Paving advice
Asphalt or Paving Stones
Which to Choose for Your Driveway in Quebec?
Cost, lifespan, maintenance, winter, resale value: an honest comparison of asphalt and paving stones for a driveway in Quebec.
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It is the great debate among Quebec homeowners. Both are good products, but not for the same budgets or the same priorities. Here is an unbiased comparison (we do asphalt, but we would rather have a well-advised client than a disappointed one).
Installation cost
Asphalt is considerably more affordable to install than paving stones of equivalent quality, and the gap grows with the surface area: on a double driveway, the difference is significant. Asphalt goes down in one day, compared to several days for paving stones. What makes the price of an asphalt driveway vary is explained on our Asphalt paving prices page.
Lifespan
- Asphalt: its lifespan depends first on the foundation and drainage, then on a sealer applied at the right time. Well built and maintained, it gets through many winters.
- Paving stones: the stones themselves last a very long time, but the base and the polymeric sand between the joints need regular maintenance (weeds, ants, stones that shift with frost).
In both cases, the foundation decides everything. Paving stones laid on an inadequate base ripple after a few winters; asphalt on a solid foundation stays flat.
Winter and snow removal
Asphalt forms a continuous surface: the shovel and the snowblower glide without catching, and de-icing salt affects it less than the joints between paving stones. Paving stones can shift with frost and leave joints where ice builds up.
Appearance and resale value
Paving stones offer more choice of colours and patterns, and give a high-end look. Asphalt is understated: deep black, straight edges, a clean look that appeals to the vast majority of buyers. New, sealed asphalt raises the perceived value of a property for a fraction of the cost.
Repairs
Cracked asphalt can be repaired easily and at moderate cost; a section can be cut out and redone in a single visit. Paving stones are repaired stone by stone, but matching the exact shade after a few years is difficult.
Our recommendation
- Controlled budget, functional driveway, resale coming up → asphalt, without hesitation.
- High-end landscaping, comfortable budget, a taste for patterns → paving stones, or a mix: asphalt for the driving surface and a paving stone border for looks, a common combination in Laval and on the North Shore.
Whatever you choose, build it on a foundation compacted in layers. That is the only “secret” that counts.
Request a free quote: we will tell you honestly what suits your property, your budget and your plans.
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Written by the Asphalte Pro Québec team, asphalt paving contractor in Montreal, Laval and Terrebonne.
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