5 Helpful Tips When Resurfacing Your Driveway
There are some key things that should be kept in mind regardless of whether you resurface your old driveway on your own or hire an expert. This article discusses some of those crucial things that you should pay attention to as you execute the project.
Fix Prior Defects
Resurfacing your existing driveway without solving the defects that it has will not make those defects disappear. It is therefore important that you examine the old driveway so that you identify any defects that caused it to deteriorate. Those defects may include sections that have sunk due to an improper base. Fix those defects before the driveway is resurfaced.
Mind the Slope
Ensure that the resurfaced driveway is capable of carrying any water runoff away from your house. That water should not be channeled towards the garage or a neighbour's property. Instead, the driveway should be designed in such a way that the water is directed into a catch basin or to the nearby street.
Watch the Basement
Does your home have a basement? You need to make sure that the resurfaced driveway does not exceed the level of the lower section of the window frames in your basement. This will ensure that water will not splash onto the window when it rains.
Pay Attention to Edges
It is also wise to pay attention to the edges of the driveway when you resurface it. Those edges should be amply supported and tamped down. This will delay any premature wear of the driveway that would have originated if sharp edges were exposed to various forces, such as erosion by running water each time it rains.
Test the Drainage
Do not consider the resurfacing job complete until you have tested how well it drains. You can take a garden hose and direct it onto different sections of the driveway. The water should drain away in the pattern that was described earlier (towards a catch basin or the street). Identify any spots where water is ponding, and pour more asphalt onto those sections so that no birdbaths are present on your new driveway.
The issues above are just a few of the things that you need to pay attention to during the resurfacing project. The only way that you can be sure that the job will be done right is to hire a driveway resurfacing contractor to perform the task. Only then will you be assured of lasting results.