Driveway Paving in Hanford, CA

Driveway paving on a flat Hanford lot is as much about grading as it is about asphalt. If the surface is laid level, rainwater has nowhere to go, it sits in shallow ponds, and over a few winters it soaks into the base and breaks the driveway apart. So the first decision on every job is where the water will go: toward the street, a side yard, a planter or a ditch. Then the base and the asphalt are built to carry that slope.

When to replace instead of repair

• Cracks connected in a web pattern over large areas
• Low spots that hold water for days after rain
• Ruts where trucks or trailers park
• Edges crumbling into dirt or lawn
• Repeated potholes in the same places

A few cracks or one bad spot can be repaired. When failures cover a large part of the driveway, the base is gone, and replacement is the better value.

The base

Under the asphalt sits a layer of crushed rock that spreads the weight of vehicles over the soil. HomeGuide's typical home driveway uses 6 to 8 inches of compacted gravel under 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt, and 8 to 10 inches under 3 to 4 inches for heavier vehicles. Around Hanford, where many homes keep a work truck, a boat or a stock trailer, we often recommend the heavier section, at least where those vehicles park.

Soils

Valley soils vary from sandy loam to fine silt and clay. Some get soft when wet. We dig test spots, remove soft or organic soil, and compact the base in layers. On lots near old sloughs or ditches, where the ground can stay damp, we check moisture before setting the base depth.

Edges and transitions

Unsupported asphalt edges crumble, especially when tires run off them. We compact the base beyond the edge and, where it makes sense, add a header or thickened edge. At the garage, we taper the asphalt to the slab; at the street, we tie into the existing apron or, if the apron is being changed, confirm what the city or county requires first.

After paving

New asphalt in Hanford's summer heat stays soft for a while. Keep cars off it for a few days and heavy vehicles off longer, do not turn the wheel while parked, and use a board under trailer jacks. Wait 3 to 6 months before the first sealcoat, as HomeGuide recommends.