Chip Seal Vs Asphalt Cost

Paved roads and driveways typically consist of a cement foundation with a layer of asphalt on top.

Chip seal vs asphalt cost.

However don t think of it as fashion vs. Tar and chip paving for driveway is a low cost substitute which is often used in place of asphalt for driveways. The installation of a driveway costs most homeowners between 2 250 and 5 900. Chipseal and repaving are two options for resurfacing an existing road or driveway.

The average cost of asphalt paving is 4 500 while the average price of a gravel driveway is about 1 500. Asphalt lasts 10 15 years and a chip seal driveway will give you 5 7 years. Both refer to a sticky liquid or semi liquid form of petroleum. Two of the most traditional types chip seal and asphalt offer similar smooth surfaces with a variety of different finish options.

In a chip seal road a thin layer of asphalt is laid down before layers of crushed stone and aggregate are compacted on top of the asphalt. The engineer john mcadam invented the revolutionary crushed stone layer roads with binders in the early 1800s. Natural beauty because of the stones used a tar and chip driveway will have a very natural and elegant appearance. Lower overall cost in terms of cost tar and chip driveways are slightly more expensive than gravel while being slightly less expensive than asphalt.

Chip seal is also known as macadam named for a scottish pioneer for paved roads. The benefits of tar and chip driveways include. Shorter longevity doesn t mean it isn t as good to drive on. The rule of thumb prices per square foot of chip sealing for roads is different for doing a driveway.

Tar and chip is characterized with a rough texture however it offers more solidity compared to plain gravel. The cost of chip seal or as it is sometimes called tar and chip for a driveway is almost always less expensive than standard new blacktop driveway. These methods can extend the life of a road or driveway and avoid the cost of entirely rebuilding the pathway. There are lots of options to choose from when considering which type of paved surface is right for your project.

Today most tar and chip paving does not use genuine tar but is instead comprised of liquid asphalt aka bitumen. While the chip seal is a very effective low cost option for paving or road repair work it does have some drawbacks. The paving surface is made using liquid form of asphalt and stone. Chip seal roads tend to have a surface that handles wear a bit rougher than asphalt that typically will generate more road noise when driving at higher speeds.