If you’re tired of parking on the street or dodging holes in your aging driveway, you may be considering a freshly paved path to park your car. Paving a driveway is an instant upgrade to any home, but it requires a lot of upfront investment, specialized skills, and heavy equipment to install, plus ongoing maintenance. While most homeowners should leave this job to a local driveway paving company, you can learn how to pave a driveway to better understand the process and what to expect from the company you hire to do the job.
Particularly handy, homeowners who have similar experience can typically handle this job themselves in a few days to a week. Read on for our step-by-step guide on how to pave a driveway.
Prepping to Pave a Driveway
Before you can learn the step-by-step details of how to pave a driveway, you’ll need to take some precautions. One of the most important steps is surveying your property for utility lines, and you’ll also need to remove the surface—whether it be old asphalt, concrete, pavers, or just grass—where you plan to pave.
Survey the Property
You’ll need to do some demolition and digging to pave a driveway, so it’s important to call 8-1-1, the national number to call before digging underground, to have a professional check for utility lines before you start this project. An expert can flag or mark areas where utility lines or pipes are underground.
Buy Paving Materials
If you have extensive driveway paving experience and access to the heavy machinery needed to complete this job, you may be considering DIYing. If so, you’ll need to purchase the right paving materials at a home improvement store, like fresh asphalt, for your driveway. Otherwise, you can discuss your options with the driveway installation company you are working with.
Apply for a Permit
Building projects of this size typically require a permit. You will need to contact your local building department, prepare supporting documentation, submit the application, and wait for approval before you can start your project. Permit fees vary, but expect to pay between $150 to $2,000, depending on your project and jurisdiction.
Remove Old Materials
It’s best to remove any old concrete or pavers if you are paving a driveway if you want a smooth, sturdy surface. You’ll need heavy equipment, like power graders and rollers or compactors, to get this done, and it’s best to hire a local demolition company near you to get this job done safely.
Make Repairs
In some cases, you can repave over an existing asphalt driveway. If your asphalt driveway has minor cracks or holes, you can repair these areas before paving a new surface. You can fill cracks and small holes with asphalt sealant, then continue on with the steps to pave a driveway.
Grade the Area
A driveway needs to be properly graded and sloped to help rainwater drain away. The soil base of the driveway will need to slope downward toward the road or on the sides to help water drain and prevent the driveway from buckling. The driveway should slope about 1/4 inch per foot. A driveway paving professional will use a power grader to get the grading just right.
Prepare the Base
Just like your house needs a durable foundation, your driveway is only as good as its base layer. At this stage, the pros may need to lay new soil before adding the sub-base, which provides stability and resistance to frost and freezing temperatures. The subsoil or sub-base will need to be compacted with a double drum roller.
Lay the Binder Layer
Photo: Олег Копьёв / Adobe Stock
The asphalt binder is an asphalt mixture with a higher amount of larger stones compared to smoother, finer asphalt top. This layer is designed to add more durability as the load-bearing layer.
Add the Asphalt
The asphalt top is an aggregate of finer particles, making it less porous compared to the binder layer. The pros will need to truck the asphalt into the job site, then use an asphalt paver or applicator machine to apply the asphalt over the binder. The paver ensures a smooth application, although you can use asphalt shovels to apply asphalt in small spaces and tight corners. After applying the asphalt with an asphalt paver machine, rake it for an even surface, then use a compactor before moving on to the next step.
Pay Attention to Transitions
The transitional areas are where the driveway meets the walkway to your door, the sidewalk, and/or the road. You’ll need to install butt joints where these areas meet. Make sure these transitional areas are graded for proper drainage and are comfortable to walk or drive over.
Treat Edges
For a cleaner look, you can apply a border around the driveway edges using paving stones or concrete. You could also add gravel around the edges of the driveway as an added cushion for any vehicles that may go off the sides of the asphalt.
Seal the Driveway
Photo: KQ Ferris / Adobe Stock
Sealing an asphalt driveway adds more protection against the elements and can help your driveway last longer before it needs to be resurfaced or replaced. While demolishing the old driveway and laying new asphalt will take about seven working days, you need to wait an additional three to six months for the asphalt to fully cure, or harden, before applying sealant.
DIY Driveway Paving vs. Hiring a Pro
Paving a driveway requires special, heavy equipment at nearly every step of the process, from demolishing the old driveway surface to laying fresh asphalt. If you attempt this project yourself, you could end up with a weak driveway, or worse, you could damage your home’s foundation. Instead, hire a local driveway paving pro to get the job done safely, efficiently, and correctly.
Paving an asphalt driveway costs$2,500 and $6,600 with a professional. Although you can save up to $7 per square foot to DIY, you’ll spend about $500 per day on equipment rentals for machinery like jackhammers, rollers, and graders. Also, keep in mind that if done incorrectly, driveway repairs can be expensive. Expect to pay up to $5,000 in driveway repair costs or similar prices to repave a driveway.
There are some smaller project tasks you can tackle to bring down professional labor costs, including:
Demolition and removal of materials
Clear the area of obstructions
Secure necessary permits
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to the cost of asphalt vs. concrete, concrete is more expensive upfront. Concrete is about twice as much per square foot as asphalt for driveways. Asphalt has a lower installation cost, but it does require more maintenance and upkeep that can make it more expensive long-term. Still, asphalt is easier and less expensive to repair, so there are pros and cons to the costs of each material.
An asphalt driveway will last 15 to 25 years before they need to be replaced. Concrete is one of the longest-lasting options and will last 30 to 50 years with proper maintenance. Cleaning the driveway often, making repairs as needed, and applying a driveway sealant every one to three years is the best way to prolong the life of the driveway.
Yes, it is possible to pave over an existing driveway depending on the existing condition and type of material you plan to use. Factors to consider include current driveway condition, compatibility of the new material, thickness, surface prep, and driveway height.
This creates a risk for your driveway to fail after asphalt curing because it doesn't have a lasting bond with the surface. In order to get asphalt to perform as intended, it's necessary to prepare the dirt surface correctly first. The loose soil base under the new driveway must be compacted until it is stable enough to support the weight of the asphalt.
Scott Dylan Westerlund has been writing about homes and real estate for almost ten years. In addition to Angi and HomeAdvisor, he's written for Today's Homeowner, Homedit.com, Flyhomes, and HomeLight.
Scott Dylan Westerlund has been writing about homes and real estate for almost ten years. In addition to Angi and HomeAdvisor, he's written for Today's Homeowner, Homedit.com, Flyhomes, and HomeLight.
The homeowners guide to Asphalt Driveways
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
