Asphalt Overlay · Minnesota
An overlay puts a new layer of asphalt over pavement that is still structurally sound. It can restore a worn, oxidized surface without tearing out a base that is still doing its job — but only when the site actually supports it.
Serving the Twin Cities metro & greater Minnesota
Minnesota's Best Asphalt
Our own project photography. No stock images.
The top layer is what takes sun, salt, and traffic. Replacing it gives the driveway an even, dark surface again.
When the base is holding, there is no reason to excavate it. Less tear-out means less disruption at the house.
Garage aprons, sidewalks, and street connections all gain height. We measure those before quoting.
We inspect the pavement and the ground under it. If an overlay is the wrong answer, we say so and explain the alternative.
How the work is decided
The pavement itself should still be supported. We look for a surface that is oxidized, dry, raveled, or uniformly faded, sitting on a base that is not moving. Sound pavement sounds solid underfoot and does not deflect under a tire.
Drainage has to work. Water should sheet off the driveway and away from the house, garage, and any low spot at the apron. If water already sits on the surface, adding a new layer can make that worse instead of better.
Alligator cracking — the interlocking, web-like pattern — usually means the base underneath has failed rather than the surface wearing out. Patching over it or overlaying it tends to reproduce the same cracks in a season or two.
Deep rutting in the wheel paths, pavement that pumps or feels spongy after rain, and cracks that have opened wide enough to hold water all point to a base or subgrade problem. In those cases the honest recommendation is removal and rebuild, not a new surface.
An overlay adds thickness, and that thickness shows up at every edge: the garage apron, sidewalk panels, driveway aprons at the street, and any curb. Sometimes the transition is minor enough to ramp; sometimes a panel or apron needs to be lowered or rebuilt.
We walk those points during the assessment and include whatever adjustment the site needs in the written scope, so you are not surprised by a step at the garage door after the work is done.
Preparation is most of the job. The existing surface is cleaned, loose material and failed patches are removed, and surface cracks are cleaned and filled. Isolated low spots are brought up with a leveling course so the new layer does not simply mirror the old defects.
A tack coat bonds the new asphalt to the old surface, then the wearing course is placed, graded, and compacted. Edges are finished and the driveway is left clean, with the surface ready for normal use once it has cooled.
An overlay does not correct base failure, and it does not fix drainage. It is a surface renewal, not a structural repair. If your driveway has a soft spot, water running toward the garage, or a settled section, those need to be addressed as part of the project or before it.
We would rather tell you that up front than sell you a surface that fails early. If the site is not a candidate, we will explain what would actually solve the problem.
Our own project photography. No stock images are presented as our work.
Submit Your Project
Send the address, the service and a few details. Photos help, but they are optional.
Site Assessment
We look at the pavement, the base, drainage and transitions. This is what the estimate is built on.
Written Estimate
You receive a written scope describing what is included, what is excluded, and the price.
Scheduling
If you accept, the work is scheduled when site conditions, materials and crew availability allow.
Overlays depend on temperature and dry weather. Late-season requests are scheduled when conditions allow, and we will tell you honestly if the work is better held for spring.
We work across the Twin Cities metro and surrounding Minnesota communities, including:
St. Paul · Minneapolis · West St. Paul · South St. Paul · North St. Paul · Maplewood · Roseville · Little Canada · Mendota Heights · Inver Grove Heights · Eagan · Woodbury · Oakdale · Cottage Grove · Newport · St. Paul Park · Lake Elmo · Stillwater
See all service areasRequest an estimate
Send the details below and we will arrange an assessment. A written estimate follows the assessment — not a phone number.
