One of the least expensive materials to pave a road or a driveway with is asphalt. Concrete is more expensive. Asphalt will cost anywhere from $1 to $5 per square foot, while concrete can cost anywhere from $3 to $10 per square foot.
All types of roads and driveways require a certain level of maintenance to remain effective and safe. Maintenance is a big factor in determining what material to use when paving a road or driveway. Since no road surface is completely weather resistant, steps need to be taken to limit the amount of weathering a road surface endures. Asphalt surfaces require re-sealing every few years or so. Low-end sealant can cost $5 to $8 per five-gallon bucket; each bucket covers around 400 square feet. High-end sealants can cost up to $20 per bucket. Concrete is stronger than asphalt but it can be more prone to cracking and fading. The cost to repair a crack depends on the size and width of the crack. It can cost anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars.
The bigger the project about to be undertaken, the more that it is going to cost overall. A long stretch of road or driveway will require more manpower and more materials to complete. If a driveway or stretch of road is in a remote area, it is going to cost more to get materials and maintenance to the site.
Asphalt surfaces have a cheaper initial cost of installation than concrete. However, asphalt requires more maintenance that will involve an investment of sealant every few years. One advantage of asphalt over concrete surfaces is that snow melts faster on asphalt because it is darker in color. Asphalt driveways and roads last between 10 and 30 years while concrete driveways and roads last about twice that long.
Concrete is made from a mixture of sand, gravel, cement, pebbles, stones and water. Asphalt is made from crude oil. It is usually made up of 80% carbon and gets mixed with either gravel or sand to become the material used on roads and driveways.