Replacing a commercial driveway can cost a lot of money - money your business may not have available at the moment. But there are some cases where a patch job could be all that you need at the moment to hold you off until you can have your driveway replaced.
You could get the driveway resurfaced too if there’s extensive damage but the driveway’s structure is not compromised. Let’s take a closer look at whether replacing, resurfacing, or patching your commercial asphalt driveway could be a better solution.
When Patching Makes Sense
Patching is the most affordable option and could be the only one you can afford at the moment. If all you have are a few holes, cracks, or divots here and there, chances are patching them would be a better option. If the cracks are less than a quarter-inch, you could seal them with a basic crack filling compound.
Even severely damaged driveways can be patched sometimes. If the asphalt under the crack or hole has failed, you can use dig-out patching to remove the whole area that is affected and add new asphalt from the ground up. Surface patching can work for cracks and holes that are deeper than a quarter inch but don't affect the asphalt’s structure.
When Resurfacing Makes Sense
Resurfacing is cheaper than replacing the asphalt and will work in most cases when the asphalt is still structurally sound. It is a better option than patching if you have multiple holes and cracks as sealing them one by one will be impractical, expensive, and give you patchy results. If you want your asphalt to look good as new without having to replace it, then go for resurfacing.
When Replacing Makes Sense
You should consider replacing your asphalt when the layer underneath has suffered some extensive damage. Resurfacing may hold you off for a while, but you will eventually have to get the driveway replaced, and you'll end up spending more than you should. Driveways that are more than 20 years old will be due for a replacement in most cases, so you could choose to replace yours preemptively to prevent issues.
How to Time Paving Work
You have to know when to book a commercial paving project. Timing is very important as you want your business to experience as minimal disruption as possible. You will first have to know how long it will take for the work to be done, and whether it can be done in phases to still allow a certain level of access. You should also pick the right time of the year to have your asphalt resurfaced or replaced. Asphalt is very sensitive to cold and needs to be applied at the proper temperature, so think twice about having your driveway replaced or resurfaced during the cold months.
Now that you know a bit more about your paving options, you should consult with a few contractors today and listen to their recommendations. Choose the option that makes the most sense financially and know that you don’t automatically have to go for the most expensive one.
