Asphalt Driveway Paving in Pittsburgh, PA

Asphalt driveway paving around Pittsburgh is as much about the stone base and drainage as the blacktop on top. A driveway here sits through about 44 inches of snow a season, plowing, salt and repeated freezing and thawing, and many sit on a steep slope. When a Pittsburgh driveway heaves, breaks into alligator cracks or crumbles at the street, the cause is almost always a weak or wet base, water with nowhere to go, or asphalt that was never compacted properly. A new driveway has to fix those causes, not just cover them.

Signs it is time to replace

• Cracks that join into a web or alligator-skin pattern
• Sections that heave in winter and settle in spring
• Potholes that come back after patching
• Edges breaking off, especially at the street apron or the low side
• More patch than original surface

A few isolated cracks can be sealed, and a small failed area can be cut out and patched. When those problems cover much of the driveway, replacement usually costs less over time than repairing the same areas every spring.

Base and thickness

After the old surface is removed, we proof the ground and look for areas that pump, move or stay wet. Soft material is dug out and replaced with compacted crushed stone, then the base is built up and compacted in lifts to the depth in your quote. HomeGuide describes a typical residential section as 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of gravel base, and 3 to 4 inches of asphalt over 8 to 10 inches of base for heavier vehicles. Driveways that see delivery trucks, work vans, a camper or a trailer get the heavier section. A stone base that drains is the best protection against frost damage, because water that leaves the base cannot freeze in it.

Steep grades and the street transition

A driveway that drops sharply from the street or climbs to a house set high on the lot needs extra care. Hot mix is placed and rolled so it compacts fully on the grade and does not shove. The apron at the street is shaped so cars do not scrape, and in the City of Pittsburgh a new or widened curb cut goes through a Building and Development Application and a DOMI curb cut sub-permit. At the bottom of a downhill driveway, we shape the surface so water does not run against the garage door or the foundation, and we point out where a trench drain or redirected downspout would help.

Gravel and tar-and-chip conversions

Outside the city, especially to the east and north, plenty of homes still have gravel or tar-and-chip driveways. An existing stone bed can sometimes serve as part of the new base, which helps the budget. We check how much sound stone is there, how much has worked into the soil, and whether the grade works, then regrade, add stone where needed and pave.

After paving

Fresh asphalt stays soft for its first months, especially in summer heat. Keep cars off it for the time we give you, avoid turning the wheel while parked, and put a board under kickstands and trailer jacks. In the first winter, use a plastic shovel blade or keep the plow blade slightly raised, and skip harsh de-icers where you can. Sealcoating waits three to six months while the asphalt cures.