Tar and Chip Driveway vs Asphalt Paving

While you may not be familiar with the name tar and chip paving, you’ve almost certainly seen driveways and roads built this way. Or maybe you know it by one of its other names: chip-and-seal, sealing-chip, crushed stone or liquid asphalt and stone. Whatever the name, it’s probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “driveways,” as concrete, gravel, cobblestone, and tarmac are the more common sidewalks.

You’ve probably driven miles of paved roads and parking lots. Especially in rural areas, this way of paving has been used successfully for a long time. Plus, it’s also a good gateway option for those looking to keep costs down.

Asphalt Driveways

Asphalt is the most common material used for driveway paving and parking lots. This material not only looks gorgeous, but it also can be very durable. When installing asphalt paving the area needs to first be excavated and graded. After these initial steps are completed you can begin to pave. The contractor will then allow the base to settle before adding the hot mix asphalt to the surface with a heavy-duty roller. Once the mix is completely laid, only will the driveway be ready to use.

 

i. What are the advantages of asphalt driveways?

Asphalt has a number of benefits that it offers homeowners.

The advantages of asphalt consist of the following:

• Longevity – A properly made asphalt paved driveway lasts up to 30 years if installed professionally and maintained over the years.
• Durable – Asphalt has the reputation of being strong enough to support large vehicles. 
• Flexibility – Unlike other forms of paving methods asphalt can be very flexible. In other words, it is less likely to crack over the years.
• Cost: Compared to a number of other paving options, asphalt is very affordable.

 

ii. Asphalt Driveways: Things to Consider

Similar to other paving options asphalt has things that should be taken into consideration.

• Temperatures: In hot temperatures asphalt can absorb the heat and make its surface very hot. Which in turn can raise the temperature inside of vehicles?
• Maintenance: Although asphalt is very durable, it still needs some tender love and care. 

 

iii. How much does it cost to asphalt a driveway?

Pricing for asphalt driveways varies a lot. It mainly depends on the property. Based on previous projects homeowners can look to pay anywhere between $2300 and $10,000. When it comes to asphalt paving per square foot a homeowner can expect to pay $2.50 to $4.50.

Asphalt Paving Per Sq Ft: $2.50 – $4.50

Asphalt Paving Cost : $2,300 – $10,000 

Tar and Chip Driveways

Tar and Chip driveways give homeowners a more unique design. Over the years this paving method has been growing in popularity. Before you choose a contractor to handle this project, be sure to take these factors into consideration.

 

i. What are the advantages of Tar and Chip driveways?

Some of the advantages of getting a tar and chip driveway done include the following.

• Price – This paving option has been known to be one of the cheapest methods price-wise. Despite the low price homeowners can still expect beautiful results from this option.
• Process – Unlike other paving options, Tar and Chip are really simple. After laying a gravel base next is

 

ii. Tar and Chip Driveways: Things to Consider

• Snow Removal – Before removing any snow from a tar and chip driveway be sure to act accordingly prior to removal. We recommend homeowners to use a shovel or snowblower to clear snow off Tar and Chip property.
• Contractors – These types of contractors are hard to come by. Fortunately enough for you, Willies Paving offer some of the best Tar and Chip paving in Pennsylvania. We allow homeowners to feel confident that a highly skilled professional will handle their paving project.

 

iii. How much does it cost to tar and chip a driveway?

Due to Tar and Chip being basically asphalt and gravel we can compare prices to asphalt’s prices. With this paving option, a homeowner can expect to pay $2 – $5 per square foot. A full-on project, on the other hand, can be less. Homeowners can expect to pay anywhere between $650 – $3,000 for a Tar and Chip paving project.

Tar and Chip Paving Per Sq Ft : $2 – $5

Tar and Chip Paving Cost : $650 – $3,000

 

iv. How long will it last?

Homeowners can expect their Tar and Chip property to last 7 to 10 years. Typically around that time, you will want to add another layer to the property.

Which one should you choose?

At the end of the day, both paving options will be excellent for homeowners. Unfortunately, we can’t honestly say which one is better. Both paving options have their pros and cons as read above. They also work great for specific jobs. If you want to know which one works great for your property then reach out to Willie’s Paving for a free quote. We will have one of our professionals to come out to your property to provide a quote for the project.