Concrete driveways tend to be very white. Blacktop or asphalt driveways tend to be very black. Is there an alternative? You bet there is - it is called a tar and chip driveway. If you have access to colored rough gravel in your area, you can have a low cost colorful driveway that looks like a country road. Browns, grays, pale greens are all possible. In fact, if you are fortunate to have a resourceful gravel supply company you can even blend colors. My own tar and chip driveway is a mixture of light and dark brown stone chips.

For a proper installation of your tar and chip driveway paving, check out this inexpensive literature from the National Asphalt Pavement Association and the Asphalt Institute.

Tar and chip driveways are attractive, cost less and require little maintenance. Get a contractor to do the installation for you. Installation during the hot, dry summer is the best weather for the asphalt and chips to adhere, and a standard air blower removes debris without removing the chips. Here are more do's and don'ts of installing and maintaining a tar and chip driveway.

If you want to have long term success with patching holes and cracks in your blacktop or asphalt surfaces, here are some very important asphalt patching specifications.

Finding high quality asphalt repair patch can be just around the corner: in an old-fashioned supply store or at the four manufacturers listed below. Cold patch blacktop now seals better than before, or try an asphalt crack sealer compound with rubber for a slightly more expensive, but high-performance job.

Have you been bothered by your inability to successfully patch your blacktop and asphalt cracks and holes? Quite possibly you have not been using the right materials. It has just been within the past few years that high performance asphalt repair materials have finally started to appear at the residential level. Prior to this time, you had to have some expensive equipment and tools to deliver and install permanent patching materials.

Blacktop sealers can be made by just about anybody - but don't buy from just anyone. Here is a list of manufacturers and members of the Pavement Coating Technology Center who are dedicated to making high-quality sealers.

Blacktop and asphalt sealing is incredibly important for maintaining a good driving surface. With three basic types of sealers to choose from, which should you use? Follow these tips for an excellent sealing job.

Two of the most common driveway surfaces in the USA are blacktop and concrete. Concrete is often considered to be more durable than asphalt or blacktop. As such, it often carries a higher price tag. If you don't want to spend the extra money, knowing how to take care of blacktop is essential.