An asphalt driveway looks great when it’s new but after several years will begin to fade in color and may cause you to consider resealing it. After a longer period of time, cracks will appear, asphalt may crumble and eventually complete replacement will be necessary. This time period will be shorter if you live in a cold wintry environment that gets ice and snow.
A complete new asphalt driveway will cost around $2 – $5 per square foot. Resealing a driveway costs around 15 – 20 cents per square foot or about $50 – $200 depending on driveway size and whether you do it yourself or pay someone to do the work.
Asphalt Driveway Cost: Repair or Replace?
While most houses have a driveway, homeowners generally don’t spend much time thinking about it except when it comes time to fix or replace it. Often the easy thing to do is to replace it with whatever you currently have. If you have asphalt, you think about simply getting a new asphalt driveway especially if that’s what is common in the neighborhood.
The question becomes when should you look at replacing your asphalt driveway versus simply repairing or resealing it? Here are some tips to figure out whether repairing or replacing your driveway makes the most sense.
Age
Once your asphalt driveway hits the 10-15 year mark, you might be at the point where you begin to consider replacing it. The edges may be crumbling, the color has faded even with repeated resealing and cracks are more prevalent than in the past. At this point the driveway is probably starting to look its age.
Pits
Over time, asphalt driveways will develop pits where your car tires typically sit and the route that you drive up and down on will also begin to curve. Water will pool in these pits and when cracks appear, they can help to deteriorate the pavement further especially during winter when the water freezes. In addition to the physical effects of this damage, the look of your driveway isn’t great either.
Cracking
Over time cracks will appear on an asphalt driveway and while they can be repaired and filled, the average person won’t bother doing this. Cracks eventually get larger and crumbling of the driveway will occur. By the time you may get around to fixing it, you may end up with a patchwork driveway with mismatching asphalt between the old existing driveway and the newly repaired parts.
In general terms once your asphalt driveway has severe cracking on about 1/3 of the surface and is in the 10-15 year age mark, it’s probably time to consider replacing it especially if you live in a climate with extreme weather in the summer and/or winter.
Asphalt driveway sealant: Water or oil-based?
Replacing your driveway might be something you only have to do every 15 -20 years and you might not live in the home that long to even need to do so. Resealing your driveway is something that should be done more frequently, perhaps every 2 – 5 years.
The two types of asphalt driveway sealant that you’ll typically choose from are water-based and oil-based products. Each offers pros and cons that you should be aware of.
| Water-based asphalt sealant | Oil-based asphalt sealant | |
| Design | Water-based asphalt or coal-tar formulation. | Petroleum-based formulation in an oily suspension. |
| Protection | Coats and protects the surface of the driveway but stays on the surface only. | Penetrates the surface of the driveway and forms a flexible bond. |
| Cure time | Shorter cure time. Typically 24 – 48 hours depending on the weather ie. warmer is better than colder. | Longer cure time. Could take up to 7 days to fully cure. |
| Smell | Weaker odor. | Strong odor. |
| Pollutants | Tends to be more environmentally friendly than oil-based products. | Contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which pollute the environment. |
| Disposal | Can generally be disposed of in the garbage if you have unneeded leftovers. | May need to be disposed of in a local hazardous chemicals site if you have unneeded leftovers. |
Over time, oil-based sealants are being phased out in favor of more environmentally friendly products. In many jurisdictions, oil-based sealants are already banned and over time, coal tar-based products will also disappear.
Sealing asphalt driveway methods
Sealing an asphalt driveway refers to applying a thick black liquid sealant to the surface of the driveway to darken the surface and protect it from the elements and from wear and tear. There are several ways to apply the sealant:
Spray
This is typically done by a professional often by someone who goes door to door in the summer offering to seal your driveway. They use an air pressure-driven wand to spray the sealant onto the surface of the driveway and into any cracks on the driveway to coat and protect the surface. Using this method, an average-sized driveway can be completed in 15-20 minutes.
Roller
This method is usually a DIY one that you do yourself. You can buy a container of sealant from your local hardware store and using a paint roller you apply the sealant to the driveway as if you were painting the walls of your house. This is usually seen as being inferior to the spray method since you’re effectively painting the surface of your driveway only and won’t necessarily penetrate cracks and openings in your driveway as is achieved with a pressurized wand. Depending on the size of your driveway, this method may take an hour or longer to complete.
