Interlocking Paver Driveway or Asphalt. Which is the Better Choice?
Which is the better choice for homeowners in Ottawa? Well, like everything in life there are pros and cons and the customer’s choice can be influenced by price, design and lifestyle. This article will investigate some of the difference and hopefully help you choose the right option for your home. Spoiler alert, driveway extensions are the best way to get the customization of interlock at a fraction of the cost.
If after reading this article you aren’t then you can always contact us to help clarify any questions you might have.
Why Should You Choose Interlocking Pavers For Your Driveway?
The obvious benefit of choosing interlock is the beauty they add to your home. They can accentuate and extend your porch/patio and compliment the colours of your home. Homes with full interlock driveways make a big visual impact and stand out as a vibrant feature of the home.
Customization:
Interlock is a fully customizable choice. As the owner you can choose colours, styles, textures, sizes and patterns. Not only that, customers often mix and match colours, styles, and patterns for an even more dramatic effect! With so many manufacturers these choices expand further.
As for asphalt, you really only have one choice, black. When comparing interlock with asphalt in customization it’s a clear winner.
Durability:
Interlock pavers are the strongest material you could put on your driveway. They can withstand the heavy load from vehicles driving on them for years and years. As long as the interlock driveway has a solid foundation the paver driveway will last far longer than anything asphalt. Often times you will see heaving, rolling and sagging interlock driveways. This is because of a poor installation and not durability of the product.
Asphalt can be durable but because of the nature of the product it is not flexible and it is only a matter of time before the elements take away aggregate or freezing and thawing shows signs of cracking. Very heavy loads like car jacks and trailers can leave divots in the asphalt which creates an area for water pool.
Paver driveways with a solid foundation will look as good as day they were installed after 10 years. The same cannot be said about asphalt. In this category, interlock is the better choice.
Repairable:
Interlock is a popular choice in Ottawa because we do experience a lot of freezing and thawing. This expansion and contraction can create uneven surfaces in some circumstances. If you experience this it is a fairly simple process to remove the pavers and repair the foundation. If a paver were to crack they can be replaced by removing the broken one and replacing it with a new one. Also, paver’s come with a warranty so that is a nice bonus.
Asphalt is not really repairable at all. Once aggregate is washed away there isn’t anything that can be done to smooth out the surface. Cracks can be filled with crack filler but it’s our opinion that this doesn’t look very clean, neat or beautiful. Unless you have been regularly sealing your asphalt then it is a matter of time before your driveway will be scarred.
Whether it is ten or twenty-five years later a neglected paver driveway can be rebuilt and there are options for restoration. As for asphalt, there really are no options except tearing it out and starting over. Interlock is dominating so far… but there is hope for asphalt, keep reading.
Low Maintenance:
Once installed pavers require no maintenance to maintain the structure. However, things can be done to keep them cosmetically looking good. Sealing the pavers will prevent them from staining and will make washing them in the future a much easier process. The spaces between pavers are filled with polymeric sand which prevents weeds from growing between the pavers. Over time this material will wear away but it was be replaced and renewed with an afternoons work.
Asphalt is also low maintenance. An annual sealer will ensure a smooth and crack free surface for as long as it is maintained. This will cost on average $150 and 4 hours of your time or $300 for a professional company to do it. However, if you neglect your driveway it is going to crack and lose aggregate very fast.
Because the maintenance on the interlock driveway is optional we have to give the category to interlock choice.
Cost:
Interlock is a very labour intensive process that requires laying each brick by hand. Naturally, it is going to be a more expensive option when compared to asphalt. Depending on the scope of your project it could be x3 times the price. So far we have given each category to the interlock driveway… we know this category is the most important for most of our clients.
Asphalt is one of the cheapest options when it comes to resurfacing your driveway without relaying a foundation it is a quick and easy process that can be done in half a day.
Why Not Have the Best of Both Worlds?
Interlock Driveway Extensions
If you want the durability, beauty and customization an interlock driveway offers without the super high cost then a driveway extension is a perfect way to achieve this. In a single day, we can install a lovely border, add beauty, customization while increasing the available parking at a fraction of the cost of full interlock driveway.
During our design and planning process, we can get you an amazing interlock driveway that will satisfy your budget and give you the style as well. Give us a call or fill out the form and we will help you customize a driveway extension that will tick all the boxes.