Most questions about asphalt come down to three things: what it costs, how long it lasts, and how to keep it that way. A well built asphalt driveway lasts 15 to 20 years in Pennsylvania, and sealcoating every two to three years is what gets it to the top of that range rather than the bottom. Here are the questions we get asked most, answered plainly.
Key takeaways
- Asphalt is priced per square foot, so size drives most of the cost, but the condition of the existing base drives most of the difference between quotes
- Sealcoating protects sound asphalt. It does not repair a failing base, and no contractor should tell you it does
- New asphalt needs 24 to 48 hours before it carries vehicle weight, and about a year to fully harden
- Pennsylvania’s freeze and thaw cycles are why drainage and base preparation matter more here than in milder states
Paving costs
How much does it cost to pave a driveway?
Asphalt driveways are priced per square foot, so size drives most of the cost. The bigger swing between two quotes is usually the condition of what is already there. If the base underneath is sound, new asphalt can often go over the top. If it has failed, removal and disposal is real cost and it shows up in the price.
Every G&S quote starts with a free on-site look, because the only honest way to price a driveway is to stand on it.
How much does it cost to sealcoat a driveway?
Sealcoating costs a fraction of what paving costs and is also priced per square foot. It is maintenance rather than construction, and on a sensible schedule it is the cheapest way to extend the life of asphalt you already own.
Sealcoating a driveway that is already failing is money wasted. Our asphalt sealcoating work protects sound asphalt from UV, water and oil. It does not fix a base problem.
Is sealcoating actually worth it?
Yes, on sound asphalt. Sealcoating slows the oxidation that turns asphalt grey and brittle, keeps water out of the surface, and resists oil and chemical staining. Over a driveway’s life it costs far less than the repairs it prevents.
It is not worth it on a driveway with deep alligator cracking or sunken areas. Those are structural problems, and fresh sealer over them just hides them for a season.
Is it cheaper to repair a driveway or replace it?
Repair is considerably cheaper, and for most driveways it is the right call. Crack filling and patching handle isolated damage well.
Replacement makes sense when the damage is structural rather than cosmetic: widespread alligator cracking, areas that have sunk, or potholes that keep returning in the same spot. Those are signs the base has failed, and anything laid over a failed base has a short life. If you are weighing the two, our driveway paving in Harrisburg page covers what a full replacement involves.
How long asphalt lasts
How long does an asphalt driveway last?
A properly installed asphalt driveway generally lasts 15 to 20 years in Pennsylvania. Regular sealcoating and prompt crack repair put a driveway at the top of that range. A driveway built on a poorly prepared base sits at the bottom of it, sometimes well below.
The base does more for lifespan than the asphalt does. It is the part nobody sees and the part that decides how long the driveway holds up.
How long does newly paved asphalt take to cure?
Newly paved asphalt takes 24 to 48 hours before it can carry the weight of vehicles. It continues hardening for months, and reaches full durability at around a year.
For the first few weeks, avoid parking in the same spot every day, keep sharp turns to a minimum, and keep sharp objects such as jack stands and kickstands off the surface. Hot weather softens new asphalt, so a hot spell shortly after paving calls for extra care.
How long after sealcoating can you drive on the driveway?
Most sealcoated driveways can take foot traffic after about 24 hours and vehicles after 24 to 48 hours, depending on temperature and humidity. Cool, damp or overcast conditions extend it.
Driving on sealer before it has cured leaves tire marks and thin spots that will not correct themselves. It is worth waiting the extra day.
How can I make my driveway last longer?
Keep water out of it and deal with cracks early. Practically, that means sealcoating on schedule, filling cracks as they appear rather than at the end of the season, keeping the surface clear of standing water, and clearing debris and vegetation from the edges where it works its way in.
Edges are where most driveways fail first, because there is nothing supporting the asphalt from the side.
Sealcoating
How often should I sealcoat my driveway?
Residential driveways generally benefit from sealcoating every two to three years. Commercial parking lots that take heavier traffic are usually on a one to two year cycle, which is why commercial parking lot paving is normally quoted on a maintenance schedule rather than a one off.
Frequency depends on how much sun the surface gets, how much traffic it carries, and how it has weathered. Sealcoating too often is a waste of money, and a driveway can be assessed rather than guessed at.
Can I sealcoat my driveway myself?
You can, and hardware store kits exist. Whether it is worth it is a different question. Professional application uses different material and equipment, goes on at a consistent thickness, and covers the whole surface evenly.
The usual DIY problems are uneven coverage, applying too much, and sealing over a surface that was not properly cleaned first. All three shorten the life of the coating and can look worse than doing nothing.
Does sealcoating make a driveway slippery?
Correctly applied sealcoating should not make a driveway slippery. Properly cured sealer creates a skid resistant surface.
Slipperiness comes from too much material or application over a surface that was not clean, which stops the sealer bonding. It is one of the clearest signs of a rushed job.
How do I stop oil stains on asphalt?
Deal with spills quickly. Absorbent material such as cat litter lifts most of the oil, then clean the area with a degreaser and water.
Oil is worse than a stain. It softens asphalt and breaks down the binder holding it together. Sealcoating creates a barrier that gives you time to clean a spill before it does damage.
Cracks, potholes and repairs
What causes cracks and potholes in asphalt?
Water and freeze thaw cycles cause most of it. Water gets into a small crack, freezes, expands, and widens the crack. The next thaw lets more water in and the cycle repeats until the surface around it collapses into a pothole.
Heavy traffic, tree roots, poor drainage and a base that was never properly compacted all accelerate it. In Pennsylvania, where the temperature crosses freezing repeatedly through winter, this is the single biggest thing working against asphalt.
Can I patch cracks myself?
Small hairline cracks can be filled with a hardware store crack filler, and doing it early is genuinely worthwhile.
Wider cracks, cracks running in a pattern, and potholes need professional repair. The work is in the preparation, cleaning the crack out properly and sealing it so water cannot get back in. A filler poured into a dirty crack lifts out within a season.
Can you pave over an existing asphalt driveway?
Often yes. Laying new asphalt over the existing surface is called resurfacing or overlaying, and it works when the base underneath is structurally sound. It costs less than a full removal and replacement and takes less time.
It is the wrong choice when the base has failed. Resurfacing over sunken areas or widespread alligator cracking hides the problem rather than fixing it, and the same failures come back through the new surface.
Hiring a paving contractor in Central PA
What should I look for when hiring an asphalt contractor?
Look for a written estimate that states the scope of work, the thickness of asphalt being laid, and what preparation is included. Anything vague about preparation is worth asking about, because that is where corners get cut and it is the part that decides how long the driveway lasts.
Beyond that: proof of insurance, local reviews you can actually read, references from work nearby, and a contractor who looks at the driveway before pricing it. A quote given over the phone without seeing the job is a guess.
When is the best time of year to pave a driveway in Pennsylvania?
Late spring through early fall. Asphalt needs warm ground and warm air to compact properly, and asphalt laid in cold conditions does not bond the way it should.
That also means the calendar fills up, since everyone wants the same window. Booking early in the season usually means less waiting.
Do I need a permit to pave my driveway?
It depends on your township. Work that changes drainage or affects the connection to a public road often requires one, and requirements differ between municipalities.
We work across Cumberland, Dauphin and York Counties regularly and will tell you before work starts whether a permit applies to your job.
Still have a question?
G&S Paving and Sealcoating installs, resurfaces and repairs asphalt driveways and parking lots across New Cumberland, Lemoyne, Camp Hill, Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Hershey, York and Wrightsville. Every job starts with a free on-site estimate.
Call (717) 487-3336 and ask. We would rather answer it now than have you guess.