Five Things to Know About Asphalt Overlays

Sealcoating is an effective and economical way to make an asphalt pavement safer and more attractive, and it can dramatically extend the life of the pavement by protecting it from damage. However, there are times when a pavement needs more than what sealcoating can provide. At the same time, the pavement is not so old or damaged that it needs to be ripped out and reconstructed. Asphalt overlays can provide the middle ground between a cosmetic treatment and a lengthy, expensive reconstruction. Here are five facts about pavement overlays.

Five Things to Know About Asphalt Overlays

What Is an Overlay?

When paving companies lay new asphalt over existing pavements, they refer to the procedure as the installation of an overlay. Some contractors prefer to call it asphalt resurfacing. There are also some asphalt contractors who use different terms to describe the thickness of the new asphalt. If the thickness of the replacement asphalt is less than about 1.5 inches, they call it a thin lift; if the thickness exceeds 1.5 inches, they refer to it as an asphalt overlay. Whichever term they use, they are describing what are essentially identical procedures.

What Are the Benefits of Asphalt Overlays?

The first advantage of an overlay is that it is a fraction of the cost of a total reconstruction. The precise amount of your savings will depend on a variety of factors, but, in many cases, an overlay is half the cost of a reconstruction. The second advantage is that overlays can be completed in much less time, allowing you to put your pavement into service faster. A third benefit is that overlays can correct an extensive list of surface flaws that affect the looks and safety of the pavement, including some instances of rutting, polishing, and ponding. A fourth benefit is that milling and resurfacing allow the retention of existing curb reveals, drain covers, and transitions at their proper elevations. Finally, experienced, competent asphalt companies can install overlays that are virtually indistinguishable from new pavements in both function and appearance.

What Are the Disadvantages of Asphalt Overlays?

There are really just two potential disadvantages. The first is that an overlay seldom lasts as long as a new pavement; although the life expectancies for both overlays and new pavements are affected by numerous factors, paving companies normally put the life of an overlay at an average of 12 years, compared to an average of 17 years for a new pavement. The second disadvantage is that overlays are not always more cost-effective than reconstructions. If your pavement is structurally unsound, has severe damage that affects more than a fourth of its total surface, or was not engineered correctly, remediating the issues to enable resurfacing could make reconstruction more cost-effective.

Does Asphalt Resurfacing Eliminate Maintenance?

In terms of maintenance, an asphalt overlay is identical to a new asphalt pavement. Overlays still need sealcoating, crack repairs, and routine cleanings if they are to have long lives.

How Do Asphalt Companies Install an Overlay?

Pavements need resurfacing for different reasons, and the reasons can vary significantly. Therefore, the steps can vary slightly by job, but they are typically as follows.

1. The contractor’s team members perform any repairs that are needed. Repairs may be needed to the surface of the pavement, the foundation, or the drainage.
2. A milling machine is brought in to grind away the existing pavement to a predetermined depth. This material is removed from the site, and it is typically taken to an asphalt plant for recycling.
3. The pavement is thoroughly cleaned.
4. Typically, a tack coat is applied to the existing pavement to help ensure a strong bond.
5. The required number of courses are installed and compacted.

If you would like to learn more about overlays or any of the paving services we offer, feel free to contact us.  Peterson Grading & Paving is a well-respected Orange County paving company serving clients throughout the state. In addition to asphalt paving and resurfacing, our asphalt services include crack repair, milling, asphalt repairs, and sealcoating, and our concrete services include the installation of curbing, concrete parking lots, ramps, and sidewalks as well as concrete repairs. We also offer parking lot striping, line removal, ADA compliance assistance, bollard installation, warehouse striping, parking lot signage, and shot blasting. We have a reputation for superb workmanship and top-notch customer service. You can request a free quote by calling our office at 949-402-6979, sending an email to Ryan@GradePave.com, or submitting the online form.