Brush
This is the preferred and proper way to DIY asphalt sealing: You pour the sealant onto the driveway and then brush it back and forth into the asphalt to not only coat the surface but to penetrate the cracks and openings in the pavement to properly protect it. By using this method, you’ll use more sealant but it will be better penetrate and thus protect your driveway which is why you’re doing this work in the first place. This will probably take more time than the roller method but will produce better, longer lasting results.
Proper asphalt driveway sealing technique
The video below shows the proper way to prepare your asphalt driveway prior to sealing but also the correct technique to actually apply the liquid sealant. If you’re using a paint roller like many people do, you’re doing it the wrong way. This video shows the correct brush to use and the proper technique to fill the cracks and properly seal your driveway.
Asphalt driveway cost vs concrete vs paving stones
Other than asphalt, concrete driveways and paving stone driveways are very common options to consider when replacement time arrives. Here is a table that compares the three options.
| Asphalt Driveway | Concrete Driveway | Paver Driveway | |
| Cost | $2 – $5 per square foot. | $4 – $10 per square foot. | $10 – $50 per square foot. |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years depending on your climate, how often you reseal it and how quickly you take care of cracks and holes. | 20+ years depending on your climate and how you take care of it. | 25 years or longer. The driveway may need to be regraded if the pavers move or pit where you park your cars. |
| Maintenance | Resealing every 2-5 years is recommended. You can do this yourself with a roller or pay someone to spray seal it. | Degreasing and removing stains is recommended as is application of a sealer. | If you have weeds growing between stones, they can be unsightly if not removed. |
| Repairs | Fixing and repairing cracks is recommended especially if you experience sub zero winters with ice and snow. | Difficult to repair. Entire sections of concrete might need to be replaced. | Individual paving stones can be replaced if necessary. |
| Benefits | Flexible, less prone to cracking than concrete. Cheaper to install. | Sturdier and more durable than asphalt. Doesn’t pit or groove like asphalt. | Many style and design options to choose from. A smart, unique look when new. |
| Downsides | Can get hot in summer. Heavy vehicles can create grooves in the driveway where they park. Requires frequent sealing as color fades, often very quickly. | Oil stains and other markings easily show up on concrete. Harder to repair. More expensive than asphalt to install. | Labor-intensive to complete which adds to the cost. Weeds can grow between the bricks if the ground isn’t covered with plastic or unless you use sealing sand in between the cracks. Bricks can shift and move over time. |
How much does a concrete driveway cost?
By way of comparison, a concrete driveway is often seen as a viable replacement option for an asphalt driveway. Expect to pay around $4 – $10 per square foot to install a concrete driveway.
As you can see from the picture above, the driveway is installed in sections and significant damage to one area might require the replacement of the entire section. This can be costly and you may end up with one section that is very new looking and doesn’t exactly match the older existing areas.
Having said that, concrete driveways do tend to last longer than asphalt driveways and require little maintenance. When professionally installed and taken care of, you might find that no replacement is necessary and you end up with a driveway that lasts (potentially much) longer than asphalt.
How much does a brick paver driveway cost?
Expect to pay $10 – $50 per square foot for a brick paver driveway. The cost can vary depending on where you live, the style of bricks you pick and the size of your driveway. While asphalt and concrete is generally a standard product, bricks come in many colors, shapes and sizes and different patterns may require more work.
Bricks can shift and move over time but bricks can be lifted up, pits can be filled in with sand and bricks relaid to maintain a nice look. In that regard, while maintenance may be required, it’s generally easier to do than concrete or asphalt.
Summary
An asphalt driveway is what most homeowners are familiar with and what most people will have at their house. Concrete and brick paver driveways are common alternatives but tend to be more expensive to install.
For the average person who doesn’t think much about their driveway, an asphalt driveway will suffice. If you have no interest to maintain the driveway yourself, you can pay someone to reseal it every few years as required to freshen up the look and help to extend its lifespan with little extra work on your part.