How Much Does an Asphalt Driveway Cost?

By Sarah Stasik

January 15, 2022

A driveway can make a huge difference in curb appeal and practical functionality. Pulling up on an asphalt or concrete driveway on a stormy day leaves your vehicle cleaner than navigating a gravel driveway does, for example. You're also less likely to deal with excess dirt and gravel dust being tracked into your home.

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Whether you're upgrading from a gravel or dirt driveway or installing a driveway on a new property, understanding asphalt driveway costs can help you make a good decision.

Is It Cheaper to Use Asphalt or Concrete?

How much an asphalt driveway costs depends on factors such as where you live, whether the land needs to be prepared and how big and long you want the driveway to be. That being said, when all these factors are the same, asphalt is usually cheaper than concrete as an installation material. However, concrete driveways tend to require less future maintenance if installed correctly, so they may be less expensive over the long term.

How Much Does It Cost to Pave a Driveway With Asphalt?

HomeGuide says installing an asphalt driveway for an average two-car location costs $1,200 to $4,000 (CAD 1,628 to CAD 5,427). However, you can pay less or much more if your project is for a smaller or larger driveway. For example, if your driveway is a quarter-mile long because you have a large front lawn, you'll pay more than those average numbers reflect.

To understand how the size of your project can play a role in the overall cost, consider some of these different average costs:

A small 1-car driveway (measuring 10 feet by 20 feet):
$600 to $1,400 (CAD 814 to CAD 1,900)
A large 3-car driveway (measuring 24 feet by 36 feet):
$2,600 to $6,000 (CAD 3,528 to CAD 8,143)
A road-type driveway through your yard (measuring 12 feet by 100 feet):
$3,500 to $8,500 (CAD 4,750 to CAD 11,536)

How Much Is Asphalt per Square Foot?

The per-square-foot cost of asphalt itself is fairly cheap. On average, asphalt costs $0.75 to $2 (CAD 1.02 to CAD 2.17) per square foot.

If you intend to DIY an asphalt driveway installation, however, this isn't your only material cost. You'll also need to install a subbase of crushed stone after preparing the subgrade. You may need to invest in tools and equipment, whether you rent or buy them, to do a lot of this work.

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How Much Does Labor Cost?

The cost of an installed asphalt driveway is $3 to $7 (CAD 4.07 to CAD 9.50) per square foot, according to data by HomeGuide. Once you subtract the cost of the asphalt, labor is approximately $2.25 to $5 (CAD 3.05 to CAD 6.79) per square foot. This is a rough estimate, given that there are other material costs to consider.

Some factors that can impact labor expenses related to a new asphalt driveway include:

Whether the professionals have to remove an existing driveway structure so they can install a new one
Whether the team has to prepare the landscape, such as shifting dirt or bringing in new dirt to shore up an area
The complexity of the driveway project, such as whether you want curbs or other structures for additional functionality or visual aesthetic

How Much Does It Cost to Repave an Asphalt Driveway?

It's important to consider how much it will be to repave an asphalt driveway, especially if you're comparing the cost of a blacktop driveway with the cost of a concrete driveway. Asphalt driveways last between 15 and 30 years on average, while concrete lasts 30 to 40 years. Once your driveway reaches the end of its functional life, you may need to repave it. That can cost $4 to $10 (CAD 5.43 to CAD 14) per square foot, including a new gravel base and all the labor involved. If you can leverage the existing gravel base for a repave, you may be able to save money, as the cost for repaving with the existing base is $3 to $7 (CAD 4.07 to CAD 9.50) per square foot.

If your driveway is in need of a little TLC but you want to make it more like new on a budget, you might consider resurfacing it rather than repaving it. The average cost of resurfacing an asphalt driveway is only $1 to $3 (CAD 1.36 to CAD 4.07) per square foot.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.

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