I currently have a gravel driveway that I'd like to pave. Concrete I hear lasts a lifetime-- but you'll work that long to pay for it. In your experience, how long a life expectancy does a blacktop driveway have assuming it is sealed regularly? Does a blacktop driveway mean I cannot have a heavy truck come in the driveway--ex. a single axle dump full of top soil?
Life expectancy of blacktop drive
- Thread starter BXmark
- Start date
snowman
Gold Member
The guy that put in my current driveway said it would last longer than the house.
In my previous house, I had 20 yards of dirt delivered and had the truck (14 wheeler? your basic large dump truck) back up the driveway and over the side edge; didn't make a mark.
My wife had metal studs in her tires and spun them coming up the driveway; left some marks, but didn't dig in.
I would think that, as long as it's prepped, installed, and cared for properly, you can pretty much do whatever your want on it without destroying it (ie: don't test out the backhoe on it)..
In my previous house, I had 20 yards of dirt delivered and had the truck (14 wheeler? your basic large dump truck) back up the driveway and over the side edge; didn't make a mark.
My wife had metal studs in her tires and spun them coming up the driveway; left some marks, but didn't dig in.
I would think that, as long as it's prepped, installed, and cared for properly, you can pretty much do whatever your want on it without destroying it (ie: don't test out the backhoe on it)..
Bird
Epic Contributor
I'm afraid the only real answer is "It depends." What kind of base will be under it? Liime stablilized? How thick will the asphalt be? And a few other little things like that. I once had a 15 acre parking lot built with 6" of asphalt on a lime stabilized base and it's still being used many years later for all kinds of vehicles up to and including 18-wheelers. But a residential driveway? Well, it just depends on how long you want it to last, how heavy the traffic will be, and how much you want to spend.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Driveway:
The life may depend on the base stabilization, moisture/drainage conditions, the compacted depth of asphalt,the quality of the asphalt mix,the asphalt temperature when it is spread and the compacted density, the seasonal temperature variation as a cold climate requires a more flexible mix which may show tire marks from heavy loads in hot weather. And the list could go on. Esentially, asphalt starts deteriorating as soon as it is laid.
Egon
The life may depend on the base stabilization, moisture/drainage conditions, the compacted depth of asphalt,the quality of the asphalt mix,the asphalt temperature when it is spread and the compacted density, the seasonal temperature variation as a cold climate requires a more flexible mix which may show tire marks from heavy loads in hot weather. And the list could go on. Esentially, asphalt starts deteriorating as soon as it is laid.
Egon
PaulinSD
Silver Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2001
- Messages
- 199
- Location
- Hartford, South Dakota
- Tractor
- JD 1050, JD 955 MFD & Loader
The guys are right. The main thing is the base and base material holding up the asphalt. I'd use 2- 2" lifts (layers) of asphalt, and depending on what is under it, at least 8" of packed road gravel. There are different mixtures of asphalt, depending on the use. Some use larger stone (5/8") and down, some use 3/8" and down. Never let someone tell you that they can take the sod off and start paving. Wrong!! It's got to have a solid, stable base or it will start breaking up.
Paul
Paul