Asphalt Driveway Paving in Olympia, WA

Asphalt driveway paving is mostly groundwork. The black surface is only a few inches thick. Under it sits compacted crushed rock, and under that, native soil. Alligator cracks, a dip by the garage, moss in the low corners, edges falling into the grass: on an Olympia driveway nearly all of it traces back to a wet base or one that was skimped on from day one. A new driveway fixes those causes before any asphalt goes down.

When a driveway needs replacing

• Cracks that join up into a pattern like alligator skin
• Potholes that come back after patching
• Low spots where puddles stand for days after rain
• Edges breaking off into the yard or ditch
• Root heaves from nearby trees that have split the surface
• More patch than original pavement

Isolated cracks can be sealed and a single failed area can be patched. Once most of the surface is affected, a new driveway tends to cost less over ten years than chasing failures one patch at a time.

Building the base for South Sound ground

Around Olympia the native ground ranges from gravelly glacial outwash that drains quickly to dense glacial till and low swales that hold water all winter. We strip topsoil and organic material, probe for soft areas and dig them out, then place and compact crushed rock. Cost guides describe a typical residential section as 6 to 8 inches of compacted base under 2 to 3 inches of asphalt, and 8 to 10 inches of base under 3 to 4 inches for heavier vehicles. On wet ground or long rural driveways that carry trucks, we lean toward the thicker end and say so in the quote.

Slope, drainage and runoff

A driveway should shed water to a place that can take it: a lawn, a ditch, a swale or the street gutter. It should not send water toward the garage or onto a neighbor. We set the grade to do that and point out downspouts that dump onto the pavement. If the new surface is large, Thurston County treats new impervious area as part of its stormwater review; the county's abbreviated plan for a single lot applies to projects under 2,000 square feet of new impervious surface, and larger additions need more review. We flag it when a project is near that line.

The garage slab and the street

At the garage the new mix is feathered down to meet the slab, so there is no ridge to stub a toe or catch a shovel. At the street, the apron often sits in the city or county right-of-way. Olympia requires a permit from the city engineer to dig in public property, and Lacey and Tumwater require right-of-way permits for construction there. Thurston County calls a new or relocated driveway onto a county road an encroachment. If your driveway connects at the existing apron, none of that may apply. If you want it widened or moved, we explain the process at the estimate.

After it is paved

New asphalt stays somewhat soft through its first warm season. Keep cars off for the time we give you, avoid turning the steering wheel while parked, move where you park now and then, and put a board under kickstands and trailer jacks. Hold off on sealcoat for the three to six months HomeGuide says new asphalt needs to cure. Keeping needles and leaves cleared off the surface helps it dry after rain.