How Long Before You Can Drive on a New Asphalt Driveway?
The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association says new hot-mix asphalt can be driven on soon after it is placed, but it is best to wait a few days, and a heavy moving truck should stay off a fresh mat. Sealcoat waits much longer: SealMaster calls for at least 30 to 60 days of cure first.
The first few days
The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association's driveway best-practices brief, published through the Asphalt Institute, puts it simply: new hot-mix asphalt can be driven on soon after placement, but it is best to wait a few days before opening it up. The same brief singles out heavy vehicles, using the example of a new homeowner's moving truck, which should not drive onto a fresh mat.
When the first sealcoat can go down
Sealing too early is the more common timing mistake. SealMaster, a pavement sealer manufacturer, says new asphalt should cure a minimum of 30 to 60 days and be free of oils before sealer is applied, and its E-Z Stir sealer instructions call for at least four weeks under ideal weather. The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association is more conservative: do not apply sealer until the driveway is at least several months old.
Why drainage matters from day one
The National Asphalt Pavement Association calls standing water the leading cause of driveway failure and advises making sure the contractor plans for proper slope or drainage. If water sits in the same spot on a new driveway after a rain, that is worth raising with whoever paved it.
New driveways on fresh fill
The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association also notes that backfill and fill areas around new homes are prone to settling, and that in some cases it is wise to wait a few months before installing a driveway at all.
Keep reading
Sources
- Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association (via the Asphalt Institute), “Best Practices” for the Use of Asphalt Driveways, Technical Brief
- SealMaster, Sealcoating FAQ
- SealMaster, E-Z Stir Pavement Sealer, application instructions
- National Asphalt Pavement Association, Hiring an Asphalt Contractor for Driveways
Frequently Asked Questions
The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association says new asphalt can be driven on soon after it is placed, but that it is best to wait a few days before opening the driveway.
Not right away. The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association specifically says a heavy moving truck should not drive onto a fresh mat.
SealMaster says new asphalt should cure at least 30 to 60 days before sealing. The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association says to wait until the driveway is at least several months old.