Asphalt Driveway Resurfacing Cost & When to Do It

If your driveway looks gray, cracked, and old, your first instinct might be to rip it all up and start over. But if the structural base beneath the asphalt is still solid, you can save thousands of dollars through a process called resurfacing (or an "overlay").

What is Asphalt Resurfacing?

Resurfacing involves cleaning the existing asphalt, patching major potholes, milling down the transition edges (where the driveway meets the garage floor and the street), applying a sticky tack coat, and laying 1.5 to 2 inches of brand-new hot mix asphalt directly over the old surface.

When completed, an overlay looks completely indistinguishable from a brand new driveway.

Resurfacing Costs vs. Replacement Costs

Because the contractor does not have to spend a day with heavy machinery tearing out old asphalt, paying dump fees, and grading new crushed stone, the labor and equipment savings are massive.

• Resurfacing Cost: $1.50 – $3.00 per sq ft. (A 600 sq ft driveway = $900 - $1,800)
• Full Replacement Cost: $4.00 – $7.00 per sq ft. (A 600 sq ft driveway = $2,400 - $4,200)

Does Your Driveway Qualify for an Overlay?

This is the critical catch. You cannot overlay a structurally failed driveway. If you pave over a bad base, the new asphalt will sink and crack in the exact same spots within a year. This is called "reflective cracking."

You CAN resurface if:

• The surface is gray and oxidized but mostly flat.
• There are minor surface cracks (less than 1/4 inch wide).
• There is no pooling water or drainage issues.

You MUST replace if:

• There are deep ruts from car tires.
• There is severe "alligator cracking" (interlocking cracks that look like reptile scales), which indicates base failure.
• The driveway is already level with the garage floor and milling isn't an option.