asphaltdrivewaypaving
I finally decided to hire professionals to fix my driveway rather than trying to excavate it myself.
This is a newly repaved piece of the driveway:
I would expect it to be smooth and even, am I missing something? This is after the finished layer was applied, but it looks and feels somewhat rocky.
Should a newly repaved asphalt driveway (done right) look like that?
Another layer of blacktop asphalt, usually a finer "grit", will fill the low spots and get you through another year -- but it sounds like your driveway is under-engineered for the weight you're regularly driving/parking on it. So, you've got a few choices:
Another layer of blacktop every year or two, and probably mopping tar on it every summer.
Tear it up and put in a new asphalt driveway, which will probably have the same problems. I would make sure you consult an engineer and have a few soil cores/studies done before you pursue this angle... you will want to have the substrate rebuilt from the soil on up, and you will want to have had some soil studies for expansion ratios and whatnot done and an appropriate base engineered before you pursue this angle. This will PROBABLY include digging up everything that is there -- the blacktop, crushed gravel, and all, re-tilling the soil with some additives to improve it's compressibility for your climate, and then re-laying everything... probably a bit thicker.
Tear it up and put in a concrete driveway with a high PSI load concrete, which will occasionally have problems due to the freeze/thaw cycle, but won't sag due to vehicle weight and where you can have any lippage that appears ground down and then can cover it with blacktop again when it does finally blow out or get too thin to grind. See notes above about soil+engineering study, plus tearing out all the base layers and digging deeper/re-packing them.
The last is the pattern that will last the longest, but is obviously going to cost most.
A good rental yard will have a "walk behind" surface grinder with which you could grind the surface level. Then you could resurface the whole thing with a liquid slurry asphalt resurfacing material, it will look uniform and new when you are done. Or... you could hire a reputable contractor to do it for you.
Pictures stolen shamelessly from the internet.
Best Answer
That is terrible and totally unacceptable.
There are several issues: 1) insufficient asphalt to bind the aggregates, 2) no compaction, 3) improper aggregate mix,
1) Asphalt (liquid) should be a thick soupy consistency that completely coats the aggregates throughout the top 2” minimum layer.
2) With loose rocks laying on the top, this is an indication that it was not compacted. Rocks should not be able to be kicked off your driveway.
3) The aggregate mix is very specific for good performance. There needs to be a certain amount of fines (sand), 1/4” minus (small crushed rocks), and 3/4” minus crushed rocks. This is important so that the rocks “bind” together when compacted. (There should NOT be any smooth edged rocks anywhere in the mix. Smooth rocks are not crushed rocks and will not bind together with other rocks.)
I’d dig up a couple of random spots and check the depth of the asphalt and the base. The minimum asphalt depth is 2” and minimum base is 4”...good practices require a minimum of 8” base.
I’d also notify the local Building Official and the local Construction Contractor’s Board (CCB). Get their CCB license number and file a complaint. (They can help to resolve the issue.) I’d also contact a local civil engineer to review the project.
It’s the worst I’ve ever seen.