Asphalt Driveway Paving in Greensboro, NC

Asphalt driveway paving covers a brand-new driveway, a full replacement of a worn-out one, or a gravel drive converted to asphalt. In Greensboro it is the right call when the old surface has alligator cracking, potholes that keep coming back, ruts in the tire paths or edges breaking into the yard. Those are signs the base underneath has given up, and no amount of sealing or patching will fix that.

Building on red clay

Most of Guilford County sits on Piedmont clay. North Carolina's state soil, the Cecil series, has a red kaolinite clay subsoil under a thin sandy loam. It drains slowly, softens when it stays wet, and pumps fine material up into a stone base that is too thin. That is why the first thing we do on any driveway is check the subgrade. Soft spots get dug out and backfilled with compacted crushed stone, and the finished base is crowned or sloped so rain leaves the surface instead of soaking in along the edges.

Thickness that matches the traffic

HomeGuide's driveway guide describes the standard residential section as 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt on 6 to 8 inches of compacted gravel. Driveways that see delivery trucks, boats, campers or work vehicles need 3 to 4 inches of asphalt over 8 to 10 inches of stone. Your quote spells out both numbers for every area we pave, so you can compare quotes on the same terms.

Removal and haul-off

When an old asphalt or concrete driveway comes out, it has to be broken up, loaded and hauled away. Angi puts removal and replacement at about $8 to $15 per square foot, higher than a new install on open ground because of the demolition. Old asphalt is usually recycled rather than landfilled.

Gravel to asphalt

Many Greensboro-area homes, especially out toward Summerfield, Stokesdale and Pleasant Garden, still have gravel drives. A gravel drive that has been driven on for years often has a good compacted layer already. We test it, add and grade fresh stone where it is thin, and pave over a base that is already settled, which can keep the cost down.

Edges, aprons and the street

The weak spot on most driveways is the edge. Unsupported asphalt crumbles where it meets the lawn, so we compact the edge and backfill it with soil. Where the driveway meets the city street or curb, the work may fall in the public right-of-way. The City of Greensboro handles driveways in its right-of-way through a driveway permit application, and NCDOT regulates connections to state roads. We tell you at the estimate whether your project reaches either one.

After the paving crew leaves

• Keep cars off for the first few days, longer in hot weather
• Avoid turning the steering wheel while the car is stopped
• Keep trailer jacks, kickstands and ramps off the surface for the first weeks
• Wait 3 to 6 months before the first sealcoat so the asphalt can cure

New asphalt stays somewhat soft through the first hot summer, and that is normal.