Asphalt Surfaces: Critical Guidelines on Resurfacing Your Driveway

Asphalt is an excellent material for the construction of your driveway. When you install asphalt, you will enjoy extended service because of its structural resilience. Also, the building material has a blacktop appearance which complements most home designs. In addition, asphalt is an inexpensive material, and the maintenance requirements are considerably low.

Unfortunately, your driveway will not be entirely infallible after construction. The surface will lose its appeal due to weathering, and some cracks might form due to stress. If this happens, you will need to resurface the pavement for structural and visual improvement. If you are interested in repairing your asphalt driveway, consider using the below guidelines to ensure success. 

Clean the Surface

When planning to resurface your driveway, you must prepare the surface before proceeding. The pavement accumulates a lot of dust, dirt, debris and grease over the course of use. If you apply a resurfacing material on this dirty surface, there will be no bonding. Within a short time, the fresh layer will crack or detach from the foundation.

Therefore, you should clean the driveway thoroughly in preparation for resurfacing. Sweep the roadway to remove the leaves, twigs and debris. Also, remove weeds from the cracks. Next, you should scrub the surface with a bleach solution. This process will eliminate the algae deposits on the asphalt. You should also use detergent to remove the grease spots. When satisfied, you should rinse the driveway with clean water. 

Repair the Cracks

You should repair the cracks in the pavement before applying your resurfacing material. If there are fractures in the roadway, the fresh layer could become degraded due to foundational instability. Fortunately, repairing cracks in asphalt is not difficult. For this task, you will need to purchase commercial crack filler for asphalt from a hardware store. This material is fluid and easy to install. Squeeze the filler into the fractured area until the entire fissure is filled. Then, use a putty knife to smooth the surface, ensuring that the fluid at the top does not bead up.

Resurface the Driveway

Finally, you can resurface your asphalt driveway. You will need to acquire an asphalt resurfacing product from a speciality supplier. When making your purchase, you should look for a material with incorporated polymers. These additives will increase the flexibility and durability of the new surface. You can also shop for products with sand additives for better traction. Prepare the mixture as instructed by the manufacturer and spread evenly over the driveway to renew your surface.