Asphalt Driveway - metal edge?

[ERD50]

Time for a complete tear-out of our asphalt (black-top) driveway. Our house sits near the back of a rectangular 1 acre lot, so the driveway is long. This is a big job.

I'm really interested in a metal (or other) edging. It seems that asphalt driveways crumble at the edges, with grass/weeds growing in and doing further damage over time. One place I got a quote from mentioned that the real advantage is that they run the compactor right over the edge, and w/o the edging, the edge isn't as compact and solid.

The second place I got a quote from kind of talked down metal edging, saying it lifts in the frost and they end up tearing it out for people. I'm having trouble finding anything useful on the internet.

Any experience? And this is in N IL, so winter and summer weather, and I hire someone to plow with a truck.

-ERD50

 

[Ronstar]

I wouldn't do edging. I have some spots where my 20+ yo asphalt has crumbled along the edges, but I think a rusty metal edge would be more of a headache.

 

[JoeWras]

My sister, also N. IL, had a concrete edge put in. It generally works OK, although in some parts the asphalt kind of subsided next to the concrete collar.

 

[kgtest]

I've seen people use stone in conjunction with concrete..that looks nice. as for asphalt..mine crumbles without edging...and i constantly hand pick weeds on the edges and then re-seed and water. Would be nice to eliminate all that and the repaving with concrete + stone edging. figure repaving every five years to fix crumbles is cheaper than the stone but doesn't look as nice IMHO.

 

[Sunset]

how about putting the gravel 4 inches past the driveway and then edge with paving stones ?

 

[latexman]

I don't think I've ever seen metal edged asphalt, so I would be leery. It seems like it would be somewhat similar to butting asphalt into a concrete curb, which is done almost everywhere. What kind of metal? Corrosion could be an issue, so beware. I would think the asphalt would deform in the freeze/thaw cycles IF the metal was substantial/heavy enough, like a chunk of concrete curbing. If they skimp on the metal, yes, it could be the weaker side and it deforms/lifts.

 

[ERD50]

Thanks. I have not got a quote for other edging, but I'm pretty sure concrete or pavers/blocks set in concrete is going to be crazy expensive.

I did say this is a long driveway, about 190' from road to coming up and around the parking apron. So about 400' of edging. $2500 to add the metal from one place, but I need to call them and get details on the product, I didn't find it with the name they used. But they did say it was aluminum.

-ERD50

 

[pb4uski]

I've never seen metal edged asphalt. In our prior home we did have metal edging that was used for the brick walkway.... it was ~3/16" thick and 4" wide and installed on edge.... it would typically heave up every winter and I would just tap it back down in the spring with a sledge hammer. Fine for say, 100' of walkway edging, but for 400' it might be a bit more of a chore (like 4 times at least). It was also starting to rust some

 

[MuirWannabe]

I don't have experience with your situation but it seems to me metal edging could always be removed at some point down the road if you either didn't love it or it started getting rusty and ugly. In the meantime it might have done its job in terms of managing the sides to be more solid.

 

[jazz4cash]

I would ask for advice from the guys that install brick paver driveways. Those pavers generally use a plastic barrier edge that might be suitable for use with asphalt too and maybe fewer issues with corrosion and thermal expansion. I got quotes for a patio and the estimator highly advised 12 in galvanized spikes instead of the 8 in plastic spikes that come with the edging. The plastic edging alone is 1.25/ft.

 

[Ronstar]

I would ask for advice from the guys that install brick paver driveways. Those pavers generally use a plastic barrier edge that might be suitable for use with asphalt too and maybe fewer issues with corrosion and thermal expansion. I got quotes for a patio and the estimator highly advised 12 in galvanized spikes instead of the 8 in plastic spikes that come with the edging. The plastic edging alone is 1.25/ft.

I've seen where regular steel spikes are recommended. They rust below the plastic edging making it tougher for the spikes to heave up through the holes in the edging.

