Can you asphalt over a pitted concrete driveway?

We do not want to pave over concrete. It is not the inexpensive solution you may be seeking. Concrete has expansion joints and moves with changes in temperature (primarily during freezing and thawing). Asphalt is paved as a single monolithic slab. Unlike concrete, it has some inherent flexibility that allows it to expand and contract; however, it is not designed to move in the same way that concrete does. Consequently, asphalt applied over concrete will crack whenever and wherever the concrete moves. This includes both expansion joints and other cracks that the concrete has developed with age. Any expansion joint or a crack in the concrete pavement below it will soon be expressed in the asphalt above. This defeats the purpose of paving. In addition, this process creates a trip hazard in some areas. Finally, because there is no way to tuck asphalt, overlaying concrete can also produce a thin edge susceptible to accelerated deterioration. In short paving with asphalt over concrete is a very bad idea.

This was done at our house in Michigan that has Freeze, Thaw and occasional hot summer days. Prior to purchasing the previous owners put Asphalt over a cement driveway that was probably 25 years old.

After about 15 years we did notice cracks along expansion joints, so each year there was a little patching before sealing. Finally after 22 years the cracks were such that I decided it was time to replace.

We are replacing the asphalt over the cement again since we got 20 years out of it. Of course we did sealing of the driveway every other year, so perhaps that helped. I will report back in a few years to let every know how it went.

I would advise against it, unless you really like cracks in your asphalt. Most of the time, you have to rip out all the old concrete before you lay down asphalt. If you don't, cracks will form as soon as you have some cold, or hot weather. You could also look into fixing the current concrete. http://www.precisionlawnak.com/asphalt-services

My dad has been asking the same question for over a week now. He hasn't had time to look into it at all so I thought I would do some research for him and see what I could find. This helped a ton and I can't wait to show him when I get home.

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It would be so nice if you could just simply put asphalt over old/cracked concrete. There are many reasons why doing so just isn't a good idea; and it will cost you more in the long run if you have to do the job twice. Plus, there are so many amazing things they can do with concrete now that it is fun to pick out a driveway pattern that can make your house look even nicer.
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Putting asphalt over concrete isn't a good idea. Like others have commented, the two materials react in very different ways. The best thing you could do if you want to put asphalt down would be to re-do the driveway. If you just want to fix it, then you should stick with concrete.
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That is a really bad idea. What you need to do is remove the concrete that is already there and pour asphalt in its place. Adding asphalt onto existing concrete is almost useless and terribly incorrect. Call a local cement contractor and have him come and remove the concrete for you. Then ask him if he can or if he knows who can pour asphalt for you.

Commercial Asphalt Paving Contractor

I don't think it would be a good idea to pave over the concrete. I am pretty sure the two materials react differently in different temperatures. Contact a concreting service and ask them what they recommend. I am sure they have a sure answer for you.
Mia ' http://www.liquidrock.com.au

I think in your situation it would be best to either patch up the concrete or take it out and do asphalt. I don't think it would work very well, because the concrete underneath could crack more and make the asphalt on top look bad. Are you wanting an asphalt driveway? Because if so, I would take out the sidewalk first. http://armourpavement.com/

I'm not an expert, but my neighbors next door just had their driveway redone. They had some pretty old concrete that had to be leveled off before the asphalt was done. I'm not sure if this is the only way to do it, but it seemed like a good one.

Aimee Hart ' http://www.asphalt-maintenance.net

I am not an expert on asphalt paving, but growing up in Colorado I know that asphalt is extremely sensitive to the weather. Every spring when the cold finally moves on, there are a million new potholes in the road. The constant freezing and melting that settles into the asphalt creates cracks and holes that damage the road. Hope this is helpful for you!

Emily Smith ' <a rel='nofollow' href='http://bonnevilleasphalt.com/asphalt-specialists/' > http://bonnevilleasphalt.com/asphalt-specialists/</a>

My husband is wondering the same thing, though we seem to be getting a mix of answers with our research. I think I might just call some contractors. Get some consultations. See if they can pave it or not. http://www.starpaving.com/#!asphalt-contractor-santa-fe/c1wzn

It's probably not the best idea to put asphalt over concrete. If the weather fluctuates a lot where you live then you are just asking for asphalt repairs. The asphalt will crack every time there is a big change in weather. If you don't mind having to repair your asphalt every year then go for it!
Shelly Slader ' http://www.lakeridgepaving.com/website/index.php?tab=services

I would say no because it would crack easier. Cement usually has segments in it so that when movement happens the cement will just crack. The asphalt would be only in one piece and would easily break. Roman roads were so successful and sturdy because they had multiple layers but they had lots of segments too.
Fred Hutchinson
Asphalt Driveways in Penrith High Quality Asphalt

Blacktop or asphalt installation over concrete can be very successful. But, consider an alternative - concrete overlays. You can do this yourself or have a contractor make your driveway truly unique with stamped and colored concrete.

One positive aspect of installing blacktop over concrete is the concrete provides a firm base for the flexible asphalt paving. Experts who work each day in the blacktop industry, refer to blacktop as a flexible pavement. It does not have near the strength of concrete when you measure them inch for inch. The asphalt cement that bonds the pieces of sand and gravel in the blacktop can and does move over time. It is a unique material in that it possesses qualities of both a solid and a liquid.

Concrete is very similar to blacktop in that it also contains sand and gravel pieces. But the Portland cement ingredient that crystallizes and bonds tenaciously to the sand and gravel is as hard as rock. In fact, and geologist will tell you that regular concrete looks and feels exactly like a sedimentary rock called conglomerate.

Keep in mind that your blacktop driveway will become a maintenance item every 3 - 5 years. To keep blacktop from degrading due to exposure to the elements and liquids such as gasoline, oil and hydraulic fluids, you must keep a coat of premium sealer on it at all times.

Hope this helps.