It is not difficult to see the difference between driveway brick paving and asphalt, but it can be difficult to know which is more suitable for your next surfacing project. When you are thinking about surfacing an area, we suggest you consider the purpose of the area, as well as your budget, to determine why asphalt is a sound choice.
What is Asphalt?
Asphalt is a composite mixture of bitumen and aggregates that provides a durable and flexible surface for cars, heavy vehicles, and machinery. It is a popular method used to surface or resurface a driveway, car park, hardstand, or commercial area.
The majority of roads and commercial car parks in Perth are surfaced with asphalt.
Asphalt is produced in a plant that heats, dries, and mixes aggregate, bitumen, and sand into a composite mix. Using a paving machine, it is then applied on site as a solid material at a nominated or required thickness, relative to the end-use.
There are different colours of asphalt and NK Asphalt offers three colours to choose from, providing the freedom to select which colour best suits your function, landscaping, or street appeal.
What is Brick Paving?
Paving is the process and the end result when flat blocks of stone, brick, or concrete are laid to cover an area. Pavers are produced in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours and arrive on site ready to be installed.
Pavers should typically be installed on a compacted base of soil or sand with a layer of roadbase or metal dust followed by a thin sand layer, and in the absence of grout, pavers offer a permeable surface that allows water to pass through. Whilst this can be advantageous, it also means that pavers can move over time and weeds can grow in the gaps. Professional paving companies can ensure the base surface is sufficient for heavy or frequent use, however, weeds and other growth can be an ongoing issue, particularly after a few years.
Lots of gaps present in brick paving surfaces lead to weed growth, ant hills, and dips.
Why Choose Asphalt Over Brick Paving Companies?
There are many reasons why asphalt is preferred over paving and the most convincing arguments are that the surface lasts longer, can be installed quickly, and in many cases, it looks better. When used in the right application and when properly constructed, asphalt is also better for overall driveability, cost, and less maintenance.
Benefits of using asphalt include:
- Its durability, with a 20+ year lifespan
- Comparably fast installation
- The ability to plan for effective drainage
- Minimal moving vehicle noise
- It is a safer option with a more skid-resistant surface than concrete pavers
- Reduced wear and tear on vehicles and tyres
- Can be resurfaced with minimal interruption to traffic / pedestrians
- Permanent colour once the surface has oxidised (aged) in around a year
When considering time as a factor, it’s important to look at the lifespan of the finished product, but also the time it takes to complete the job. Depending on the size of the surfacing project, asphalt has a clear advantage on larger areas, with less labour and disruption to the area or access way. A properly constructed asphalt road or surface can last over 20 years and only requires periodic maintenance, saving you both time and money.
Curved red asphalt residential driveway with a roundabout and curved design.
Why Choose Brick Paving Over Asphalt?
Whilst asphalt is known for its affordability, paving requires more labour as it a more resource-intensive process. The process of preparing the base is much the same as with asphalt however each paver needs to be laid by hand, which requires more personnel and a higher cost of labour.
Whilst the paving process can be more expensive on medium to large areas, applications that suit pavers are when certain styles are selected to complement the brickwork or facade on an existing building or wall.
Benefits of using pavers include:
- Matching colour and design to the surrounding architecture, but colours of concrete pavers will fade
- Looking better for longer, although dependent on paver type (e.g. clay vs concrete)
- Relatively good drainage
- The ability to replace individual pavers if damaged
Pavers have been a popular outdoor flooring option for some time and they are manufactured in an array of shapes, sizes and colours. They have design and visual variety options available, but when the project is larger, the added cost is difficult to offset, compared to asphalt.
Get a Quote From Perth’s Leading Asphalt Company
Our focus at NK Asphalt has always been tailoring asphalt installations across a range of areas, spanning from semi-rural driveways and large suburban asphalt driveways to commercial car parks heavy-duty areas, with our customers enjoying the durability and convenience of asphalt solutions.
We welcome you to check out our past asphalt driveway projects to view some of our work.
If you are unsure if asphalt is right for your project, or if you have any questions regarding our pricing or services, contact our team today or request a free on-site quote or advice over the phone.
Get a Perth Asphalt Quote
For jobs 150m2 or more in the Perth or surrounding areas.
