Most tar driveways in the Western Cape do not fail all at once. The surface dries out and greys in the sun, fine cracks appear, a patch sinks near the gate, and the edges start to crumble. If the base underneath is still doing its job, there is no need to dig everything out. A properly prepared overlay gives you what is effectively a new driveway at a lower cost.
Is your driveway a candidate for resurfacing?
Resurfacing works well when:
- The driveway is mostly level, with no widespread sinking or rutting.
- Cracks are fine and mostly on the surface, rather than wide alligator-pattern cracking across large areas.
- Water drains off reasonably well, and the problems are in the surface rather than the ground.
It is not the right answer when the base has failed over a large area, when tree roots have lifted large sections, or when the driveway already sits too high against the house or garage. During the free site survey we test suspect areas and tell you honestly which route makes sense.
Our resurfacing process
1. Repair before you overlay
New asphalt over a failed patch will fail in the same place, usually within a year. We cut out any soft, sunken or broken areas with a saw, excavate to firm material, rebuild and compact the base, and patch with hot asphalt so the whole driveway has a uniform, sound foundation.
2. Clean and seal cracks
Cracks are cleaned out and sealed so they do not travel up through the new layer straight away. This is called reflective cracking, and preparing for it properly is one of the biggest differences between a lasting job and a cosmetic one. See our crack sealing service for more detail.
3. Deal with levels
We check every threshold: garage doors, gate tracks, drains, manholes and the join with the street. Where an overlay would cause problems, we mill or cut back the old surface at the edges so the new asphalt ties in flush. Manhole and valve covers are raised to the new level.
4. Tack coat and overlay
A bitumen tack coat is sprayed so the new layer bonds to the old one. Without it, the two layers can slip apart under braking and turning. Hot asphalt is then laid, raked to level and rolled while it is still hot.
5. Edges and finishing
New edges are compacted and finished so they do not crumble, and we tidy and clean the site before handover.
Resurfacing versus slurry seal
If your driveway is structurally sound but simply looks faded and has a few hairline cracks, you may not even need an asphalt overlay. A slurry seal is a thin protective coat that restores the black colour and seals the surface for a lower cost. It does not add strength or fix levels, though, so it is a maintenance treatment rather than a repair.
Common situations we see
- Older homes with original 1980s or 1990s driveways that have dried out and become brittle.
- Driveways patched several times by different contractors, leaving an uneven, multicoloured surface.
- Driveways damaged by heavy vehicles during building work or a renovation.
- Complexes and estates where a shared driveway needs refreshing without closing access for long.
For complexes, we phase the work so residents always have a way in and out, and we agree timing with the body corporate or managing agent.
What resurfacing costs
Price depends on the size of the area, how much repair work is needed first, and whether milling or level adjustments are required. You can see how these factors add up in our tar driveway pricing guide. After a site survey, we give you a written quote that separates repairs from the overlay, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Book a site survey
We will look at your driveway, check the base and levels, and recommend whichever option is most cost-effective: resurfacing, slurry seal or a new tar driveway. Quotes are free and sent within 24 hours of the visit.