Unlike asphalt it doesn t need to be repeatedly sealed and small cracks tend to heal themselves.
Chip seal vs asphalt driveway.
Another advantage of using tar and chip paving for your drive is that it requires a low cost of maintenance.
Asphalt surfaces provide an almost unlimited variety in form and flexibility and can last as long as 25 years offering excellent long term value.
Chip seal is commonly used in rural areas for its natural look and high durability.
Each of their distinct advantages as well as considerations that need to be made before moving forward.
To assist you in making the right decision we ve put together this comprehensive guide to both asphalt and tar and chip driveways.
Tar and chip driveways there are lot of differences.
A tar and chip driveway can cost little less than an asphalt driveway.
Asphalt lasts 10 15 years and a chip seal driveway will give you 5 7 years.
Comparing tar chip with other driveway types.
Shorter longevity doesn t mean it isn t as good to drive on.
Asphalt is the most common material used for driveway paving and parking lots.
The installation of a driveway costs most homeowners between 2 250 and 5 900.
Chip seal has a faster set time than asphalt as well usually a surface will need to be left alone for 12 24 hours for it to seal while an asphalt surface can take a couple of days before being ready for driving and even longer for it to fully cure.
Susceptible to weather damage chip seal driveways and roads are more susceptible to snow ice driving winds and other elemental forces than asphalt.
The average cost of asphalt paving is 4 500 while the average price of a gravel driveway is about 1 500.
Asphalt projects can last anywhere from twenty to thirty years while chip seal projects typically last ten to fifteen years.
If you are on a tight budget tar and chip paving may be an ideal option for your driveway.
Cost per square foot.
In addition there is the cost of oil to think about for an asphalt driveway as the cost moves according to the commodity price of oil.
However don t think of it as fashion vs.
The reason behind the lower costs of tar and chip driveways is that it s paving surface is made of a mixture of liquid asphalt and stone unlike an asphalt driveway which would be made purely of asphalt.
The more traffic on the chip seal the shorter its lifespan.
The surface can be renewed every 10 years or so by spreading additional hot bitumen and loose stone.
When it comes to asphalt driveways vs.
When you are choosing between both driveway pacing or tar chip understand that there are a lot of benefits and disadvantages.