When your driveway starts looking like a map of the interstate, you have a decision to make. Do you slap a new layer of asphalt on top and call it good, or do you tear the whole thing out and start from scratch? If you live in Canon City, CO, you already know our high-desert sun and freezing winter nights do a number on pavement. Coastal Asphalt Inc sees plenty of driveways that hit this exact crossroads every season.
The Case for an Asphalt Overlay
An Asphalt Overlay is essentially giving your driveway a brand-new suit of clothes. Coastal Asphalt Inc lays a fresh layer of hot-mix asphalt right over your existing surface, usually about one and a half to two inches thick. The Asphalt Overlay process is faster, cheaper, and makes your property look sharp almost immediately.
- Costs significantly less upfront than a full tear-out.
- Takes minimal time to complete, usually wrapped up in 1 to 2 days.
- Instantly hides surface cracks, fading, and minor blemishes.
The catch? An Asphalt Overlay is only as good as what is underneath it. If your sub-base has completely failed or you have deep structural cracks shifting around, an Asphalt Overlay is just a temporary bandage. It will mirror those underlying issues before long.
When Total Replacement is the Only Real Fix
Sometimes you cannot save a bad foundation. If your driveway has severe alligator cracking spanning large areas, sunken spots where water pools, or a base that was never properly compacted on our local clay soils, patching and Asphalt Overlays are a waste of your money. Total Asphalt Replacement means Coastal Asphalt Inc hauls away the old asphalt, regrades and compacts the sub-base, and lays down a brand-new structure built to handle Colorado weather.
- Gives us a chance to fix drainage problems and soft sub-base soils.
- Lasts 15 to 20 years or more longer because the entire structural profile is brand new.
- Resists heavy vehicle weight without immediately buckling.
Making the Call for Your Property
Look closely at the damage. If your edges are solid, the drainage slopes away from your house, and the cracks are mostly superficial surface wear from the sun, an Asphalt Overlay will save you money and buy you plenty of good years. But if the ground is sinking or your car bottoms out on rough edges near the garage apron, you will need a full Asphalt Replacement. Spending a bit more now beats paying for an Asphalt Overlay that fails in three years. For homes and businesses in Canon City, Coastal Asphalt Inc provides Asphalt Contractor services.