Plenty of driveways in Dinosaur have been around for decades, and many have been patched more times than anyone can remember. If the pavement is cracked and tired on top but the base is still firm, ripping it all out isn’t always necessary. Resurfacing, also called an overlay, puts a fresh layer of hot mix right over the old one.
The key is checking what’s underneath first. We look for soft spots, sunken areas, and water problems, fix those, then clean and tack the old surface so the new layer bonds. Edges along garages and walks may get milled so the heights still match. Done right, an overlay gives you a smooth new surface for a good deal less than full replacement.
We've seen how older, patched driveways hold up in this corner of Colorado, and we know which ones make good overlay candidates.
Milling tools, compactors, pavers, and rollers let us prep tie-ins properly and lay a smooth, even layer of new asphalt.
If your base has failed and an overlay would only crack again, we'll recommend replacement and explain exactly why.
We haul off milled asphalt and debris, protect garage floors and walks, and leave the street and yard swept clean.
An overlay is a great fit when the old pavement is worn but structurally sound. Think surface cracking, a faded and rough texture, or a handful of patches, with no widespread sinking. In that case, the existing asphalt acts as a solid foundation for the new layer.
An overlay is the wrong tool once the base underneath has given out. Wide areas of alligator cracking, deep ruts, and potholes that keep coming back mean the problem lives below the surface. A new layer over that will crack in the same places, usually within a few seasons. In those cases, removing the old surface and starting over with new asphalt paving is the better investment.
Dinosaur was incorporated in 1947, back when the town still went by Artesia, and it took on its current name in 1966. Some driveways around town have been through a lot of seasons and a lot of quick fixes since then. Older surfaces often have uneven layers from past repairs, low spots near garages, or edges that have slowly crumbled into the dirt.
Resurfacing can pull all of that together into one consistent surface. We even out low spots with leveling passes before the final layer and rebuild broken edges so the overlay has something solid to sit on.
It also helps with looks. A driveway covered in mismatched patches, some black and some faded to gray, reads as neglected from the street. One continuous layer of fresh asphalt makes an older home look cared for again, and it gives you a clean surface to seal and maintain going forward instead of a quilt of old repairs.
The most important part of an overlay happens before the new hot mix arrives. Soft areas get cut out, the base underneath is dug out and recompacted, and the hole is patched with new asphalt. Open cracks are cleaned and filled so they don’t telegraph straight up through the new layer.
If water is part of the problem, this is the moment to fix it. Regrading a shoulder, adding a swale, or steering downspout runoff away with grading work keeps the new surface from facing the same trouble the old one did.
A new layer adds height. On open driveway that’s no problem, but at a garage slab, sidewalk, or shop door it can create a lip that catches tires and traps water. We plan for that by milling or grinding the old asphalt along those edges so the new surface ties in flush.
Spots we check at every tie-in:
Getting these details right is what makes an overlay look intentional instead of stacked on top.
Hot mix has to stay hot from the plant to the driveway, and Dinosaur is a good drive from where our trucks load up. We plan resurfacing for warm, dry weather and line up materials, crew, and equipment so the work happens in one efficient visit.
Late spring through early fall gives the best results. The asphalt needs warmth to compact properly, and finishing well ahead of the cold lets the new surface settle in before its first winter at 5,922 feet. Getting on the list early in the year makes it easier to land a date that suits you.
An overlay deserves the same care as new pavement. Keep heavy vehicles off it for a few days, avoid turning tires while parked, and use boards under trailer jacks during the first hot summer.
After several months of curing, a coat of asphalt sealcoating helps shield it from sun and water. Add a yearly look for new cracks, filled before winter, and you’ll get many good years out of your resurfaced driveway.
We check the old pavement for soft spots, cracking patterns, drainage trouble, and height issues at garages and walks.
You get a free written quote covering base repairs, milling, overlay thickness, and the dates we're planning for the trip.
We patch weak areas, fill cracks, mill tie-ins, and apply tack coat, then lay and roll the new asphalt layer.
We walk the resurfaced driveway with you, check every edge, and explain when it's ready for cars and heavier vehicles.
