Keeping your asphalt driveway healthy for as long as possible is easy with the right approach. Asphalt is tough enough to handle the elements, but flexible enough to adapt to changing temperatures. It’s why, alongside concrete, asphalt is one of the two most common material choices for residential and commercial driveways in New Zealand.
As part of general upkeep, your asphalt driveway will need one thing every so often: asphalt resurfacing. But what is asphalt resurfacing, and when do you actually need it?
Read on for a breakdown of this maintenance item, our look at the process of resurfacing asphalt driveways, and signs it might be time.
What is asphalt resurfacing?
Asphalt resurfacing refreshes your driveway by addressing potholes, widespread cracks, moisture intrusion, and other issues.
In practice, asphalt resurfacing means laying a fresh layer of hot mix asphalt over the existing driveway, like a fresh coat of paint. The base remains where it is, undisturbed, while the worn surface gets a new lease on life.
Now, it’s not as simple as just pouring the hot mix on there and waiting for it to cure. What’s the point of asphalt resurfacing if it’s not a long-term repair? We don’t want debris, shoddy workmanship, or an improper approach getting in the way of those results. So, there are two approaches:
- An overlay, which just puts the new layer of asphalt on top of the existing surface (post-clean and repair).
- A mill-and-fill, which involves removing the top layer and then refilling the missing material.
Some people confuse asphalt resurfacing with resealing because they sound similar, but these two techniques are distinct. Resealing is like varnish; it reseals the existing asphalt with a new curative layer to protect what’s already there. Resurfacing adds asphalt and usually happens more infrequently.
The Process of Asphalt Resurfacing
If you’ve ever wondered how to resurface asphalt driveway sites, you are in the right place. Resurfacing relies heavily on prep work, so the process involves careful assessments and preparation before the resurfacing begins.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at our asphalt resurfacing process here at Asphalt & Civil.
Assessment.
We start by checking on your driveway’s condition with an on-site inspection. We’re looking for:
- How widespread the cracking is
- Whether there’s any sinking or pooling
- Whether the base is still sound
Asphalt driveway repairs.
Once we’ve determined any necessary asphalt driveway repairs, we tackle them first. This matters because a repaired surface provides the best base for new hot mix. The main reason homeowners deal with failed resurfacing in residential driveways is that teams skip this step, so we always ensure repairs come first.
Cleaning and edging.
We clean the surface thoroughly to ensure nothing gets in the way of the new asphalt bonding with the existing surface. In some cases, we also mill out the top layer of the old surface to make room for the new one.
Tack coat, laying, and compacting.
From there, it’s time to actually lay the new surface. This is a multi-layered system: a thin coat of bitumen acts as tack, then the hot mix asphalt is poured, rolled, and compacted while still hot.
Curing.
This new surface needs time to cure, usually for no more than a couple of days until it can be used by passenger vehicles. We’ll let you know the specific estimate for your site once the work is done.
After that process, what will asphalt resurfacing do for your property? The answer is: a lot. A refreshed driveway that lasts for many more years is well worth the minimal downtime it takes for a professional crew to complete this repair.
How do you know when it’s time to resurface your driveway?
You might not know when it’s time to resurface your driveway, but key signs indicate it’s time for a professional assessment. From there, the asphalt driveway specialist can guide you on the best next steps, whether that be a simple pothole repair or – in the case of widespread surface damage – asphalt resurfacing.
If you notice any of the following, we recommend getting in touch with professionals who know how to resurface an asphalt driveway:
- Widespread surface cracking.
- Ravelling (i.e. when the stone aggregates in the asphalt surface start to break free).
- Heavy fading down to pale grey from asphalt’s healthy black.
- Shallow surface damage like small potholes or worn patches.
- An age of 15+ years.
Any professional who knows how to resurface an asphalt driveway should also be able to tell you when this is not the right approach. In some cases, serious damage, large cracking, or repeated water pooling can indicate a failed base. Resurfacing won’t remedy that problem and will, in fact, only cost you more in the long run. In that case, a full driveway replacement is likely required.
So, what is asphalt resurfacing? In short, it’s a very effective way to repair your asphalt driveway when there is widespread surface damage. It’s different from asphalt resealing, requires a skilled team to do right, and should only be done if you can see damage accumulating on your driveway’s surface.
Asphalt & Civil; your trusted asphalt driveway repairs team.
Whether you need asphalt resurfacing or an entirely new driveway, the experts at Asphalt & Civil are here to help.
Get in touch with us today for a free quote on your project.