Asphalt paving guide
A real asphalt install is seven steps. The top layer everyone sees is the easy part. Everything underneath is what makes the surface last 20 years or fail in 3.
The crew checks drainage, slope, soil, and access. Every driveway and lot needs water to move somewhere on purpose. Skip this step and the surface fails early.
Old asphalt, concrete, or topsoil is removed down to a stable depth. For residential driveways this is usually 8 to 12 inches. For commercial lots, deeper.
The native soil is graded and compacted with a roller or plate. A weak subgrade is the most common cause of premature failure.
4 to 8 inches of dense graded aggregate is placed in lifts and compacted. This is the load-bearing layer. Skimping here is how driveways crack in 3 years.
For thicker installs, a 2 to 3 inch binder course of larger-aggregate asphalt is placed and compacted before the top course.
1.5 to 2 inches of fine-aggregate asphalt is laid hot at 275 to 300 degrees and rolled to compaction. The top course is what you see and what carries the wear.
Edges are beveled or backfilled with topsoil. The crew rolls a final pass and the surface needs 24 to 48 hours of cure before light use, 7 to 14 days before heavy vehicles.