Driveway Resurfacing or Repaving

Typically, a driveway should last the lifespan of your home. However, some situations can affect the durability of the driveway. Some major causes of driveway distress can be exposure to severe weather or a lousy replacement technique. You might realize that your driveway doesn’t look as new as it was and wonder if a driveway resurfacing or driveway repaving is the answer. Well, below is a guide to help you learn more about the two options.

Resurfacing

Resurfacing driveway is the process of re-coating or laying a new coating on top of the old one.

Reasons to Invest in Driveway Resurfacing

Saves money

You will save money by hiring a professional for asphalt resurfacing every year than spending money on a brand new driveway. The longer you will go without replacing your driveway, the more money you put back in your pocket.

Lengthens the lifespan of the driveway

When properly installed, an asphalt driveway can stay up to 30 years. However, you have to maintain the driveways by doing maintenance practices like seal-coating and resurfacing.

Improves the curb appeal

Potential homebuyers care much about the curb appeal. Therefore, if you have any plans of selling your home, make sure that you resurface the driveway. Resurfacing the driveway improves its curb appeal and makes it attractive to potential buyers.

Prevents over sealing

When seal coating is done more often, it can cause cracks. Resurfacing adds a new layer of asphalt and gives your driveway a robust surface to resist cracks and endure sealing.

Disadvantage of resurfacing

If your asphalt driveway needs repaving, resurfacing won’t be enough. While resurfacing might seem less costly in the short term, the endless upkeep will cost you more in the long run. You might think that the procedure has hidden all the cracks, but it won’t take long before the damage shows up on the surface through potholes and cracks.

Resurfacing is only applicable if the cracks on the asphalt driveway are smaller than a quarter-inch and shallow.

Repaving

Many driveways are big and visible, and when there occurs a crack along the stretch, the curb appeal of your home decreases. Repaving driveway is a little more complex process since it needs removing the old asphalt before applying the new asphalt layer. Repaving is usually the best option when three-quarters of your driveway is fissured. Large cracks are typically caused by patchy soil of gravel, which cannot be addressed by resurfacing.

Benefits of repaving your driveway

• A new asphalt paving increases the long-term look and the structural value of your driveway. When it comes to aesthetics, a new asphalt driveway is more beautiful than an old and cracked driveway. Typically, asphalt will look different after years of continued usage.
• If you are planning to do an extensive reconstruction, repaving is the best option. It gives your driveway the best result for appearance and structural support.

Conclusion

To repave the driveway, the old asphalt has to be removed, the foundation dug up and reconstructed. When you decide to resurface the asphalt driveway, you will only be filling the cracks, patching some holes, and resurface the whole driveway. However, all that will be in vain if the foundation is the root cause of the cracks. Repaving your driveway might be costly and time-consuming, but it will ultimately cost less than the multiple resurfacing. Contact Black Tar for professional advice if you are not sure about the right maintenance procedure for your driveway.