Asphalt paving questions

It depends on the job, which is why every estimate is done on site and is free. The biggest factors are the size of the area, the compacted asphalt thickness, how much tear-out, grading and base rock the job needs, any drainage work, and how easy it is to get trucks in. Small jobs usually cost more per square foot than large ones. Asphalt prices also move with the price of oil, since the binder is a petroleum product.

Usually because they are not bidding the same job. One quote might be 2 inches of asphalt laid over the old gravel. Another might include tearing out, adding base rock, compacting it and laying 3 inches. Ask every contractor to write down the compacted asphalt thickness, the base depth, the tear-out and any drainage work, then compare line by line.

Call (866) 490-7680 or send the form. We set a time to come out, measure the area and look at the current surface, the base, the drainage and access for trucks. Then you get a written quote that spells out the asphalt thickness, the base work and the prep. The estimate is free.

Yes. Free estimates and 25% off apply. Ask about the 25% off during your estimate and we will go over it with you.

Residential driveways commonly get 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over a compacted aggregate base, typically 4 to 8 inches of base rock. Parking lots usually need more, commonly 3 to 4 inches of asphalt placed in two lifts, and a thicker base where delivery trucks, dumpsters or buses will drive. Soft clay or wet ground calls for more base.

Once the base is ready, most residential driveways are paved in a day. Tear-out, grading and base work can add a day or more. Parking lots and roads depend on their size and how much base work they need. Weather also sets the schedule, because asphalt has to go down on dry ground.

For a driveway, plan on keeping cars off for about 2 to 3 days, longer in hot weather. Keep heavy trucks, campers and trailers off for a week or more. Parking lots are often opened to cars within a day or so once the surface has fully cooled. We will tell you the timing for your job.

Asphalt firms up as it cools, but it keeps curing and hardening for months, commonly 6 to 12 months. During that first stretch, especially on hot days, avoid turning your wheels while parked, and keep kickstands, jack stands, trailer tongues and other sharp point loads off the surface.

Not right away. New asphalt usually needs to cure for about 6 months to a year before the first sealcoat. After that, driveways are commonly resealed every 2 to 3 years, depending on traffic and sun. Sealcoat helps keep water, sun and oil drips from wearing down the surface.

Often, yes. The existing gravel can become part of the base once it is regraded, soft spots are dug out, new base rock is added where it is thin and the whole thing is compacted. Then hot mix goes on top. Where the gravel is thin over clay or holds water, it takes more base work, and we will show you where on the estimate.

Sometimes. If the old surface is mostly sound, with cracks but no soft, sinking or broken-up spots, an overlay of new hot mix can work after repairs and a tack coat. If the base has failed, with potholes, alligator cracking or spots that move under weight, an overlay will copy the old problems. Then the failed areas, or the whole surface, need to come out and the base needs to be rebuilt. Overlays also raise the surface, so garage floors, walks and drains have to be checked.

Water is what ruins asphalt. It softens the base, and in winter it freezes and heaves it. We set the grade so water sheds off the surface, usually around a 2 percent slope (about a quarter inch per foot), and look at where it goes next: ditches, culverts, downspouts and low spots. Sometimes that means regrading a shoulder, adding a culvert or raising a low area before paving.

Hot mix has to be compacted while it is still hot, and in cold weather it cools too fast to compact well. That is why most paving happens from spring through fall, usually when the ground is dry and air temperatures are above about 50 degrees. Winter is still a good time to get your estimate and get on the list for spring.

Hot mix asphalt gives the smoothest, tightest surface and is the standard for driveways and parking lots. Recycled asphalt millings are ground-up old asphalt, compacted into a firm, lower-cost surface that works well on long rural lanes and farm drives, though it stays a bit looser than hot mix. Chip seal is a layer of liquid asphalt topped with stone chips and rolled in, which gives a textured, rural-road look and good traction at a lower cost, but it needs to be redone more often. We will tell you which fits your job on the estimate.

Yes. Road construction is one of our core services, including private roads, subdivision streets, farm lanes and access roads. That work starts with grading and a thicker base built for the traffic it will carry, plus ditches or culverts to move water off and away from the road.

Yes. We are based in St. Louis and pave on both sides of the river. In Missouri that includes the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles, Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln and Warren counties, among others. In Illinois it includes Madison, St. Clair, Monroe, Jersey and Clinton counties, among others. That comes to 486 towns across 41 counties. Find yours on our service areas page.

Sometimes. A driveway entrance onto a state route generally needs a permit from MoDOT in Missouri or IDOT in Illinois before work starts. Entrances onto county roads or city streets may need a permit from the county or city. Rules vary by location, so the owner or contractor should check with the right office before the job is scheduled.