I need a fairly large area paved for the driveway, parking, and turn around for a crew cab truck and 40' boat trailer, on a roughly 245' deep lot with the 40 x 80 garage towards the rear of the lot. I have the gravel in (roughly 2.5 to 3' down to clay, with chrusher run and screenings on top). Some call for 2.5" up to 4 inches of asphalt, single coat, others reccomend two layers at 2" to 2.5" each. Thoughts? Located in central Wisconsin. Thanks!
Recomendations for asphalt drive?
- Thread starter jrz
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csp
Well-known member
Ever considered using recycled asphalt for the areas that aren't parking areas?
This is the stuff that is spread like a gravel drive, but doesn't have the dust that a gravel drive will have.
This is the stuff that is spread like a gravel drive, but doesn't have the dust that a gravel drive will have.
Are you talking about tar and chip? Where they spray tar down and pour gravel into it? Or is it something different? Got any links to pictures?
An asphalt company I had quote me for my place suggested tar and chip as it's half the price and I'm looking for so much coverage. But I'm still holding off and think I'd rather have a smooth drive..
My drive is all 57 gravel and there is no dust at all.
dawg
Well-known member
parking areas should get at lest 3 to 4" of asphalt minimum!
driving areas 2 to 3" is fine.
I had my entire drive done with 3 " reclaimed asphalt (millings) with a 2" top layer of fresh asphalt.
been 6 years and still looks great with no cracking or sinking at all.
driving areas 2 to 3" is fine.
I had my entire drive done with 3 " reclaimed asphalt (millings) with a 2" top layer of fresh asphalt.
been 6 years and still looks great with no cracking or sinking at all.
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RAYJAY
Well-known member
scooterseats
Well-known member
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- Mar 28, 2009
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Be aware that if the paving contractor says 2 inches this is usually measured before compacting and you only get from 1" to 1 1/2" of final pavement.
mikester
Well-known member
The only thing I would consider important is the base. I would want large crushed stone but a lot of guys use RCA. I honestly dont think it holds up as well.
Is the wear surface considered grade 2 material and the binder considered grade 4?
Kurn
Well-known member
Also consider whether you'll ever have any large trucks (delivery,wreckers,mixers,etc.) using the drive.
What in particular do you hate about it?
nate379
Banned
Same here.
As far as what I hate?
Spill diesel on it and it melts it. gas not quite as bad, but pretty much everything I have uses diesel.
Leave something parked for a few days/weeks and it makes divits.
Hold dirt and mud.
As far as what I hate?
Spill diesel on it and it melts it. gas not quite as bad, but pretty much everything I have uses diesel.
Leave something parked for a few days/weeks and it makes divits.
Hold dirt and mud.
e-tek
Well-known member
Ditto for me too.....
I couldn't go crete w/o tearing up two entire driveways, but having same issues as above. Now I park my yard truck on plywood sheets....If you go asphalt, make sure its the last thing you do. Any large delivery truck (lumber, concrete etc) wil have a high potential for damage.
I have a good friend who is and asphalt contractor. I used asphalt for phase 1 of my build. It was done right, but for the reasons above, Im not really happy with it. I will use something else (concrete, DG, etc TBD) when I get around to phase 2.
-Jeff
gsport
Well-known member
i've got about the same size you are working with.. pulling around back and turning and backing a 36' 5th wheel into it's home... asphalt isn't the way i'd have done it (done by previous owner).. turning sharp and trying to get into position tears up the asphalt, little by little with the scrubbing of the tires..
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
I like asphalt as it will melt snow and ice in the winter before concrete ever thinks about it, BUT, if you leave a trailer parked on it for a prolonged period of time and it is warm out, you will have dents, it does fade out and needs resealed periodically. It is cheaper than concrete though but not nearly as strong by a longshot.
You basically heard it all...
You have to really watch any medium duty trucks on it.
The casters on my gas grill even sink in to it on a hot day.
Resealing cost me a couple hundred every couple years.
Trailers leave divots in the summer.
The edges are weak.
Diesel eats it.
Where my drive meets the road, the county plows destroyed it one year. (granted they came back and fixed it)
csp
Well-known member
what we call it around here is mill, its when they grind the road surface down to repave it so places its considered a haz mat problem
I'm not sure what's in your pavement or on top of it, but it's widely used around here and I've never heard a single concern about it being hazmat.
I like it as an alternative to gravel as it still is dark and helps with snow melting and doesn't have the dust that you do with gravel. It also packs well due to the oil binders that remain. Anywhere we park has concrete. Going concrete for everything isn't cost effective as we have a 1/2 mile driveway between the house and the road.
down here in quebec canada,because of the winters,we need 5" of 2" rocks,on top 0 3/4 gravel,mother nature takes care of that for about 1 year and then its the asphalt,2.5 inch of asphalt mix with a ruberize glue or tar,ive work for a companie that did asphalt for residentiel and commercial,spent many hours under the hot sun and the boiling asphalt
Thanks for all of the responces. The initial two asphalt contractor contacts seem to recomend 2 - 3" of grade 4 material with a 2.5" grade 2 top coat. I have a very good
2' to 3', two year old gravel base. I will try a couple of concrete quotes for comparison.
2' to 3', two year old gravel base. I will try a couple of concrete quotes for comparison.
nate379
Banned
I have about a foot of pit run and a ft of D1 fill (#1 minus) packed so tight you could barely jam a screwdriver into it. That was after scraping off the organics and getting into the natural gravel.
At least 2" of asphalt, but most places it's well over 3".
Still *****. I would rather have dirt and not wasted my money.
***** even more when the concrete guy that did a patio for me said he could have done the whole driveway for about $0.40 a sq ft more than the asphalt cost... so about $1500 more.
At least 2" of asphalt, but most places it's well over 3".
Still *****. I would rather have dirt and not wasted my money.
***** even more when the concrete guy that did a patio for me said he could have done the whole driveway for about $0.40 a sq ft more than the asphalt cost... so about $1500 more.