It is safe to pave asphalt over concrete.
Can asphalt be laid over concrete driveway.
Concrete is poured with expansion joints that allow room for the pavement to expand in hot weather.
It s a cheaper alternative to asphalt but less common than concrete or pavers when it comes to picking materials.
Well the answer is yes.
But there are issues as you might expect.
Asphalt is easier to maintain.
Before concrete installation begins the asphalt is inspected and repaired as needed.
Asphalt driveways last longer and look better when they are built from the ground up.
It just doesn t make fiscal sense to do it as that driveway will need a lot more work in the near future.
If you need to upgrade your driveway in a hurry then asphalt is your wisest option.
Blacktop can be successfully installed over concrete.
Does concrete provide a solid base.
Nevertheless it is possible that your drive may last for a long time without this happening.
By removing the asphalt you could.
One positive aspect of installing blacktop over concrete is the concrete provides a firm base for the flexible asphalt paving.
Asphalt driveways that are paved over an appropriately compacted subbase will always be superior to asphalt that is laid over an unstable base or concrete that is prone to shifting and expansion.
It will however require a little more maintenance than a typical asphalt overlay.
Asphalt works as a driveway base under concrete only when it is strong stable and at least 2 to 3 inches thick.
Concrete driveways take nearly twice as long to install and the concrete has to set or cure for up to a week before you can park on the drive.
In fact many miles of concrete roads are paved over with asphalt every year.
Putting asphalt over concrete is done for several reasons but does have its drawbacks.
The problem won t so much be that of the concrete not adhering to the asphalt but rather the weight of the concrete on the asphalt causing the driveway to sink.
In addition you do have an alternative paving method that may surprise you.
You can complete asphalt driveways in a short amount of time often under three days.
The texture is a bit rougher because it is made up of a combination of asphalt and stone.
So yes pouring asphalt over concrete may look good at first but there are bound to be troubles over time.
Asphalt can be installed on top of concrete.
The process for this is a lot easier where the asphalt gets laid out and then stones are mixed in to finish off the surface.
Holes or cracks with depth of 2 inches or more require filling before concrete overlay is applied.
From time to time you ll find concrete streets and driveways that have an asphalt overlay on them.
Concrete is a great base material because it is stable and allows for excellent compaction of the asphalt above.