Adding an overlay to make your lot better than new

If the original base for the lot was well done, and is still solid and stable, you can add an overlay of two or more inches of compacted asphalt top smooth everything out and make it look new. There are three keys to making this type of overlay a real extension of the useful life of the lot, and not justy a temporary cosmetic fix:

1. Make sure that the network of cracks is not too dense or too deep. If they are, use the patching method described above first.

2. Over the most heavily trafficked areas or sections where cracks have already begun, install a fabric interlay (APT uses Petromat®.) This prevents cracks from reflecting up through the overlay at the rate of about 1/2 in. of overlay per year.

3.Install at least 2 in. of new compacted asphalt, making sure that the edges are properly keyed with the old surface. How well these edges bond with the old surface determines how long the new surface will look good and keep from unraveling starting at the edges.