Asphalt driveway damage / repair

dgeesaman · Sep 30, 2015

ruffdog said:
The neighbor that is a excavator and put in my drive said 12' is the min for the pavement because of edge break-up. I have the propane truck and septic pumper for heavy trucks. He recommended 14' wide for the base(4" rock w/ 3/4" over) at 10"+ deep, rolled, to support a 12' wide drive.

Well, I wouldn't say my property is a lemon, but I will say that many things we've uncovered were done on the cheap. (I can't count how many drywall screws were used to mount accessories within the horse stalls, for example). A barely adequate driveway is par for the course. If I had known this I would have used it as justification for a cost reduction at the sale.

I'll add "proper driveway foundation" to the very long list of items that's not considered in any property valuation or appraisal. Just like my barn, shed, fencing, outdoor riding arena, etc, etc. I'll say I'm not a fan of the appraisal process and how it distorts real estate transactions and leave it at that.

newbury · Oct 1, 2015

Streetcar said:
To repair driveway, you will need several things.
1a dump truck to haul asphalt. Shoveling asphalt before it cools is not fun
2 method to excavate existing driveway
3 roller to compact asphalt.
The asphalt will need to be compacted in layers . Getting patch flush with surrounding driveway will be trial and error process. Most patches done by inexperienced crew are rough
Rough patch is still better than a hole

If your driveway is aging with some cracking, sealing the driveway makes sense.

Can I use what's there as a base mix and reheat?

I was thinking of rigging up something like a kettle over a fire to melt the old stuff (cleaned), add some new, repour. Compact, repeat.

Wouldn't meet OSHA standards but would fit my wallet.

As far as excavation, I've a shovel, a pick, and a backhoe.

Streetcar · Oct 1, 2015

Newbury
With heat and age the asphaltines ( stuff that allows pavement to flex) break down. Reheating can make problem worse if not careful.
I think a variation of seal and chip would be easier.
Get roof tar and heat in your kettle. Spread over deteriorated area. Then sprinkle area with 1/4" gravel( not sure of gravel name in your area) if possible tamp gravel into hot tar.
Tar by itself can be slippery when wet.
This method will not require excavation