I've had an asphalt driveway for about 12 years (New Jersey). Several
years ago several cracks started appearing, and in winter you can see
dirt come up through the drive when wet. I pulled up and replaced one
10 square foot cracked section (there are several others); in places it
was only 3/4 inch thick. I'm guessing that this is the cause of the
cracks and that the base is good. The original drive was supposed to be
2 inches thick.

I'm planning on having it paved over with an additional 2 inch finish
coat of asphalt. Here are my questions:

1. Should I have contractor pull up remaining cracked sections and make
sure base there is sound?

2. Should I ask for the end at driveway entrance and end at garage be
pulled up so new layer is at the proper height?

3. Is 2 inches a good thickness to request? How can you tell if they
deliver the correct thickness?

4. Any other recommendations?
Thanks...
Tom

wrote:
I've had an asphalt driveway for about 12 years (New Jersey). Several
years ago several cracks started appearing, and in winter you can see
dirt come up through the drive when wet. I pulled up and replaced one
10 square foot cracked section (there are several others); in places it
was only 3/4 inch thick. I'm guessing that this is the cause of the
cracks and that the base is good. The original drive was supposed to be
2 inches thick.

I'm planning on having it paved over with an additional 2 inch finish
coat of asphalt. Here are my questions:

1. Should I have contractor pull up remaining cracked sections and make
sure base there is sound?

2. Should I ask for the end at driveway entrance and end at garage be
pulled up so new layer is at the proper height?

3. Is 2 inches a good thickness to request? How can you tell if they
deliver the correct thickness?

4. Any other recommendations?
Thanks...
Tom

One thing I discovered is that if the driveway is built up with layers
of asphalt so that it's higher than the garage floor, you can get a lot
of runoff from the snow melt that floods the garage, depending on how
your site is graded. There doesn't have to be much water on the
driveway, if it's continually running over the edge into the garage
where it is trapped, and the snow melt on the lawn keeps replenishing
it for a few days.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I've had an asphalt driveway for about 12 years (New Jersey). Several
years ago several cracks started appearing, and in winter you can see
dirt come up through the drive when wet. I pulled up and replaced one
10 square foot cracked section (there are several others); in places it
was only 3/4 inch thick. I'm guessing that this is the cause of the
cracks and that the base is good. The original drive was supposed to be
2 inches thick.

I'm planning on having it paved over with an additional 2 inch finish
coat of asphalt. Here are my questions:

1. Should I have contractor pull up remaining cracked sections and make
sure base there is sound?

2. Should I ask for the end at driveway entrance and end at garage be
pulled up so new layer is at the proper height?

3. Is 2 inches a good thickness to request? How can you tell if they
deliver the correct thickness?

4. Any other recommendations?
Thanks...
Tom


1. If it is just cracks and no little sink holes or other unevenness, the
base is probably fine. but only you can make that call

2. The other poster gave a good reason to do this, drainage

3. I don't know what is the appropriate thickness but if you calculate the
area they need to cover and divide that by the number of cubic yards (or
feet) of material you buy (may need to convert from tons) you will have an
average thickness. As to whether they apply it evenly, thats another
question. You can also shove a stick in it.

4. If you ever wanted to change the shape of the drive, now is the time to
consider it. Many people have insufficient parking or poor access to the
garage.

Well, while we're on the subject... .how hard/expensive is it to remove
an inch or two of asphalt from what appears to have once been a
concrete driveway? I imagine it will be in rough shape once we get down
there, but it's just too high right now.


PipeDown wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
I've had an asphalt driveway for about 12 years (New Jersey). Several
years ago several cracks started appearing, and in winter you can see
dirt come up through the drive when wet. I pulled up and replaced one
10 square foot cracked section (there are several others); in places it
was only 3/4 inch thick. I'm guessing that this is the cause of the
cracks and that the base is good. The original drive was supposed to be
2 inches thick.

I'm planning on having it paved over with an additional 2 inch finish
coat of asphalt. Here are my questions:

1. Should I have contractor pull up remaining cracked sections and make
sure base there is sound?

2. Should I ask for the end at driveway entrance and end at garage be
pulled up so new layer is at the proper height?

3. Is 2 inches a good thickness to request? How can you tell if they
deliver the correct thickness?

4. Any other recommendations?
Thanks...
Tom


1. If it is just cracks and no little sink holes or other unevenness, the
base is probably fine. but only you can make that call

2. The other poster gave a good reason to do this, drainage

3. I don't know what is the appropriate thickness but if you calculate the
area they need to cover and divide that by the number of cubic yards (or
feet) of material you buy (may need to convert from tons) you will have an
average thickness. As to whether they apply it evenly, thats another
question. You can also shove a stick in it.

4. If you ever wanted to change the shape of the drive, now is the time to
consider it. Many people have insufficient parking or poor access to the
garage.

"z" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, while we're on the subject... .how hard/expensive is it to remove
an inch or two of asphalt from what appears to have once been a
concrete driveway? I imagine it will be in rough shape once we get down
there, but it's just too high right now.

With a Bobcat it is very easy. Just scoop it up and load onto the dump
truck.