Why You Should Remove a Concrete Driveway Before Laying Asphalt

While it’s possible to install asphalt over an existing concrete driveway, we don’t recommend it. This is because your new asphalt driveway will need a strong foundation in order to last for years to come. 

According to Angie’s List, the average cost of an asphalt driveway is $5,308. If you’re already willing to invest in an asphalt driveway, you’ll also want to make sure you do everything in your power to make sure it lasts. 

With proper installation and maintenance, there’s no reason why your new asphalt driveway shouldn’t last you for the next 20 years. Proper asphalt driveway installation starts with hiring a licensed asphalt driveway contractor. In this blog post, we will go over the reasons why it’s better to dig and break up concrete driveways before laying down asphalt.

1. Asphalt Needs a Strong Base

The durability of your asphalt paved driveway will depend on the strength of the underlying base. Concrete and asphalt driveway contractors have different techniques for creating strong driveways. With concrete, a contractor will lay a thicker slab for a durable driveway. 

Unfortunately, this also means that concrete contractors don’t focus on making sure the base is properly prepared like you would for a paved asphalt driveway. The stronger the base for your asphalt driveway, the longer it will last.

2. You’ll Prolong the Life of Your Driveway

No one wants to pay for asphalt replacement prematurely. For this reason, it’s important to dig up old concrete driveways before pouring new asphalt. Your driveway will last longer if it’s given a stable foundation. Since asphalt pavement expands and contracts with fluctuating temperatures, it needs a stable base that simply can’t be offered by concrete. 

Ultimately, the condition of your concrete driveway’s base will be a mystery until it’s dug up. Until then, a contractor can’t guarantee that the ground underneath won’t sink or shift.

3. You’ll Save Money in Repairs

Laying asphalt driveways over concrete is less expensive, but will cost you more in the long run. Most of our customers prefer to pay more for installation and then not have to worry about cracks and potholes in asphalt driveways. 

If you opt for laying asphalt overtop concrete, we cannot guarantee that your driveway won’t crack and pothole if the ground is shifting or sinking underneath. The best way to save money is to spend a little more on installation and save money in repairs.

Ultimately, the decision to rip up old concrete or pave an asphalt driveway over top is up to you. However, we have always felt that informed customers make the best decisions, which is why we are always available to answer your questions. For some homeowners, the lower cost of installation is worth paving asphalt on top of concrete. The decision is yours to make.

READ MORE: How to Repair Cracks in Asphalt Driveways >>

Call Us Today! 

ACT Asphalt Specialties is a Minneapolis driveway paving company that strives to help customers prolong the lives of their asphalt surfaces. If you are interested in our asphalt driveway paving service, give us a call at (651) 484-1696.

This blog post has been updated.