 

[ERD50]

I would ask for advice from the guys that install brick paver driveways. Those pavers generally use a plastic barrier edge that might be suitable for use with asphalt too and maybe fewer issues with corrosion and thermal expansion. I got quotes for a patio and the estimator highly advised 12 in galvanized spikes instead of the 8 in plastic spikes that come with the edging. The plastic edging alone is 1.25/ft.

I think I will do that. We had a paver/block patio put in years ago, and they used that plastic edging and spikes. It's held up well, little/no frost heaving. I think the only place I had any issue at all is where we have some bushes, and the soil got exposed so there really wasn't any backing to the plastic barrier - not really the barrier's fault.

Hmmm, thinking about why the asphalt people don't talk about that, and I realize asphalt is poured HOT, and stays HOT a long time (hours?). I bet that plastic can't take the heat?


-ERD50

 

[Senator]

I just put in two parking lots. Make sure you have 3" asphalt, and the edges will be fine.

 

[jazz4cash]

I've seen where regular steel spikes are recommended. They rust below the plastic edging making it tougher for the spikes to heave up through the holes in the edging.

I've seen that too even with galvanized but I think regular steel will disintegrate but the galvanized swells up. Of course it will eventually disintegrate as well so maybe alternate with the plastic spikes.

 

[jazz4cash]

I think I will do that. We had a paver/block patio put in years ago, and they used that plastic edging and spikes. It's held up well, little/no frost heaving. I think the only place I had any issue at all is where we have some bushes, and the soil got exposed so there really wasn't any backing to the plastic barrier - not really the barrier's fault.



Hmmm, thinking about why the asphalt people don't talk about that, and I realize asphalt is poured HOT, and stays HOT a long time (hours?). I bet that plastic can't take the heat?





-ERD50

You're probably right about the heat. I think Senator has the best answer. Older driveway probably has a good base and won't have as many issues.

 

[Newventurer]

Maybe this....

https://allaboutdriveways.com/asphalt-driveways/faqs/asphalt-installation/asphalt-edges/

 

[Sunset]

Why not a gravel driveway and just pave, or pour concrete for the parking section, but have the 190' driveway some type of gravel ?

 

[cooch96]

I don't think there is an affordable plastic tough enough to hold up to the heat and vibration that goes into placing Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). I'd be very suspicious of steel edges, any edges durable enough to hold up during the placement would likely be expensive and act as a heat sink. And if HMA gets cold too quickly, it won't set Right.

Do you know if your driveway is on improved sub base? My experience is only paving highway and city streets and we always place HMA on 4-8" of compacted crushed rock for drainage. Crushed rock on the edge of a shoulder keeps the weeds away, and shoulder edges rarely get driven on. we always cast against a concrete curb and gutter on city streets so you can compact all the way to the edge.

I think concrete curb on both sides would look nicer. Your cheapest option is probably to widen the driveway with crushed rock (like a highway shoulder) and stay away from the edges, especially on hot days.

 

[jollystomper]

Maybe this....

https://allaboutdriveways.com/asphalt-driveways/faqs/asphalt-installation/asphalt-edges/

+1

We have our driveway redone several years ago. The edges so far are fine. They tapered them and then I added crushed rock where the edges were above the soil, particular in areas where the cars tended to drive off of the driveway onto the grass. So far it has worked well.

 

[SonofCohoes]

I don't think there is an affordable plastic tough enough to hold up to the heat and vibration that goes into placing Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). I'd be very suspicious of steel edges, any edges durable enough to hold up during the placement would likely be expensive and act as a heat sink. And if HMA gets cold too quickly, it won't set Right.

Do you know if your driveway is on improved sub base? My experience is only paving highway and city streets and we always place HMA on 4-8" of compacted crushed rock for drainage. Crushed rock on the edge of a shoulder keeps the weeds away, and shoulder edges rarely get driven on. we always cast against a concrete curb and gutter on city streets so you can compact all the way to the edge.

I think concrete curb on both sides would look nicer. Your cheapest option is probably to widen the driveway with crushed rock (like a highway shoulder) and stay away from the edges, especially on hot days.

