Asphalt Paving Questions and Answers for Northeast Wisconsin

For cars and pickups, 2 to 3 inches of compacted hot mix asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of compacted stone. Driveways that see RVs, boats, or delivery trucks should be 3 to 4 inches. Ask every bidder to state compacted thickness in writing.

15 to 25 years with sealcoating every 2 to 3 years and crack filling each fall; 12 to 15 years without maintenance. Base quality, drainage, and plow damage decide where in that range you land.

Asphalt costs about half as much up front, shrugs off road salt, and is cheap to patch or overlay. Concrete lasts longer but spalls from salt and costs far more to repair. For most homes here, asphalt with regular sealcoating is the better value.

Yes, if the base is stable, drainage works, and cracking is limited. A 1.5 to 2 inch overlay adds 10 to 15 years at a much lower cost than replacement. Alligator cracking, sinking, or standing water means the base has failed and needs a full replacement.

Sometimes, if the concrete is stable and not heaving, but joints and cracks tend to reflect through the asphalt over time. We will tell you whether an overlay, milling, or removal makes sense for your slab.

Compacted crushed stone, usually 6 to 8 inches, placed on compacted subgrade and pitched to drain. A strong, well-drained base is the main defense against frost heave and cracking in a climate where the frost line is about 48 inches.

Yes. Existing gravel often becomes part of the base. We grade it, add and compact stone where needed, set the drainage pitch, and pave. Long rural driveways in Shawano and Oconto counties are a specialty.

One day for the paving itself. Removing an old surface and building the base can add a day or two. You can walk on it the next day and drive on it in 24 to 72 hours.

Nothing, in practice. Blacktop is the regional name for the same hot mix asphalt product. Hot mix is placed at 270 to 325 degrees and compacted while hot; cold patch is a temporary bagged product for winter potholes.

Every 2 to 3 years for driveways and every 2 to 4 years for parking lots. Sealing every year causes buildup that flakes; waiting five or more years lets oxidation and water cause damage that sealer cannot fix.

No. Sealer protects a surface and covers hairline cracks only. Cracks a quarter inch or wider are routed and hot-pour sealed first, then the surface is sealed.

It blocks UV oxidation (the graying), water, salt melt, gasoline, and oil, restores the black color, and can double the life of asphalt. It costs pennies per square foot versus dollars per square foot to replace pavement.

Martiny Paving applies SealMaster 100 percent coal tar sealer and asphalt-emulsion sealers, sand and latex modified for traction and durability, depending on the surface and customer preference. Coal tar is not banned in Northeast Wisconsin, though Milwaukee and Dane County restrict it.

Trapped water or a failed base under the pothole, which a surface patch cannot fix. A full-depth patch with base repair and drainage correction stops the cycle.

An infrared heater softens the damaged area 1 to 2 inches deep, the old asphalt is reworked with fresh hot mix, and the patch is compacted with no joint for water to enter. It is fast, seamless, and can be driven on almost immediately.

Yes. Fall crack sealing is the lowest-cost maintenance there is. Small October cracks become April potholes after repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

Only temporarily, with cold patch, until asphalt plants reopen in spring. Call in winter and we will schedule you first when hot mix is available.

When roughly 30 to 40 percent of the surface is cracked or alligatored, or the driveway sinks or holds water. At that point an overlay or replacement is a better spend than sealer.