Asphalt driveway cost

An asphalt driveway costs $7 to $13 a square foot installed, typically around $10. A typical two-car driveway of 600 square feet is therefore $4,200 to $7,800. Concrete costs $8 to $15 for the same area and lasts longer; asphalt is cheaper up front and needs sealing.

The comparison between them is genuinely close and it depends more on climate than on preference.

What it costs

Asphalt or concrete

In the northern half of the country, asphalt's flexibility genuinely suits freeze-thaw cycles and it does not spall from de-icing salt. In the south, concrete stays cooler, does not soften, and lasts longer.

That is most of the decision, and it is why driveways look different by region.

The base, and why cheap driveways fail

An asphalt driveway is a flexible pavement: it moves with the ground and relies on the base to spread the load.

6 to 8 inches of compacted aggregate base for a residential driveway, more in poorly draining soil or where trucks will park.

2 to 3 inches of asphalt in one or two lifts, compacted while hot.

Drainage. A driveway that holds water fails from underneath. It needs a crown or a cross-fall to shed water, and somewhere for it to go.

A contractor offering a 1.5 inch driveway over 4 inches of base at an attractive price is offering something that will rut and crack in five years. Ask for both numbers in writing.

Sealcoating, without the folklore

Asphalt oxidizes in UV and the binder becomes brittle. Sealcoating replaces the surface film and slows that.

The honest version:

• Wait a year after installation before the first seal. New asphalt needs to cure and sealing it too early traps oils and keeps it soft.
• Every three to five years afterwards, not annually. Over-sealing builds a thick brittle layer that cracks on its own and looks worse than bare asphalt.
• Fill cracks first. Sealer is not a crack filler and bridging a crack with sealer achieves nothing.
• Beware the door-to-door offer. Driveway sealing sold by someone with leftover material from another job is a long-standing scam, and the material is frequently diluted.

Done on the right cycle it genuinely extends the life. Done annually it does not.

Frequently asked questions

How long before I can park on it?

Two to three days for cars, longer in hot weather. Avoid turning the wheels of a stationary car for the first few weeks, and keep motorcycle stands and trailer jacks off it, because point loads mark new asphalt.

Can new asphalt go over the old?

Over a sound base with no major cracking or settlement, yes: a 1.5 to 2 inch overlay for $3 to $7 a square foot. Over a failing base it repeats the failure within a few years.

Why is my driveway cracking in a pattern like crocodile skin?

Alligator cracking means the base has failed and the surface is flexing over it. It cannot be sealed or patched away; that area needs removing and rebuilding.

Does the season matter?

Yes. Asphalt needs to be laid warm, and most contractors will not pave below about 50°F. Late spring to early fall is the season, and the best prices are usually early in it.

Is a gravel driveway a reasonable option?

For a long rural drive, yes, at $2 to $6 a square foot. It needs regrading every year or two and topping up every few years, it is poor for snow clearing, and it is a third of the price.