Asphalt Resurfacing in Mesquite, TX

Asphalt resurfacing lays a new 1.5 to 2 inch layer of hot-mix over existing pavement. It works when the problem is on top (a faded, rough or lightly cracked surface) and the base underneath is still firm. HomeGuide prices overlays at about $1 to $3 per square foot and says resurfacing a sound surface saves around 20 to 30 percent compared with full replacement. In a city where so much pavement dates from the 1970s and 1980s, it is one of the most common jobs we quote.

Good candidates and poor ones

Resurfacing tends to work when less than about a quarter of the surface is damaged, cracks are shallow, and the pavement drains. It is a poor choice when alligator cracking covers most of the surface, the pavement is sinking or rutted, or water stands on it after rain. On Blackland Prairie clay, a surface that is moving because the base has failed will crack right through a new layer.

Patching before the overlay

An overlay is only as good as what is under it. Before we resurface, failed areas are saw-cut and rebuilt full depth, wide cracks are cleaned and filled, and the surface is swept and tack-coated so the new asphalt bonds. Skipping those steps is why some overlays crack or peel within a year or two.

Milling

Milling grinds off the top layer of old asphalt. We mill along garage slabs, curbs, gutters and doorways so the new surface ties in flush and water still drains. On commercial lots, a full mill-and-overlay removes a worn surface layer and replaces it without raising the grade.

Leveling low spots

A leveling course fills dips and birdbaths before the final layer, which can fix standing-water problems without a full rebuild. We check the surface with a level at the estimate and mark where water collects.

What happens next

Treat a resurfaced driveway like new asphalt: keep heavy vehicles off for a few days, avoid turning the wheels while parked during the first summer, and wait 3 to 6 months for the first sealcoat. Seal cracks as they appear to keep water out of the base.

Commercial resurfacing

On parking lots, resurfacing is usually done as a mill-and-overlay so the finished grade stays at the curb and the inlets still work. We phase the lot so part of it stays open and restripe when the new surface has cooled.