From prospective clients to potential employees, your parking lot is a big part of the first impression your building makes. Obviously, people would want that impression to be a good one. An adequate number of spaces is just the beginning. The parking lot should also be a safe environment for guests. Asphalt is a popular car park material. It is inexpensive and quick to install. But, business owners should think long-term. More and more companies are choosing a concrete parking lot instead.
Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots
Design
One of the advantages of concrete parking lots is their design. Not only can it be textured, colored, and decorated to create a unique, appealing aesthetic customized to your business, and usually better looking than asphalt, but concrete surfaces are also much lighter colored, meaning that lighting costs can be reduced you can eliminate 3 of 10 light fixtures and still have the same level of lighting.
Darker paving alternatives absorb heat during the day and release it after the sun goes down, increasing the temperature of the parking lot and surrounding buildings during the summer months. Concrete’s lighter color reduces this problem. Concrete’s competitive price point offers myriad benefits you’ll enjoy for the next 30-40 years.
Low, Nearly Zero Maintenance
Maintenance costs for concrete are nearly zero, with only some joint sealing and annual cleaning. Compared to other alternative paving options, concrete has little to no maintenance costs during its lifespan. Periodic resealing with the proper product can extend the service life of your concrete pavement even longer.
Asphalt parking lots need to be coated with liquid asphalt every few years and be completely resurfaced every 10 years or less, causing interruptions of use of the parking lot for the business. As a business owner, you have a keen eye to “return on investment.” A lower price tag is not a great value if the product has to be replaced in half the time or less than the pricier option. In this case, concrete lasts far longer than asphalt, making it a better investment long-term.
Environment-Friendly
Concrete parking lots are green, runoff is low toxicity, and cooler than from asphalt surfaces. Also, concrete can contain recycled materials such as fly ash, slag, or recycled concrete aggregate. Most of the materials in concrete are natural and chemical-free. “Sustainable concrete,” which contributes to a stable rainwater cycle, is available as well. In the summer heat, asphalt parking lots soften and seep oils and chemicals, becoming unpleasant and unsafe to walk on. A concrete parking lot absorbs less heat, which keeps the office park from turning into a “heat island” that damages the local flora and fauna.
Effects in Heat
The heat island effect impacts all who use asphalt parking lots. Consumer and employee satisfaction may be adversely affected by the heat radiating off the lot on hot summer days. Asphalt absorbs the sun’s UV radiation to such a degree that summertime surface temperatures may reach 140 degrees F. At this point, the surface sometimes turns soft and oily, with residue potentially accumulating on the soles of shoes.
We are a full-service concrete contracting company. At Concrete Services Florida, we protect your best estimate. We know concrete is a big permanent deal so we make sure we always do our best. Type of projects we do:
Stamped Concrete