When choosing a material for your driveway’s surface, you need to keep certain essentials factors in mind. Obviously, the material must be strong enough to serve its purpose for a reasonable period of time. That said, you may also be on a budget. You should of course consider what you can afford when choosing which material is right for your goals.
That’s why you may be interested in crushed concrete. Local aggregate suppliers can easily provide it. This is a smart option to keep in mind for the following key reasons:
Crushed concrete is recycled concrete. It’s created by grinding up old concrete to replace the gravel found in new material. That means fewer resources need to be used to create it.
As you can imagine, this makes it substantially cheaper than new concrete and many similar options. While it’s still durable enough to function as a proper driveway material, because new material didn’t need to be generated, it’s more affordable.
This isn’t simply because the process of creating new concrete is resource-intensive. New high-grade concrete also needs to be shipped to suppliers. Because there aren’t many places that generate it, shipping distances can be fairly large. This adds to the cost. Fortunately, it’s not an issue you need to worry about when you get recycled aggregate from local aggregate suppliers.
Saving money is obviously a major benefit of using crushed concrete. However, that isn’t the only reason to consider this option. The following points illustrate additional reasons for choosing crushed concrete.
In recent years, it’s become increasingly clear that everyone needs to do their part to protect the environment. That involves taking steps to recycle resources when possible, instead of generating new resources.
This is another very good reason to use recycled aggregate. If you choose new concrete or a similar material for your driveway, that creates additional demand for new materials. As a result, more of these materials will be generated. That’s unfortunately not very good for the environment.
So, if you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to install your driveway, crushed concrete is a smart option to keep in mind.
Again, it’s also important to keep in mind that newly-generated concrete typically needs to be shipped fairly long distances to reach its destination. Shipping it of course results in fuel emissions. The environment will be much better off if you choose recycled aggregates from a local aggregate supplier.
You already know that crushed concrete tends to be less expensive than other materials. However, if you’re smart, you also know that the initial cost is by no means the only price you have to consider when choosing a driveway material.
You also need to consider its potential lifespan. If you choose an option that doesn’t stay in good condition for very long and requires frequent repairs relatively early in its lifespan, you could end up spending more money in the long run, even if the initial price was actually lower than what you would have spent otherwise.
Luckily, this isn’t something you need to concern yourself with. As long as you stay on top of basic upkeep and take steps to keep your driveway safe from damage, recycled aggregate will stay in good condition for decades.
Instead of worrying about replacing your driveway sooner rather than later, once it’s complete, all you need to do is perform basic maintenance from time to time.
Remember, when choosing a material for your driveway, you need to consider how your decision affects the environment and others in general. This is yet another reason you may be interested in recycled aggregates.
By using recycled material instead of new material, you free up space in landfills. Obviously, this helps the country use its space more efficiently. When there is more space available in existing landfills, it’s no longer necessary to build new ones.
Choosing the right material for your driveway can seem like a complex process. When you finally make a decision you’re happy with, you might also be frustrated to learn it will take a long time to supply you with the material you need.
This is another issue that’s simply not a problem when you choose crushed concrete. It’s readily available from local aggregate suppliers, so you won’t have to wait very long to install your new driveway.
If you’re reading this, odds are good you’re planning on installing a new driveway or replacing your current one soon. However, in the future, there will likely be other projects you wish to complete around your home or business.
Recycled aggregates may also be ideal for these projects. Along with being an impressive and reliable driveway surface, crushed concrete can also be used in landscaping projects, construction, and much more.
Use it for your driveway first, and you may get ideas for other ways to use it around your property. Having tested it out on your driveway, you’ll be confident it’s the right material for other projects.
Some driveway materials are relatively impermeable. As a result, water runoff is sometimes forced into sewer systems. This overburdens the systems and can have a negative impact on their performance.
On the other hand, crushed concrete is known for being relatively permeable when compared to other options. Yet again, choose this material for your driveway, and you’ll be limiting your driveway’s negative impact on the environment and community.
Generating recycled concrete is less resource-intensive than generating new concrete. That said, it’s still a process that involves several steps. Numerous workers must complete a range of tasks to generate your recycled concrete and provide it to you in a timely manner.
Yes, your main goal is to ensure you have a driveway that looks attractive and serves its purpose reliably. That said, as many of these points have illustrated, the material you choose will also have an impact on others. Choose recycled concrete from a local aggregate supplier, and that impact will be positive.
It’s been shown that recycling aggregates and similar materials creates job opportunities. Specifically, because new concrete is typically created in only a few areas, it creates local job opportunities. That’s good for your region’s economy.
The more people have jobs, the more people can spend money, resulting in economic growth for everyone. Keep this in mind when deciding whether or not to use crushed concrete for your new driveway.
Depending on how many vehicles you own, how many guests you typically invite, and numerous other factors, you may need a larger driveway than is typical. This can make the process of choosing a material complicated.
If you’re on a tight budget, but chose a material that was relatively expensive, you may need to make compromises, installing a driveway that isn’t always large enough for your needs. There might be limited space for your vehicles, and virtually no space for those of any guests you visit.
This is less likely to be a problem if you choose recycled aggregates. Again, crushed concrete is a much less expensive option than many others. Thus, it’s easier to justify installing a larger driveway with it. You won’t have to sacrifice size in favour of durability.
With crushed concrete, you’ll get a reliable driveway surface material, while also reducing costs to such a degree that you can reasonably install as large a driveway as you need.
Most people reading this blog entry are likely homeowners considering using recycled aggregates for their new driveways. That said, some of you may also own businesses. Perhaps you’re thinking about using crushed concrete for various surfaces at your business’ property, such as a walkway or small parking lot.
Obviously, your business will save money if you choose an affordable material for these surfaces. You’ll also be taking steps to limit your impact on the environment.
That’s very good from a branding perspective. Consumer surveys indicate that today’s consumers are more likely to favour companies that practice sustainability and engage in eco-friendly practices whenever possible. Thus, if you use recycled aggregate, you can advertise this fact to your customers. Doing so may boost your popularity.
Regardless of your plans, if you need recycled aggregate, we at Hazell and Jefferies Ltd will gladly supply it. To learn more, contact us online today, or phone us on 0118 984 2684.
