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Asphalt Driveways

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Asphalt is aggregate held together by bitumen, and bitumen is a thermoplastic binder: it stiffens as it cools and softens as it warms. That single material property explains most of what an Australian asphalt driveway does. It explains why a jack stand or a trailer jockey wheel sinks into it on a February afternoon and not in July, why a surface laid on a cold morning never quite knits together, and why tyre scuffing shows up in the hot months.

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The Australian standard covering residential pavements, AS 3727.1, applies across construction methods including concrete, asphalt, spray sealed and pavers, and the Housing Industry Association notes that it is not referenced in the National Construction Code, so its application is for guidance only. That leaves the specification you agree in writing as the real control on what gets laid.

Asphalt also has a cheaper relative that is common on Australian rural and semi-rural driveways and is often confused with it. A spray seal — bitumen sprayed onto a prepared base and covered with a layer of aggregate — is a surface treatment rather than a structural layer. It looks similar from a car window and behaves nothing like asphalt underfoot or under load. Knowing which one you are being quoted is the first question, not the last.

Hot mix asphalt, spray seal and the alternatives

  • Hot mix asphalt is a manufactured, graded mix laid and compacted while hot, and is the product most people mean by an asphalt driveway.
  • A spray seal is bitumen sprayed on a prepared base with aggregate spread over it: cheaper, quicker, and a surface treatment rather than a structural layer.
  • Cold mix and patching products are repair materials, and a driveway built from them will not perform like hot mix.
  • Concrete is more expensive to lay, far more rigid, and does not soften in heat, but cracks rather than deforming when the ground moves.
  • Segmental pavers can be lifted and relaid over a service trench, which neither asphalt nor concrete can.
  • Compacted gravel remains a legitimate rural option and is the cheapest surface to maintain if you accept the dust and the grading.

Why the binder and the base matter more than the thickness

People compare asphalt quotes on the depth of the wearing course, which is the least useful number in the job. Asphalt is a flexible pavement: it distributes load rather than spanning across weakness the way a reinforced slab does. Put a well-made asphalt layer on a poorly compacted base and it will deform to whatever the base does underneath, faithfully and quickly.

The binder is the other half. Bitumen softens with temperature, so through an Australian summer a driveway is at its most vulnerable to point loads and to turning tyres. That is not a defect, it is the material behaving as designed, and it is the reason trailer jacks, motorcycle side stands, caravan legs and furniture feet want a spreader plate under them in hot weather. Ask what mix is being used, ask what the compacted base build-up is, and treat the wearing course thickness as the last question rather than the first.

How an asphalt driveway should be laid

  • Excavate to full depth for the base and the asphalt, rather than skimming the existing surface.
  • Prepare and compact the subgrade, digging out soft spots instead of bridging them.
  • Place and compact the base course in thin layers to the design thickness.
  • Set the falls before anything is laid, so water sheds to somewhere it is allowed to go.
  • Apply a prime or tack coat so the asphalt bonds to the base rather than sitting on it.
  • Lay the asphalt hot and compact it promptly, because compaction only works while the mix is still hot.
  • Roll edges and joints properly, since unsupported edges are where asphalt driveways start to break up.
  • Keep vehicles off for the period the contractor specifies, and get that period in writing.

Time of year, time of day and asphalt

Asphalt is placed hot and compacted before it cools, so ambient conditions are part of the job rather than a background detail. A cold, windy day shortens the working window and makes proper compaction harder, particularly at the edges and joints where the mix loses heat fastest. In the cooler southern states that argues for laying in the warmer part of the year and the warmer part of the day.

The opposite problem is what happens to a new driveway in its first summer. A freshly laid pavement is at its softest in its earliest months, and Australian summer surface temperatures are exactly when point loads leave permanent marks. Keep trailer jacks, bike stands, caravan legs and skip bins off it or put a spreader plate under them, avoid turning the steering wheel while stationary, and expect the surface to firm up over its first season.

Reading the damage on an asphalt driveway

  • Indentations under jacks, stands and furniture feet: point loading on a soft surface in hot weather.
  • Scuffing and tearing at turning points: tyre shear on a surface that is warm and not yet fully cured.
  • Cracking in a connected polygon pattern, often called crocodile cracking: a base or subgrade failure, not a surface one.
  • A single straight crack across the drive: usually a reflection of something below, such as a backfilled service trench.
  • Crumbling along an unsupported edge: the edge was never properly compacted or restrained.
  • Ponding after rain: the falls were never set correctly and no resurfacing will fix it.
  • A shiny, bleeding surface: excess binder at the surface, most visible in hot weather.

