back up the drive when annual rain causes wash away in drives without a permanent surface such as asphalt.
Attractive Appearance
The driveway is the first feature visible to anyone visiting your semi-rural property – you want it to make an impression.
Conveniently, asphalt can be supplied in a few different colours to give you more choice with matching the surrounding fences, house, or landscape. The most common colours are a traditional black granite asphalt, dark brown gravel/laterite asphalt and a red oxide gravel/laterite asphalt.
These options are a great way to have your semi-rural driveway standout with a modern look compared to the properties around you. Imagine being able to tell a guest to lookout for the red asphalt driveway – so easy!
Take a better look at these asphalt colour design options.
This curved red asphalt driveway by NK Asphalt provides a central garden and access to multiple garages.
Additional benefits
An additional aesthetic and functional benefit that asphalt provides, is the ability to include kerbing all the way down the driveway. This option is perfect if you have gardens on either side and want to direct drivers away from the side of the road. Kerbing also helps with drainage as it directs water off or down the driveway to where a drainage solution is in place.
Water can often be directed off the drive in several areas to reduce spot flooding and channelled into side ditches or swales. Other drainage solutions such as soak wells can direct any water runoff into the soil and away from any structures. Asphalt driveways can direct the water where it is needed. Having stormwater run-off confined to your property where practical is a law within WA.
Check out these design ideas for long driveways.
Who can you trust for semi-rural driveway projects?
With over 30 years since opening in 1989, NK Asphalt is the go-to for medium-large asphalt driveways, carparks, commercial areas, and hardstands. Your driveway is unique to your property, so we provide a free measure and quote before the design and on-site construction. We can provide all the driveway kerbing and drainage to add the finishing touches to your new driveway.
Get an Asphalt Driveway Quote
If your project is larger than 150m2 to much larger areas and located in Perth or surrounding areas – contact NK Asphalt for a free measure and quote.
