Asphalt vs Tar and Chip, Which Driveway Surface Is Right for You
Asphalt is a hot-mix pavement; the Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association says a well-designed asphalt driveway gives trouble-free service for up to 20 years. Tar and chip is a chip seal: sprayed asphalt with a layer of stone chips rolled in. Pavement Interactive says the stone adds surface friction and puts chip seal service life on roads at two to four years, with five achievable.
What each surface is
An asphalt driveway is hot-mix asphalt placed by machine and compacted; the Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association recommends a 2-inch bottom course and a 1.5-inch surface course over 6 to 8 inches of crushed aggregate. Tar and chip is what engineers call a chip seal or bituminous surface treatment: Pavement Interactive describes it as asphalt, typically an emulsion, sprayed on and covered with a single layer of clean, hard aggregate that is rolled in.
How long each one lasts
The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association says a well-designed asphalt driveway gives trouble-free service for up to 20 years, and that sealing it every two to five years can extend that. Pavement Interactive says a two to four year service life is common for chip seals on roads, with five years achievable. That reference does not give a separate figure for private driveways.
Traction and weather
Pavement Interactive says the cover stone on a chip seal increases surface friction, and that chip seals should never be built on rainy days or when rain is predicted.
Keep reading
Sources
- Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association (via the Asphalt Institute), “Best Practices” for the Use of Asphalt Driveways, Technical Brief
- Pavement Interactive, Bituminous Surface Treatments (chip seals)
Frequently Asked Questions
The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association says a well-designed asphalt driveway lasts up to 20 years. Pavement Interactive puts chip seal service life on roads at two to four years, with five achievable.
Yes. Pavement Interactive describes the same process as chip seal, seal coat or bituminous surface treatment.