Most businesses and homeowners consider longevity when choosing driveways and surface options. The longer the lifespan of the material, the better.
Replacing asphalt surfaces can be costly, and knowing how long it lasts can help you plan your budget and inform your repair–related decisions.
How Long Does Asphalt Last?
Asphalt has the potential to last for 10-25 years, depending on the treatment you give it. With proper maintenance and care, you can extend the lifespan of your driveway by another 5-10 years.
Where to Install Asphalt
- Parking lots
- Residential streets
- Residential driveways
- Highways
Factors that Affect Asphalt’s Lifespan
Installation Quality
A properly installed asphalt surface is likely to last longer. For instance, improper edging of an asphalt driveway causes it to break down within a few weeks of installation.
When you decide to install it also determines and affects its quality. Installing asphalt when the weather is rainy or humid makes proper installation difficult.
Give your asphalt surface time to dry as using it while wet can lead to damage and will eventually have holes, cracks, and other issues.
Climate
Climate plays a crucial role in the lifespan of asphalt. The ideal weather for asphalt surfaces is zero temperature fluctuations, warm temperatures, and little rain.
When water seeps into asphalt, it erodes the sub-surface layers resulting in potholes from the air gaps formed beneath the surface.
Heat, on the other hand, causes cracks in the driveway.
Traffic Intensity
A few questions to ask regarding traffic intensity are:
- Do heavy vehicles drive over it often?
- How much pressure is the surface under?
- How many cars are parked on the pavement overnight?
The more traffic the driveway is under, the shorter its lifespan. To extend the lifespan of a regularly used surface, you can arrange regular maintenance and inspections.
However, an asphalt surface with regular heavy traffic is unlikely to last more than ten years.
Proper Maintenance
As durable as it is, asphalt surfaces require regular and proper maintenance to last longer. A tiny overlooked crack, without maintenance, could evolve into a pothole within weeks.
Regular cleaning, constant inspections, and quality repairs are important practices in asphalt maintenance. The more you use your asphalt surface, the closer and more regular maintenance it requires.
Material
The lifespan of your asphalt surface is highly dependent on the material and method you used during installation.
Warm-mix asphalt is a budget-friendly asphalt produced at lower temperatures than hot-mix asphalt. It’s not the best asphalt mix as it’s more prone to water damage and harder to install, which reduces its lifespan.
Porous asphalt is mostly used to improve drainage in parking lots. Although great at trapping heat, porous asphalt can reduce its lifespan when used on the wrong type of soil. It is not the best for high-traffic areas.
Perpetual pavement comprises several layers that make it durable, therefore, suitable for high and heavy traffic. Although its installation is expensive, perpetual pavement is the most durable compared to other asphalt surfaces.
Pro-Pave is Ready to Help!
Consulting a reliable paving company helps you better understand and lengthen the life of your asphalt surface.
At Pro-pave Incorporated, we provide you with a team of experts adequately equipped to handle your asphalt surface questions and problems.
For more information about residential and commercial paving projects, call Pro-Pave directly at 703-433-9500 or fill out our contact form.
