Asphalt vs. grass block pavers f/ drive
Hello –
we have a 10×80′ (slightly) sloped driveway that has many year’s worth of gravel that’s been packed down.
got prices on 16x24x3-1/4″ concrete grass pavers and it will take six pallets (50 each pallet) to take advantage of free delivery and $4.25/each for the blocks. This would be a DIY project.
wife wants a black-top – it will be easier to clear snow and less expensive. and the paving contractor would be done in one working day.
$1,200 for the black top from a reputable paver vs. $1,300 for the blocks alone, and I will need a 6″ crusher run base and 1″ sand base and back breaking labor and topsoil/seeding afterwards. Pavers weigh about 65/lbs each.
A bobcat would be needed to shave off several inches of the existing drive – that’s about $200/day.
I’m leaning toward the blacktop myself after being stubborn and snobbish against it. It’s not the cost but the prospects of a construction site mess typical of diy projects that drag on for weeks.
This one I dread as much as the wife.
Any reason to not go with blacktop ?
I did ask about an aggregate surface and contractor recommended against it.
A concrete driveway I did not look into.
Alan
Replies
IMHO, Black top is just fine. Why I'm writing is this is the exact opposite to what my parents just went through. Mom wanted anything but black top, and Dad wanted black top for winter cleaning. The black top won!!!!!
Some Ideas to "dress it up" would be to create a saw tooth with block on the edge of the black top. Adds to the price of the installation of the blacktop though. If you are looking for a little rustic look you can ask for the larger aggregate in the blacktop. It leaves the surface a little rough. This is the way my parents went. Looks good.
Thanks for the comments.
I would prefer the aggregate overlay myself.
The contractor, whom I feel comfortable talking to, said an aggregate layer would sortof peel away after 3-4 years and would need to be re-done. It's probably not as bad as it sounds - it won't be quite as maintenance free as a plain blacktop.
I guess it depends on the local climate, etc.
The edging details is something we do need to consider along one side of the driveway, which borders grass.
I feel comfortable enough to go ahead with asphalt and be done with it.
Happy wife is happy household....
Alan
The latest in Blacktop at least something I've seen lately, finishes out like the look of stamped concrete. A commercial co. here recently finished some of the downtown streets. I did not see how it was done, but its imprint is that of brick, complete with a solder course border. Looks nice, but it is blacktop.
Have seen one of those mowable driveways. Unless some detail is edged, confusing where to pull in. Looked good in the beginning but time has not done it justice.__________________________________________
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
All our downtown crosswalks used to be brick pavers until they started settling and shifting from the heavy truck traffic.
They were ripped out and redone with stamped brick pattern surfaces but my understanding is it's some sort of concrete.
Looks very good, just like brick pavers, and they are holding up well.
Alan
There is stamped concrete, but this stuff is definitely blacktop. __________________________________________
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
If DIY, why not pour concrete? You may even find someone to do the concrete for less than the cost of the pavers.
$700 for the concrete delivered (or <$400 if you've a mixer) plus your labor and $200 bobcat work. Leave a square for kids or GrKs to leave their mark/handprint, etc. Oil or gas spills on concrete are easily cleaned, not so with blacktop.