Why Asphalt Parking Lots Are The Best Option For Most Businesses
If you are building a new retail storefront or perhaps some offices then you will need to factor in the number of parking spaces you need in the overall layout of your new company. Quite a significant portion of workers in America drive to and from their jobs, especially in cities with very few public transit options. What you will have to decide is not whether or not to build a parking lot construction, but whether it should be asphalt or concrete. While a lot of people think concrete is the best option, in general, that is not the case for most businesses; here is a look at why that is.
Concrete Cracks And Breaks Easier In The Elements
Concrete might seem like a much stronger alternative to asphalt, and while in some circumstances that is undoubtedly true, in the outside elements, it often struggles. Heat and moisture can cause the concrete to expand and shrink, which will inevitably lead to cracks, weaknesses, and, soon enough, potholes. Asphalt, on the other hand, flexes a lot better in the elements and is not as prone to being detrimentally affected by rain due to its sieve-like nature. While you would always want concrete in the foundations of your home over asphalt, in this instance, asphalt makes more sense.
Easier To Replace
While you might agree that concrete breaks easier in the outside elements than asphalt you have no doubt seen an asphalt parking lot construction with issues of its own. Generally, that is a lack of effort by the management and not that much of a difficult process to complete. Asphalt can be spot-fixed without a lot of effort and once it is finished it looks good as new and is just as strong. Concrete, on the other hand, requires a lot of effort to manually saw out the problem areas entirely before replacing them, and even then, if it has cracked once, it will again.
Cost-Effective
No one wants to spend more money on their parking lot construction than they need to. Asphalt is, by far, the cheaper option and provides no noticeably worse experience for your cars. It is easy to paint, soft underfoot, and, as mentioned above, better suited to the outdoors. For a business that should always be making the best financial decision it can, there is little doubt that asphalt makes the most sense for a parking lot.
Contact a local asphalt construction service, such as Rocky Mountain Pavement, to learn more.