Driveway Paving in Walnut Creek, CA

Driveway paving in the Walnut Creek area usually means replacing a driveway that has done its time. Many homes in the city and in Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga and the San Ramon Valley were built from the 1950s through the 1980s, and their driveways have been patched, sealed and patched again. When cracks run across most of the surface, when one edge keeps breaking away, or when a section has dropped and holds water, a new driveway built on a proper base is the lasting fix.

Reading an old driveway

The pattern of damage tells you why it failed. Cracks forming small connected blocks mean the base gave out under load. Cracks and crumbling along one side, usually the downhill side, mean water has been washing material out from under the edge. A sag near the garage often means water has been ponding against the slab. Straight cracks every few feet can mean the asphalt was laid over old concrete. We look at all of this before recommending removal or an overlay.

Slope and drainage

On sloped lots we start with the water. Where does it come onto the driveway, where does it want to go, and what is in the way? A slight cross-slope can carry water to one side, where a curb or swale takes it down to the street. A trench drain at the bottom of a driveway that falls toward the garage keeps water out of the house. These items are designed and priced at the estimate.

The build

After removal we inspect the subgrade, dig out soft or wet soil, and replace it with compacted aggregate. The aggregate base goes down in layers, each compacted, to the depth in your quote. Hot asphalt is then placed and rolled. On steep sections, we compact in shorter pulls so the mix does not shove downhill. Cost guides describe a typical residential section as 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of base, with more of each for heavy vehicles.

Edges, garages and the street

We taper the asphalt to meet garage slabs and walkways flush, and finish edges so they are supported rather than left to crumble into planting beds. Where the driveway meets the street, the approach is usually in the public right-of-way. In Walnut Creek that work needs a City encroachment permit, and a contractor working under it needs a City business license.

After paving

Keep cars off until we say it is ready, typically a few days. Avoid turning the wheel while parked and put a board under kickstands and trailer jacks through the first hot season. Wait three to six months before sealcoat. From then on, filling cracks before the rains and sealing every few years protect the investment.