+1

 

[ERD50]

Maybe this....

https://allaboutdriveways.com/asphalt-driveways/faqs/asphalt-installation/asphalt-edges/

I did find that one, not much mention of metal edges, I am starting to wonder about this. A guy down the street (who I don't talk to, long story, but he's the neighberhood 'oddball' - in a not so nice way) just got a new driveway, and from what I could see driving by, he got metal edging. I need to try to get a closer look.

Why not a gravel driveway and just pave, or pour concrete for the parking section, but have the 190' driveway some type of gravel ?

Gravel is a pain in snow country. Plow will push it into the grass. I hate a gravel-grass edge, it's a mess. Concrete cracks with freeze/thaw here.

I don't think there is an affordable plastic tough enough to hold up to the heat and vibration that goes into placing Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). I'd be very suspicious of steel edges, any edges durable enough to hold up during the placement would likely be expensive and act as a heat sink. And if HMA gets cold too quickly, it won't set Right.

Do you know if your driveway is on improved sub base? My experience is only paving highway and city streets and we always place HMA on 4-8" of compacted crushed rock for drainage. Crushed rock on the edge of a shoulder keeps the weeds away, and shoulder edges rarely get driven on. we always cast against a concrete curb and gutter on city streets so you can compact all the way to the edge.

I think concrete curb on both sides would look nicer. Your cheapest option is probably to widen the driveway with crushed rock (like a highway shoulder) and stay away from the edges, especially on hot days.

I think the base is sufficient, and the quotes I got will add $ for adding extra if needed. They obviously won't know until they dig it up.

The edges I don't think are crumbling from driving on the edge, or poor base. It's just softer there since they can't compact as much, and it crumbles with age and grass/weeds getting in.

Crushed rock on the side? I would think I'd just get grass and weeds growing into that? Hmmmm crushed rock and plastic edging for the rock? With that plastic barrier against grass roots, and occasional spot spraying, that might work?

I have not priced out a concrete curb, I assume that is big $$$. The city added a concrete 'ribbon' when they re-did our streets, and that's nice. Provides a definite edge and little/no grass creep. They said main advantage is cars/trucks do drive over the edge, so the concrete prevents that crumbling. But crushed rock and plastic edging might accomplish that same thing for me.

I need to talk to the people who gave me quotes now.

thanks - ERD50

 

[joeea]

It seems that asphalt driveways crumble at the edges, with grass/weeds growing in and doing further damage over time.

If constructed correctly (deep enough, enough drainage, compacted correctly, etc) an asphalt driveway shouldn't crumble along the edges during the useful life of the driveway.

If it were me, I'd just make sure my contractor was top notch and skip any edging.

 

[Amethyst]

+1

We replaced a 27-year-old asphalt driveway this spring. It had crumbled where water/other people's lawn chemicals consistently pooled, but not along the edges. I think this is because we kept the edges trimmed so plants could not invade.

I had never heard of edging a driveway until this thread.

Amethyst

If constructed correctly (deep enough, enough drainage, compacted correctly, etc) an asphalt driveway shouldn't crumble along the edges during the useful life of the driveway.

If it were me, I'd just make sure my contractor was top notch and skip any edging.

 

[Rambler]

I've seen concrete edging, but never metal. Around here you can get a company that does concrete mowing strips for a couple bucks a foot. This stuff isn't quite as strong as regular concrete but it might work. We have a piece of our drive in asphalt, with no edging, and no sign of crumbling after 5 years, but we're in very rarely frosty NorCal. We had a majority of our drive in asphalt, but it wasn't graded and installed properly, and we ended up with a 10'x20' and 6" deep puddle in the rainy season, so we took it out and replaced it with concrete when we added more driveway for the shop.

 

[meierlde]

I just checked and there is a lot of discussion on precast driveway edging. A nearby subdivision did not install traditional concrete curbs but precast pieces along the side of the street. The curbing pieces did not fit together but you can buy precast pieces that do interlock.