Residential Driveway Replacement:
What to Expect
Investing in a new asphalt driveway is one of the best ways to improve your home’s curb appeal, eliminate muddy puddles, and make winter snow plowing a breeze. However, we know that tearing up your old driveway can feel a bit disruptive if you don't know what to expect. At Jensen & Son Asphalt, we believe in keeping things simple and transparent.
A quality driveway isn't just rolled out on top of the dirt—it requires a careful, step-by-step process to ensure it handles the changing seasons of Northern Wisconsin for decades to come. Here is a look at exactly how we transform your home's entrance from start to finish.
Our Standard Installation Process
Step 1: Excavation and Removal
First, our crew removes your existing, worn-out driveway surface. Whether you currently have failing asphalt, cracked concrete, or a bumpy gravel path, we haul the old materials away to be properly recycled.
Step 2: Grading and Sloping for Drainage
Water is the number one enemy of pavement. We use precision equipment to grade and slope the bare ground so that rainwater and melting snow naturally flow away from your home’s foundation and garage doors.
Step 3: Sub-Base Preparation and Compaction
The real strength of an asphalt driveway comes from what’s underneath it. We lay down a thick, crushed-aggregate gravel base and compact it tightly. This solid foundation is what prevents your new driveway from shifting or sagging under the weight of everyday vehicles.
Step 4: Laying the Fresh Hot Mix Asphalt
Once the base is perfectly prepped, our team lays down premium hot mix asphalt. Our paving machines apply the material at a precise thickness, ensuring a uniform, professional finish across the entire surface.
Step 5: Final Compaction and Rolling
While the asphalt is still hot and pliable, we use heavy-duty vibrating rollers to compact the material. This smooths out the surface, locks the aggregate together, and creates that clean, crisp, durable black finish that instantly transforms the look of your property.
Life After Paving: Caring for Your New Driveway
Once our trucks pull away, your new driveway will look incredible—but the care process is just beginning. Because fresh hot mix asphalt takes time to fully cure and harden, we always provide homeowners with a few simple guidelines to protect their investment during those first few weeks:
Give it time to cure: Keep all vehicles off the new surface for at least 24 to 48 hours. On particularly hot summer days, you may want to wait an extra day just to be safe.
Watch the tight turns: For the first summer, try to avoid turning your steering wheel while your vehicle is completely stationary on the fresh driveway, as this can leave scuff marks.
Distribute heavy weight: If you have a boat, camper, or utility trailer, place a small piece of plywood under the tongue jacks and tires to prevent them from sinking into the fresh asphalt during hot weather.