Driveway question?

[kybuck1]

Building our forever house now and it's got a long driveway I'd say 750 ft or so. Really like the esthetics of concrete but man prices seem crazy. Asphalt seems fine just not as esthetically pleasing to me, but for the price difference I could be ok with it. I feel like a lot of situations I try to save a buck now and then really regret or wish I'd done whatever when I thought about it. I'd love to hear some opinions before I pull the trigger. Thanks

 

[idahomuleys]

750 ft long or 750 sq feet?

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[GSPHUNTER]

750 ft long or 750 sq feet?

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He did say long. would you consider a road base material. If property is in rural area?

 

[NCTrees]

….would you consider a road base material. If property is in rural area?

^^^This. I have about the same length of driveway you’re describing and had around half of it paved (asphalt) at one time. Total pain, anytime you want to install some new underground service it gets ripped out, patched, looks like hell and takes too long. So unless you’re SURE you will not want or need a new water line, fiber optics, power to a new outbuilding, lights, gates…I’d stick with road base and just pour some pads where you’ll be parking and working on your trucks as well as a 20’ or so apron at the encroachment. Look up depth based upon your subsoil and slope, order it with 5-10% fines, water and roll the heck out of it at install. Depending on your area you may be able to get some pretty trick stuff, crushed limestone or basalt look pretty decent IMO.

 

[justinspicher]

I did asphalt for our driveway. We also get a ton of snow on the winter so the black color helps melt it in the winter. No ragrets.

 

[Silveroddo]

What area of the county, types of soil and freeze thaw cycle?

 

[FarleyMcJohnson]

if you just want opinions on asphalt vs concrete I cant speak to that but our driveway is 1/4 mile gravel mostly with crushed concrete spread on it a few years ago. It holds up pretty well but it takes a tractor and at least a back blade to maintain.

 

[Rich M]

We use milled asphalt in high traffic areas down here - holds up well to heavy rigs, low dust, etc.

The whole freeze thaw thing is significant - you spend $50K on a driveway and 5 yrs later it is all broken up. Any neighbor's stuff to look at?

What about a hybrid driveway? Concrete near the house and asphalt or gravel from the road?

 

[LostArra]

I've got a fairly long driveway that was originally gravel and has been asphalt for the past 15 years. A key to longevity is base preparation and edge thickness (concrete curbing would be better) and having enough width for two vehicles to pass and not drive over the edge if you have much traffic (teenagers).

Also have a design that allows easy turn-around so delivery trucks (Amazon, Fed Ex, UPS, propane) don't have to drive over the edge which crushes/cracks the asphalt and allows grass to start growing up in the asphalt edge. We have a large parking pad that allows turn around for trucks unless the driver is a dunce.

I didn't like gravel. Too much maintenance. Our soil base was poor resulting in soft spots that constantly needed attention. Before we paved with asphalt I spread dry portland cement over the entire gravel drive which shored up the base and the asphalt has held up well. I do fill any cracks with asphalt sealer. I have a few neighbors who spent the extra on concrete. One is great (nice wide design) and the other has some edge problems similar to asphalt.

 

[kybuck1]

Appreciate the replies...so yes 750 ft long drive. In KY so the winters are pretty mild in general. Most neighbors drives are asphalt but there are some concrete ones scattered among as well. I see some of the issues you all mention with patch jobs in asphalt occasionally and concrete cracking. I really don't want to do gravel. We have that down now as a temp. Plan as of now is to have a concrete directly around the house and just considering making the long drive either asphalt or concrete to meet up with it.

 

[#1antler]

One thing that most asphalt companies don't tell you is that you need to prepare any extremely solid road base before laydown. Most will try to get by with 2-3 inches asphalt which is not thick enough in my opinion. They also don't mention the maintenance required yearly to keep asphalt from falling apart. Can be several thousand dollars . It's not once and done as concrete is.

 

[WMag338]

I had the same situation. My dirveway is 1600' long. Started with crusher. That works, but is hell to maintain on slopes after big rains. We just paved with asphalt this past year. So much nicer than crusher and don't have to maintain it. A concrete driveway that long would be prohibitively expensive for me. I have also used asphalt millings before. In SC, a truckload of millings is the same as a truckload of crusher. If you spread millings in the summer and roll in, it not QUITE as good as asphalt paving, but is much better than crusher. Might be something to consider.

 

[bigbassin]

Interested to hear what kind of quotes you’re getting. Just assuming a width & depth, but the concrete itself (materials, labor, typical markups) would probably run somewhere from $30k (8’) up to around $55k (20’).

Tack on another $10k if you want the existing base removed and replaced, which I would if it’s not good material.

Asphalt would probably run half the price, but its design life is also half as long.

 

[hunterjmj]

Our drive is probably 1000' or so but have a big loop built in for UPS, dump trucks, trailers, etc. I can only afford gravel but I blade it in the spring and it's held up great.

 

[ODB]

We use milled asphalt in high traffic areas down here - holds up well to heavy rigs, low dust, etc.

The whole freeze thaw thing is significant - you spend $50K on a driveway and 5 yrs later it is all broken up. Any neighbor's stuff to look at?

What about a hybrid driveway? Concrete near the house and asphalt or gravel from the road?

I was also thinking the last point. If the driveway is fenced, I’d put up a gate or gate posts at the transition. I’ve seen this with dirt to concrete driveways and it makes a nice aesthetic transition.

 

[Beendare]

Whatever you do, prep is key.

Base rock or asphalt drive benefit from a heavy Geotile fabric installed first. More base is always better. The compacted recycled concrete gravel makes a solid base either on its own or under asphalt. Keeping water away from the driveway is a key component to longevity.

Poured concrete has to be prepped well and designed with expansion/ mastic/ control joints plus steel reinforcement to control cracking.

I would go asphalt with fabric, 7” base or more and a min of 3” asphalt.

 

[cnelk]

I haven’t seen this mentioned but when I used to do drive lanes, both asphalt and concrete, I’d install 2” Sch 40 pvc sleeves intermittently across the drive.

You can install a pull string and leave a length buried out each end.
That way you in the future you can run electrical, water or other utilities under the drive.

Just be sure you have a good set of ‘As-Builts’ so you know where they are at.

 

[LostArra]

I see some of the issues you all mention with patch jobs in asphalt occasionally and concrete cracking.

Concrete is going to crack. Properly placed expansion joints and sawing can minimize or eliminate actual damage though by putting the cracks where you want them.

 

[Silveroddo]

Lots of good points here, no matter the product you choose the attention to detail with drainage, base, and actual construction will significantly affect the longevity. Either way I’d probably start out with some kind of gravel base for a year to see the different challenges the seasons create. Being in Kentucky it’s probably not going to be much, but it’s easier to identify challenges now or even spend a year traveling it to decide if you want to change something design wise. The differences between products is probably personal preference.

 

[backyardbandit]

Obviously concrete the whole way is ideal, but stupid expensive.
Concrete by the house and alphalt over a good base for the rest. Or concrete by the house and asphalt millings for the rest, and spray diesel on it when it's good and hot outside and roll it. Makes a nice road.
Over-engineer any drainage/culverts to avoid headaches later.