Blog

What Is A Resurface? A resurface is installing a new layer of hot-mix asphalt over an existing layer of established pavement. We are giving the driving area a new surface without doing any excavation or sub-base work. A resurface is very similar to installing the top coat on an R&R, which you can find more literature on here. Can Any Pavement Be Resurfaced? Technically, yes. You could throw asphalt over grass if you wanted to, but it doesn’t mean it’s going to last! Resurfaces are an asphalt procedure which have to meet a certain set of criteria to be effective and have a shot at longevity. First things first, the existing asphalt cannot have any sub-base failure. Sub-base failure shows itself in many forms, but most commonly in the form of tire rutting, alligator cracking, and severe settling. Unless you, as the property owner, are looking to waste money and resources, you would never want to resurface over asphalt that is failing due to problems with the sub-base underneath it. Remember, asphalt is only as good as the foundation that’s underneath it. If you have failure below, you’re going to get failure on top – it’s just a matter of time. Secondly, there shouldn’t be any extensive cracking on your driveway. Are we talking about surface cracking here? No. Surface cracking is going to happen on all asphalt at some point and it is fine to resurface over it. We’re talking about cracking that runs down to the sub-base, or in other words, cracking that goes through the depth of the asphalt layers. Asphalt “reflects” what is underneath it. For instance, if there is a dip in an existing asphalt surface and a new layer of fresh asphalt is installed over the dip, the dip will reflect to the new surface. In the case of deep cracking that goes to the sub-base, there are essentially two different planes of asphalt created. As these two different planes of asphalt are driven over, or as they go through freeze/thaw cycles, they will move and shift as two separate pieces. If there is a new layer of asphalt installed over this type of cracking, the shifting of the two separate pieces of asphalt will cause the layer on top to reflect that crack. In sum, we just want to make sure that whatever we’re going to resurface over has a shot at lasting. Resurfaces are not meant as an end-all-be-all procedure for your driveway, but when applied over the right conditions they can provide a homeowner with many more years of use without having to rip up the entire driveway. At the end of the day it all comes down to how well the sub-base was constructed, as that is the determining factor for the overall longevity of the driveway. Even the best resurface over a bad sub-base will not last as long as a mediocre resurface over a good sub-base. Best Application For A Resurface Resurfaces are best applied to driveways that have good surface conditions but have sank at fixed-elevations. Fixed-elevations are elevations that homeowners expect the driveway to be flush with. Most commonly garage floors, sidewalks, roadways, curbing, and concrete culverts are elevations that driveway surfaces should be flush with. Every driveway, at some point, was flush with the fixed-elevations around it. But often times, and almost inevitably, the driveway slowly sinks down and creates a reveal at these fixed-elevations. It’s very common to see 1-2 inch lips where driveway’s meet garage floors, sidewalks, and curbing – and sometimes the reveal can be more than that! However, the rest of the driveway can be in great shape and it doesn’t need to be removed and replaced. This is an ideal application for a resurface. By adding another layer of asphalt over the existing surface (usually 2-inches thick), the driveway can once again be flush with he fixed elevations that it touches.