Although asphalt pavements are quite durable, they will age, and they can be damaged. If your pavement repair bills have skyrocketed, you are dismayed with the impact your pavement has on your property’s aesthetics, or you feel that your pavement is no longer a safe environment due to numerous cracks and potholes, you may be examining your options. One option is to remove and replace your existing asphalt. A second option is an asphalt overlay.
Asphalt Overlay or Replacement: Which Is the Best Choice?
What Are the Advantages of an Asphalt Overlay?
An overlay is laying fresh asphalt over the top of an existing pavement. The technique is sometimes referred to as asphalt resurfacing. Overlays are typically faster and cheaper than asphalt removal and replacement. As part of the overlay installation, most Philadelphia paving companies remove about two inches of the existing asphalt pavement by grinding it away with a milling machine. When the new asphalt is placed and compacted, the pavement’s elevation remains unchanged. This means that curbs, pavement intersections, gutters, and catch basins are kept at their correct heights.
What Are the Disadvantages of an Asphalt Overlay?
Overlays need to be placed over a pavement that has a stable foundation, and pavement damage needs to be repaired first for the overlay to be truly cost-effective. Cracks and other breaks will show up in the overlay if they are not properly repaired, and an unstable foundation will allow new cracks or potholes to develop in the overlay.
What Are the Advantages of Asphalt Removal and Replacement?
Removing the full depth of an existing asphalt pavement allows your asphalt contractor to have access to the base and subbase. These layers can be repaired, or they can be strengthened. In fact, the entire structure of the pavement can be strengthened, and this can be an important consideration if the use of your pavement has changed since it was originally engineered.
What Are the Disadvantages of Asphalt Removal and Replacement?
Removal and replacement will take more time than an overlay, so your pavement will be out of action longer; depending on the scope of the job, the time difference could be as little as a day or two, however. Removal and replacement will also be more expensive than an overlay.
How Do I Decide Between Asphalt Removal and an Overlay?
Your best option is to ask a reputable asphalt contractor to evaluate your pavement and recommend the right procedure. The best asphalt companies offer free pavement assessments; without inspecting your pavement, they cannot be certain what you will need, and they cannot prepare an accurate quote.
Is Routine Maintenance Needed With Asphalt Overlays?
Asphalt resurfacing gives you a surface layer of asphalt that will look and perform very much like a new pavement. Therefore, overlays can benefit from the same care you would give a pavement installed by any Philadelphia paving company. You want to have sealcoating applied as soon as the asphalt has finished curing, and you should repeat the sealcoating periodically. Significant cracks should be repaired promptly to prevent water infiltration. You also want to keep your pavement clean; remove puddles of vehicle fluids, dead vegetation, and trash on a regular basis.
For Help, Ask C&C Super Seal
C&C Super is a Bensalem paving company serving Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties with a range of asphalt-related procedures. Our services include commercial sealcoating, asphalt resurfacing, snow removal, parking lot striping, asphalt paving, thermoplastic line striping, crack repair, parking lot bollards, and pothole repair. We have an exceptional reputation for superior workmanship and exemplary customer service. Contact us today for a free quote. You can submit our request form online, or you can call us at 267-223-9906.
