Deciding On Sealcoating Or Repaving To Repair Your Asphalt Driveway
If your driveway is faded and covered with cracks and potholes, you can probably have it repaired, which is much less expensive than tearing out your old driveway and installing a new one from scratch. The two ways to repair an asphalt driveway are sealcoating and repaving. Here's a quick look at the difference between the two and how to decide which one is right for you.
Sealcoating Is For Minor Repairs
If your driveway is in pretty good shape and has mostly cosmetic damages, then sealcoating may be the way to go. Sealcoating is similar to painting the asphalt. It restores the dark color, so it's a great way to rejuvenate a faded driveway. All cracks and potholes must be …show more content…
However, if you have extensive crumbling and several large potholes, repaving your driveway is probably the better option.
Repaving Adds A New Layer Of Asphalt To Your Driveway
When the paving company repaves your driveway, a new layer of asphalt is put down on top of the old asphalt. This procedure is ideal if your driveway has a lot of large alligator cracks that are difficult to cover with sealcoating. It's also much easier to fill in large potholes with asphalt during the repaving process. Repaving is the sure way to seal all the cracks, which important because water seeping into cracks leads to further damage.
Once the new paving is cured, you may want to add a sealcoat to it for additional protection and to prolong the life of your driveway. You may need to add a new sealcoat every few years to maintain the color of the asphalt and to cover repair patches on cracks and holes. Whether you choose sealcoating or repaving, your driveway has to be cleaned first so the new coat will stick. That means removing all dirt, weeds, and oil stains. In addition, cracks and holes should be repaired with filler or gravel, so they don't create weak areas in the new top
If your driveway is faded and covered with cracks and potholes, you can probably have it repaired, which is much less expensive than tearing out your old driveway and installing a new one from scratch. The two ways to repair an asphalt driveway are sealcoating and repaving. Here's a quick look at the difference between the two and how to decide which one is right for you.
Sealcoating Is For Minor Repairs
If your driveway is in pretty good shape and has mostly cosmetic damages, then sealcoating may be the way to go. Sealcoating is similar to painting the asphalt. It restores the dark color, so it's a great way to rejuvenate a faded driveway. All cracks and potholes must be …show more content…
However, if you have extensive crumbling and several large potholes, repaving your driveway is probably the better option.
Repaving Adds A New Layer Of Asphalt To Your Driveway
When the paving company repaves your driveway, a new layer of asphalt is put down on top of the old asphalt. This procedure is ideal if your driveway has a lot of large alligator cracks that are difficult to cover with sealcoating. It's also much easier to fill in large potholes with asphalt during the repaving process. Repaving is the sure way to seal all the cracks, which important because water seeping into cracks leads to further damage.
Once the new paving is cured, you may want to add a sealcoat to it for additional protection and to prolong the life of your driveway. You may need to add a new sealcoat every few years to maintain the color of the asphalt and to cover repair patches on cracks and holes. Whether you choose sealcoating or repaving, your driveway has to be cleaned first so the new coat will stick. That means removing all dirt, weeds, and oil stains. In addition, cracks and holes should be repaired with filler or gravel, so they don't create weak areas in the new top