Does your driveway have a lot of unsightly cracks in it? Did you know that a damaged driveway could have a negative impact on the resale value of your house?
If you’re looking for a home improvement project that will yield significant returns on your investment, resurfacing your driveway is one of the best projects you can take on.
Not sure what driveway resurfacing involves? Not sure if it’s the right project for you?
Read on to learn more about the process and get some tips that will ensure things go as smoothly as possible.
What is Driveway Resurfacing?
Driveway resurfacing is a driveway repair option that involves pouring new asphalt over the top of the old asphalt. It’s sort of a middle ground between other types of repairs, like filling in minor cracks and total driveway replacement.
Driveway resurfacing will smooth out your driveway and return it to its former glory. It’s very effective for those who have a lot of cracks in their driveway but don’t want to invest in a whole new driveway. It’s also much easier on your bank account.
Signs Your Driveway Needs Resurfacing
If you’re not sure whether driveway resurfacing is right for you, take a good look at your driveway. If you notice any of the following issues, you may need to invest in resurfacing to improve the appearance of your driveway and house in general:
- Excessive cracks or cracks that have gotten deeper or longer
- Your driveway has a weathered, faded look
- Sections are crumbling or eroding
- Water is pooling or you have other drainage problems
- You have potholes in your driveway
These are all signs that your driveway is weakening. If you don’t address them with resurfacing or another repair option, you could end up dealing with more extensive and more expensive driveway damage.
Driveway Resurfacing Tips
Now that you know more about driveway resurfacing, do you think that your driveway needs it? If the answer is yes but you’re not sure how to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible, here are seven tips that can help.
1. Clean it Off First
In order to get a good idea of the extent of the damage to your driveway, start by cleaning it off.
Spray it well with a hose or power sprayer. You may also need to get down and scrub away any hard-to-remove dirt, debris, or algae that’s started growing on your driveway.
Giving the driveway a thorough wash with a power sprayer will help you see what you’re working with. It’ll also make things easier when the time comes to lay down the new asphalt and start smoothing out the surface.
2. Keep the Weather in Mind
When you’re planning your driveway resurfacing project, be sure to keep the weather in mind.
It’s best to resurface your driveway on a day when there’s no rain in the forecast. This will ensure that your driveway is able to dry all the way and doesn’t get damaged by the water.
Plan to resurface your driveway on a cool day, too. This slows down the drying time (believe it or not, this is a good thing) and ensures that the asphalt can get spread more smoothly, resulting in a better finish for your driveway.
3. Check Property Lines
It’s important to double-check property lines before you start taping things off and getting ready to resurface your driveway.
Doing your due diligence and identifying the property lines before you begin will help you ensure you don’t accidentally resurface your neighbor’s property.
This, in turn, will help you save money on the project and avoid unhappy neighbors — it’s a win-win!
4. Hire a Professional
You might be tempted to purchase a resurfacing kit and try to tackle this project on your own. That’s really not a good idea, though.
If you’ve never resurfaced a driveway, why start now? If you make a mistake, you could end up having to spend more money to fix it than you would have if you’d hired a professional at the beginning.
A professional will also help you get a better end result, one that will help you get the greatest return on your investment when the time comes to sell your house.
5. Focus on Quality Work
When you’re looking to hire a professional to help resurface your driveway, be sure to take a look at samples of their past work.
Focus on quality and don’t get too hung up on price.
With driveway resurfacing, as with other home improvement projects, you get what you pay for. It’s always worth it to invest in someone who knows what they’re doing.
6. Ask the Right Questions
If you’re struggling to choose a professional to resurface your driveway, make sure you’re asking the right questions.
Find out whether they’re licensed and have insurance, and take a look at their portfolio to see past projects. Ask them for references or testimonials from past clients, too.
It’s also a good idea to ask when they can get a started and whether they do all the work themselves or hire subcontractors to handle certain aspects of the project.
7. Start Early
Don’t put off resurfacing your driveway for very long. The longer you wait, the more time there is for new cracks to appear or for old cracks to get larger and deeper.
The more cracks there are in your driveway (or the more severe the existing cracks are), the harder it will be to resurface it and get a good end result.
If you want to save money while improving the appearance of your driveway, be sure to get to work on the resurfacing process as soon as you can.
Get Your Driveway Resurfaced Today
There are a lot of things you can do to make the driveway resurfacing process easier. If you implement these tips, you’ll be able to get the project done sooner and enjoy a smoother, nicer-looking driveway in no time.
Of all the tips listed above, one of the most useful is the tip about hiring a professional.
Instead of trying to guess and Google your way through the process of resurfacing your driveway, why not let an expert handle it for you and save you a lot of time and stress?
If you live in or around the Ellicott City area, we’re here to help at Ellicott Paving.
Contact us today to learn more about our services for residential and commercial properties, or to get a free quote.