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Tips on Asphalt Driveways – Resurface or Repave
You’re looking at your asphalt driveway and it appears to be
in rough shape. What should you do? Will some repair work do the trick? Should the driveway be resurfaced, or does the whole thing need to be ripped up and
redone from scratch?
Perhaps the best thing to do is to consult a few asphalt paving contractors and
get their opinions, and (often free) estimates. This article can give you a general idea of what’s going on, what to look for in an asphalt paving
contractor, and what to include in your contract.
Maintenance is good medicine, but it’s not foolproof
Asphalt driveways don’t remain smooth and black forever. You can take steps to maintain your driveway by sealing and protecting it, but often the effects of
heat, ultra-violet rays, and substances such as salt, oil, gas and grease take
their toll. And if those don’t get you, then cracking and water penetration
eventually will.
Your driveway may be corroded, worn out, or have cracks, which could all warrant
a resurfacing job if the condition is severe enough. As a general guide, if
repairs are needed on more than 25 percent of the surface, it is more
cost-effective to do a hot mix asphalt resurfacing job over the entire driveway.
Say no to cracks!
Asphalt pavement is hard and brittle, and as a result, cracks will develop over time. Ranging
from hairline to an inch wide or more, cracks are your driveway’s worst enemy
because they let water in. In colder climates, freeze-thaw cycles can be very destructive, and can wreak havoc on your driveway if water penetrates the
cracks, then expands as it turns to ice. And even in warmer climates, water
penetration can cause serious damage. The larger the crack, the more serious the
problem, and the sooner it needs to be fixed. Cracks that are left un-repaired will lead to serious deterioration of the pavement and even to the base layers,
requiring complete replacement of the driveway - sooner rather than later in colder climates.
Can it be fixed or do you need a new driveway?
Whether you’ll need to rip out your existing driveway and install a new one, or
if you can get away with resurfacing - or even some patchwork and crack-filling
- depends largely on the condition of the base layers, or foundation. However,
if cracking covers 3/4 of the driveway, the surface is too far gone to repair.
The root of the problems may come from lower down, and a complete overhaul
should be considered.
If your driveway has been resurfaced several times with hot mix asphalt and
keeps deteriorating prematurely, it is likely a problem with the foundation, and
you should consider installing a whole new driveway. Likewise, if there are
areas that have depressions or mounds, they should be completely reconstructed
from the base. If you have several of these areas, a new driveway might make
sense.
Various factors may cause premature wear
Although a properly installed asphalt driveway can last 15 to 20, even 25 years
if properly maintained, extreme weather conditions, extra-heavy loads and
shortcuts taken during construction can all cause premature wear and failure.
Stu Silverman is a home improvement advice
columnist and freelance writer for
http://www.ContractorGuide.com . You can find this and many other
articles in the Garage-Carport-Driveway category of http://ContractorGuide.com
If you are looking for a professional Connecticut asphalt paving company, please call us today at 203-579-2407 or complete our online submission form.
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