Asphalt Driveway Paving in Portland, OR

Asphalt driveway paving around Portland starts below the surface. When a driveway here ruts in the wheel paths, breaks into alligator cracks or keeps growing potholes, the cause is almost always water in the base: rain that got in through open cracks, a low spot that holds a puddle for weeks, or an edge with nothing beside it to hold it up. With roughly 37 inches of precipitation a year at the airport, most of it between November and March, a new driveway has to be built so that water leaves quickly and the base stays strong when it is wet.

Signs it is time to replace

• Cracks joined into a web or alligator-skin pattern across large areas
• Ruts or dips that hold water after rain
• Potholes that return after patching
• Edges breaking off into the lawn or planting strip
• More patch than original surface

HomeGuide's guidance is a fair rule of thumb: replacement makes sense when cracking covers 60 to 70 percent or more of the surface, there are several potholes, drainage problems keep coming back, or the driveway is 20 to 30 years old. Below that, repair or an overlay is usually the better value, and we will tell you so.

Building the base

After the old surface comes out, we check the ground under it for areas that pump or move when loaded. Soft, organic or saturated soil is dug out and replaced with compacted crushed stone, then the base is built up and compacted in layers to the depth in your quote. HomeGuide describes a typical residential section as 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of gravel base, and 3 to 4 inches over 8 to 10 inches for heavier vehicles. Driveways that see delivery trucks, a camper or a boat trailer get the heavier section.

Slope, crown and edges

We shape the surface with a crown or cross slope so rain sheets off to the sides instead of running down the middle, and we make sure the low end does not send water against the garage slab or the house. On West Hills and east-county lots with real grade, the driveway also has to be rolled carefully so the mat stays dense and does not shove. Edges are compacted, tapered and backfilled with soil so they are supported rather than hanging over air.

Gravel-to-asphalt conversions

Long gravel driveways are common on the edges of the metro. A gravel bed that is still thick and well drained can often become part of the new base, which helps the budget. We check how much stone is left, how much has been pushed into the soil, and whether the grade works, then regrade, add stone where needed and pave.

The apron and the permit

In Portland, installing or changing a driveway always requires a permit, and the apron crossing the sidewalk is in the public right-of-way. Repaving within the same footprint is a different job from adding, widening or moving a driveway, and we confirm which rules apply before scheduling.

After paving

HomeGuide advises staying off new asphalt for 24 to 48 hours, 3 to 5 days in hot weather, and keeping heavy vehicles off for at least a week. Avoid turning the wheel while parked, put a board under kickstands and trailer jacks, and plan on a sealcoat once the asphalt has cured.