State’s Paving Asphalt FAQs

FAQs

What is the difference between asphalt resurfacing and seal coating my driveway?
The difference is asphalt resurfacing is a structural repair that will extend the useful life of your asphalt driveway or lot. It entails the patching (if necessary) and resurfacing of the entire asphalt surface with a new overlay of 1 ½” to 2″ of hot mix asphalt. Sealcoating is not a structural repair and may be compared to painting. The seal coat protects and extends the life of your asphalt driveway or parking lot, but does nothing to correct structural flaws. Seal coating can be used to mask small surface blemishes and flaws but not repair them.

Will patching my driveway look good?
This is a tricky question, but the answer is ‘it depends’. When your driveway is patched, the patch will be a black area in the midst of your existing graying / older asphalt surface, or if the driveway has been seal coated a rich black against a faded black color. Some people don’t care, as they know that they are protecting the investment that they have in their driveway. Others see it as an eyesore and have the whole driveway resurfaced or seal coated after the patching is completed. Depending on the area in question, patching may not be an option and resurfacing is the best solution.

Asphalt or Concrete?
Asphalt is a flexible surface that has the ability to flex with use and slight movements of the base. Concrete, which is a much more rigid surface, relies on its own internal strength to absorb loads and bridge weaknesses in the sub-base. Both materials will crack over time but unlike asphalt, cracks in concrete cannot be repaired and easily blended to be less noticeable.

Concrete costs significantly more upfront than an asphalt surface of comparable strength and requires no real maintenance after completion. Asphalt is usually 40-50% less in upfront cost and even with the suggested maintenance of seal coating every 3-4 years; over a 20 year time period an asphalt driveway still costs less than concrete.

When should I seal coat my new drive? And how often?
A new asphalt driveway should not be sealed sooner than 90 days. We generally recommend sealing a new driveway 1 year after completion. This is usually gauged by the amount of direct sunlight, traffic and freeze/thaw patterns that an area gets. As a rule, we recommend seal coating every 1-2 years.

How long will the repaving/resurfacing process take?
At the start of each project we will go over time frame and scheduling to minimize any inconvenience. Generally, driveway paving is a 1-2 day process depending on the size of the job, and no parking on the new asphalt for 2 days depending on outside temperatures.

What areas do you service?
We are based in Waterford Michigan, and service all of Southeast Michigan.