Benefits of an asphalt parking lot vs a concrete parking lot in Columbus, Ohio

If you are looking to build a parking lot in Columbus Ohio, you may be wondering whether you should pave it using asphalt or concrete. There are advantages and disadvantages of both, but there are some specific benefits to using asphalt in a northern climate such as what Ohio experiences.

Cost
One of the biggest advantages of using asphalt to pave your parking lot is cost. Asphalt is much cheaper than concrete, about 30 to 40 percent cheaper, and though it doesn’t last as long, it won’t see as much use in a parking lot as it would on a road, so it will last longer. And asphalt is cheaper to repair or replace than concrete.

Time Frame
Asphalt is easier to construct, and depending on the size of your parking lot, you should be able to complete the job in a day or two. Concrete, on the other hand, can take several days or longer to install. Also, you can usually start using the asphalt within a couple of days, whereas concrete takes up to a week to cure depending on the season and the outside temperatures.

Weather durability
Everyone knows that the change in seasons eventually causes concrete to crack, and with Ohio’s extreme summer and winter temperatures, it won’t take long for it to happen in parking lots that are constantly exposed to the outside. Asphalt cracks, too, but asphalt is more pliable, meaning it has more give to expand and contract with the temperature changes from cold to hot. That means asphalt will be less likely to crack and the cracks may not be as bad as those in concrete. And when there are cracks to be repaired, those in asphalt are cheaper and easier to fix.

Another weather advantage to asphalt is that because it’s black it soaks up the sun’s rays. While that isn’t such a great thing in the summer, it is a big plus during the harsh Ohio winters. All that stored heat helps melt snow faster than it would on a concrete surface, meaning less time and money spent clearing off your parking lot.