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Parking Lot Surface Options: Which One Is Right for Your Business?

A huge part of owning or managing a business involves making connections and achieving sales numbers. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in increasing your bottom line and lose focus on anything else, and as a result, the “little things” fall by the wayside. 

Unfortunately, commercial parking lot quality is one of these “little things” for many business owners. Because you walk right through — and right past — your parking lot every day, it’s probably one of the last commercial areas on your mind. However, it matters more than you think. When’s the last time you thought about your customers’ parking spaces? Your parking lot is one of the first impressions that customers and visitors get about your business, and poorly maintained asphalt or crumbling concrete doesn’t look good. It’s just common sense to invest in revamping your commercial parking lot.

Are you ready to create the commercial parking lot your business truly deserves? We’re ready to help with commercial paving in Burlington County, NJ. Here’s your go-to guide for the different paving materials you might be interested in!

Gravel: A Budget-Friendly Option

Gravel can be an ideal option if you’re looking to expand an existing parking area or add a few parking spots to a small, cramped space. It’s affordable and eco-friendly, the installation process is quick, and the results can look quite attractive. In addition, gravel can speed up natural drainage in more watery areas. However, business owners looking for a long-term solution should steer clear of gravel if they don’t like these potential problems:

  • Snow and gravel don’t mix. Efficient snow removal can be very difficult or even impossible in gravel parking lots.
  • Gravel can create small dents, dings, and cracks on other vehicles in the lot as it’s kicked up by moving cars.
  • Gravel is harsh on tires long-term and can cause friction issues for motorcyclists and bicyclists.
  • As time goes on, you’ll need to replenish your gravel or have a whole new gravel surface installed, meaning you no longer benefit from the low initial cost.

Concrete: A Solid Choice — With Some Drawbacks

Concrete parking lots don’t suffer from the flimsiness — or vehicular damage potential — that gravel lots do. Concrete lots last a long time, can stand up to extreme pressure and weight, and require only occasional maintenance. This material may be worth considering if you’re looking for a solution for a smaller parking lot and live in a warmer climate. However, there are cons to choosing concrete, including:

  • Concrete is the least eco-friendly material to use for a paving project. Over the past few years, sustainability experts have recommended phasing out concrete as a building material altogether due to the high resource usage involved with concrete production and pouring.
  • Concrete is strong — but it isn’t invulnerable. In particular, cold weather can cause concrete to develop unsightly cracks, pits, and holes. These are difficult to patch and can result in recurring maintenance costs.
  • Concrete is a headache to remove. If you expect you’ll need to dig up all or just a portion of your parking lot for any reason — whether for a building expansion or as part of selling your property — concrete is one of the most difficult materials to work with. 

Asphalt: The Best Long-Term Solution

Sometimes in the context of commercial parking lots, the terms concrete and asphalt are used interchangeably. However, since we’re in the paving business, we know this is a misconception and could be costing you money. Asphalt parking lots actually combine many of the best things about gravel lots with the best things about concrete ones — and asphalt paving is affordable, too.

If you take the time to care for and sealcoat your asphalt pavement regularly, as well as act promptly to clean oil off asphalt, your parking lot will stay strong and sleek for years to come! We highly recommend asphalt parking lots as the “best of both worlds,” regardless of the size or shape of your parking lot.

Contact Stanley Paving to Book Service Today!

Have we convinced you yet that your business deserves the best? Give your commercial property that “something extra” with a smooth new asphalt parking lot from Stanley Paving. You’ll see the difference right away, and your customers will too! Get in touch with our team via phone or schedule service online today. We look forward to getting started on your project ASAP!