Asphalt Question - What is the right way to do it?

[RichTJ99]

Hi,

The bottom part of my driveway is not looking too good these days. It frustrates me each time I drive up about how ****** the driveway looks.

I am having a problem specifically with the bottom 200 feet (by 12 wide). It is pretty steep so pitch isn’t a problem in terms of water sitting on the driveway.

I had a few guys come out to look at it.

The guy I want to use doesn’t want me to bother breaking up the existing layers of blacktop. He wants to first clean it, then use his paving machine to make it an even base (its high centered), then he wants to use 3” of type 6 asphalt (whatever that means).

He said that when it was last resurfaced, that they only added to the sides where the tires were, not the center, so when the tire area settled from traffic (a UPS truck or two a day thanks to my wife’s shopping habits).

He wants to cut out a section about 2-3 feet across from where the old driveway that I am not touching will be mixed with the new section he will repave.

I also have a smaller 20x16 area I want to pave (its where my 5x10 trailer, and a few smaller items like that sit).

He quoted me $4900. He has a paving machine vs. the other guy who has a steam roller thing (probably not the right term).

Both came in at 4900 & the other quote said it was so cheap he wasn’t interested in the job.

So, after looking at my photos, is the guy correct about not ripping out the old? I always through you get the best results when you rip it down to nothing then use a few inches of item 4.

The guy who has the roller, said he would rip out & dispose of the old, and put new item 4 for 1500. The other guy said he would do it too but he said I was throwing away money by doing it.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[mikester]

I dont know the prices upstate but to me $4900 is dirt cheap. You get what you pay for. I live on the island and I went to high school with the guy that put down my driveway back in 1982. Its not even a quarter as long as yours but its 30' wide in front of my garage. Last year he gave me a price of $7500 to rip up the old, saw cut at the road so the seam will be even, and put down 6" over a base thats very much like RCA. If I wanted a 3/4 blue stone base the price would have been $1500 more. My old driveway is over bluestone. The only reason Ive held off is the quality of asphalt has changed over the years. The new stuff has all sorts of fillers. From crushed glass to recycled roof shingles. In my opinion the stuff just doesnt last that long. One of my friends that lives a block over had his done about 10 years ago and his has hairline cracks all over it. I would be pretty pissed if that happened to a 10K driveway.

 

[p_mori7]

If the current base is inadequate to support heavier vehicles, topping over will not fix the issue.

If continued heavier vehicle traffic is a concern, I would remove current asphalt and re-prep the base to at least 2' of compacted 0-3/4" gravel, then add a thicker layer of asphalt 4" compacted (6-7" uncompacted).

A hill exacerbates the deterioration because of added shear forces on the asphalt as vehicles accelerate up, or brake going down.

The depth of your culvert halfway up the hill also looks too shallow, but hard to tell in the photo.

A yearly or every other year topseal will help it last a long time.

Looks like a very nice property !

edit: A paver is for evenly spreading the hot asphalt...it still has to be finish compacted afterwards.

 

[Cemoto]

If continued heavier vehicle traffic is a concern, I would remove current asphalt and re-prep the base to at least 2' of compacted 0-3/4" gravel, then add a thicker layer of asphalt 4" compacted (6-7" uncompacted).

Two feet of compacted stone? That sounds like a lot of stone.

 

[DCarr]

I had about 4,000 sq ft. put down and the laid it with an " asphalt machine " and then went over it with a roller.

 

[RichTJ99]

What did the 4000 SF cost?

 

[nmanitou]

If the current base is inadequate to support heavier vehicles, topping over will not fix the issue.

If continued heavier vehicle traffic is a concern, I would remove current asphalt and re-prep the base to at least 2' of compacted 0-3/4" gravel, then add a thicker layer of asphalt 4" compacted (6-7" uncompacted).

A hill exacerbates the deterioration because of added shear forces on the asphalt as vehicles accelerate up, or brake going down.

The depth of your culvert halfway up the hill also looks too shallow, but hard to tell in the photo.

A yearly or every other year topseal will help it last a long time.

Looks like a very nice property !

edit: A paver is for evenly spreading the hot asphalt...it still has to be finish compacted afterwards.

This is the right answer. The cracks indicate an insuficiently compacted or drained base. You need to fix that or else any existing cracks will reflect up to the new asphalt layer. A good solution is to "crush and shape" the existing asphalt in place with a grinder, then recompact. Not too many driveway paving crews have this equipment though.

Exactly how to fix the base depends on your soils and frost. A reputable excavator contractor can help you out.

 

[DCarr]

What did the 4000 SF cost?

its been 2 years now ... approx. 4100$

 

[DonnyT]

So Rich, I guess the guy is just going to "cap" it with new asphalt, meaning go over the existing driveway. I did this to my driveway. They "capped" it with 2 inches of new asphalt. The cost was 1,000 here in Rockland County. 10 years ago though.

 

[RichTJ99]

It sounded like he was going to cap it, then once that was level, he would use an additional 3" of asphalt. Is that sufficient?

 

[TommyK]

It sounded like he was going to cap it, then once that was level, he would use an additional 3" of asphalt. Is that sufficient?

Whether or not it is sufficient depends on the service life you expect from the repair. If you are looking for five years I would say it is sufficient. If you are looking for 20 years I would say it is insufficient.

The "right" way to do it is to address the underlying base material issue which is the root of the problem.

If you go with the shim and overlay approach make sure he puts tack down.