If you need a parking lot installed in your commercial facility or a road, you would do well to discuss concrete as an option. While asphalt is a good choice as well, concrete offers some distinct benefits over this material. Note why this is and what to discuss with your road contractor so you can determine if concrete would work for your paving needs.

Safer driving

Asphalt does have a naturally bumpy texture, but an aggregate can be added to the surface of concrete that helps to reduce skidding and sliding even more so than with asphalt. You can adjust this aggregate according to the amount of texture you need for your area in particular; for roads that get very wet or icy, you might opt for a very large, thick aggregate that doesn't allow water to collect and pool. This can make concrete even bumpier and safer than asphalt.

Durability

If you ever wonder why asphalt roads seem to get damaged so often, one reason is that the oil and other fluids from a car will break down the petroleum base of asphalt and cause it to soften or crack. On a public roadway, you cannot control the cars that drive over a road and that means cars with oil leaks or that are dripping any type of fluid. These leaks can damage the asphalt so that it needs repair more often than concrete.

Heavier vehicles can also flatten the soft material of asphalt and cause potholes to form. While concrete might be more expensive to install at the onset, it can mean less repair over time, as it's not damaged by leaking oil and can withstand the weight of heavy vehicles more so than asphalt. This can make concrete a more cost-effective choice in the long run, and also mean less disruption of your roads or parking lot because of maintenance crews being onsite.

Eco-friendly

Concrete is made from materials that are easy to harvest and it doesn't require heat to mix the adhesives, as does asphalt; it's also very easy to recycle. While a concrete or cement mixing truck does need to continuously work to keep the concrete fresh as it's being mixed, it will use less fuel than what is needed to mix and install asphalt. Some studies have said that it takes five times as much fuel to mix and install asphalt as it does the concrete needed for the same area! This makes it the more eco-friendly choice for your road or parking lot.

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