Getting a long life out of asphalt

  • Seal cracks while they are narrow, because water reaching the base is what turns a crack into a failure.
  • Keep edges supported with a firm shoulder, kerb or garden edge rather than leaving them proud of the ground.
  • Use a spreader plate under any point load, particularly in summer.
  • Clean up oil and fuel spills promptly, since both attack the bitumen binder.
  • Keep water off it: a downpipe discharging onto the drive will find its way into the base.
  • Reseal or resurface on the contractor's advice, understanding that resurfacing is cosmetic and cannot fix a failing base.

Asphalt Driveways: frequently asked questions

Why has my trailer jack left a dent in the driveway?

Because bitumen is a thermoplastic binder that softens as it warms, and on a hot Australian afternoon an asphalt surface is at its most deformable. A small steel foot carrying a heavy point load will press into it. This is the material behaving as designed rather than a defect, and the remedy is a spreader plate under any jack, stand or leg, particularly in summer and especially in a driveway's first season.

What is the difference between asphalt and a spray seal?

Hot mix asphalt is a manufactured, graded mixture of aggregate and bitumen laid and compacted as a structural layer. A spray seal is bitumen sprayed onto a prepared base with aggregate spread over the top: it is a surface treatment that waterproofs and provides a running surface, not a structural layer. Spray seals are common and appropriate on rural driveways, and much cheaper, but they behave differently under load and need different maintenance. Always confirm which one a quote is for.

How long before I can drive on new asphalt?

Ask the contractor and get it in writing, because it depends on the mix, the thickness and the weather, and driving on it too early is self-inflicted damage rather than a warranty claim. Whatever the stated period, treat the first summer with care: avoid turning the wheel while the car is stationary, keep heavy point loads off it, and do not park a loaded trailer or caravan on the surface without spreading the load.

Can asphalt be laid over my existing driveway?

It can, and an overlay is a legitimate treatment where the existing pavement is structurally sound and the levels allow it. It is not a fix for a failing base: crocodile cracking, rutting and settlement all come from below, and an overlay will reflect them through within a short time. It also raises the surface, which matters at garage thresholds, at the boundary and where the drive meets the kerb. Ask the contractor to explain specifically why the existing base is sound.

Is there a standard my asphalt driveway has to meet?

AS 3727.1 covers residential pavements and applies to all types of construction methods including concrete, asphalt, spray sealed and pavers, but as the Housing Industry Association points out it is not referenced in the National Construction Code, so its application is for guidance only. That means the enforceable specification is the one in your contract. Get the base build-up, the mix, the compacted thickness, the falls and the curing period written into the quote.

Sources

  1. HIA: Designing pavements to avoid cracking, and the status of AS 3727.1
  2. NCC: ABCB Housing Provisions Part 3.2 Earthworks and compacted filling
  3. ACCC: Consumer rights and guarantees

Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Last reviewed 22 September 2026. How we write and check our guides

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What affects the cost of asphalt driveway

Prices depend on the details of your project. We only publish price ranges when they’re backed by real LokalMatch quote data or reliable sources. Until then, here’s what usually changes the price:

  • Size and thickness of the area
  • Removal of the old surface
  • Excavation and base preparation
  • Finish, colour or pattern
  • Access for equipment and trucks
  • Steps, curves, drains or retaining edges

How to compare paving contractors before you hire

  • Choose a contractor who explains how they'll prepare the base, since most concrete and interlock problems start underneath.
  • Ask how they'll slope the surface so water drains away from the house.
  • Get a written quote that covers excavation, base material, reinforcement, finish and removal of the old surface.
  • Look at jobs they finished a few seasons ago to see how they've held up through freeze and thaw.
  • Ask whether they'll call to have underground utilities located before digging.

Questions to ask paving contractors before you hire

  • How deep will you excavate, and what base will you put down?
  • Will you use reinforcement, and what kind?
  • How will you make sure water drains away from the house?
  • Does this work need a permit from my municipality?
  • How soon can the surface be walked on or driven on after it's done?
  • What warranty do you offer for cracking, settling or heaving?

When to call a pro for asphalt driveway

  • Cracks that are widening or slabs that have sunk or lifted
  • Water pooling against the foundation after rain
  • Trip hazards on steps, walkways or driveways

Asphalt driveway permits and local rules

Some asphalt driveway work needs a permit or has to meet local bylaws. Rules vary by municipality, so ask your pro whether a permit is needed and who will apply for it — and check with your city or town if you’re unsure.

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