Driveways in Fitchburg, WI often look like a patchwork quilt after another brutal Wisconsin winter. This issue appears all the time over in Lacy Heights and up near Seminole Forest. The freeze-thaw cycles in Fitchburg are very hard on asphalt, and eventually, every homeowner faces a choice. Homeowners must decide whether to patch the worst spots or resurface the whole driveway.
Skyline Asphalt Inc will break down both approaches without a sales pitch. Homeowners deserve to know what they are getting into before spending money on asphalt services.
The Case for Asphalt Patching
Asphalt Patching is the quick fix. It is surgery on the worst parts of your pavement. If you have a couple of localized potholes or a sinking corner near the garage apron, cutting out the bad asphalt and dropping in fresh hot mix solves the immediate safety hazard.
The biggest draw here is cost. Asphalt Patching is cheap upfront. You are only paying for materials and labor for the damaged areas, which means you can keep your budget intact for other projects. It is also fast. A crew from Skyline Asphalt Inc can usually knock out an Asphalt Patching job in a couple of hours.
But we must be realistic about the downsides. Patches are temporary repairs. Water always finds the seams where the old asphalt meets the new patch. Once the next heavy freeze hits, those edges are the first places to crumble. Plus, a driveway with five different grey patches looks like it has been through a war zone. It does nothing for your curb appeal in Fitchburg.
The Case for Asphalt Resurfacing
Asphalt Resurfacing, or an overlay, is a more thorough move. Instead of spot-treating the damage, we mill off the top layer of damaged asphalt and lay down a fresh, uniform wearing course across the entire surface. Suddenly, your driveway looks brand new again.
Durability is where Asphalt Resurfacing performs much better than patching. You get a watertight barrier that protects the aggregate and base from Dane County moisture. When done right on a solid foundation, Asphalt Resurfacing can easily give you another 15 to 20 years or more of service.
The catch is cost and timing. Asphalt Resurfacing costs significantly more than a few square yards of patching. You also need a solid base underneath. If your sub-base is completely ruined and washing out due to poor drainage, an overlay will not save it. You would need a full tear-out at that point.
Making the Call in Fitchburg
So how do you decide between Asphalt Patching and Asphalt Resurfacing? Look at the big picture.
- If less than fifteen percent of your surface is damaged and the rest is structurally sound, save your cash and patch the trouble spots.
- If you are seeing alligator cracking across half the surface, or if patching season is an annual ritual for you, stop wasting money on temporary fixes.
Skyline Asphalt Inc tells homeowners to look at their long-term plans. If you are selling the house next year, a quick surface fix might pass muster. If you plan on living in Fitchburg for the next decade, invest in Asphalt Resurfacing. For homes and businesses in Fitchburg, Skyline Asphalt Inc provides Asphalt Resurfacing services.