Driveway Paving in New Orleans, LA

Driveway paving in New Orleans is a fight with the ground underneath. A residential asphalt driveway is commonly 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of compacted gravel, but on the clay and organic soils found across much of the city and its suburbs, that minimum is often not enough. The ground stays wet, settles over the years and gives way under car tires. A driveway that lasts here starts with digging out what is soft and building back with more stone.

How to tell a driveway is done

• Ruts where the tires run, or a dip near the street
• A web of connected cracks, usually over a soft spot
• Water that stands for hours after a storm
• Edges breaking into the grass or flower beds
• Roots raising ridges across the surface

One or two of these can often be repaired. When they cover most of the driveway, rebuilding usually costs less than a decade of patches.

Building the base

Once the old surface is out, we look at what is underneath. Soft, gray or organic material gets dug out. On very soft ground we lay a geotextile fabric first to keep the stone from mixing into the mud, then place crushed stone in layers and compact each one. The finished grade slopes toward the street, a drain or a planted area, never toward the house or the garage.

The concrete apron and the permit

In Orleans Parish, the part of the driveway between your property line and the street is a concrete apron built to City standards: 4,000 psi concrete at least 6 inches thick, no wider than 12 feet for a single lane or 24 feet for two lanes at the property line. Installing, replacing or repairing a driveway that connects to the street needs a Driveway or Curb Cut Permit from the City, which carries a $100 application fee and a final inspection. If your apron is in good shape and stays put, the asphalt can be tied to it without touching the public right-of-way. If it needs replacing, we explain the permit process up front. Jefferson Parish has a similar apron permit through its engineering department.

Roots and old oaks

Live oak roots spread far beyond the canopy and push up asphalt laid over them. Where we can, we keep the driveway's path away from the largest roots, set the edge back, and avoid cutting major roots close to the trunk. Where a root has already lifted the surface, we explain your options before removing anything.

Narrow lots and side drives

Many older New Orleans homes have a single narrow drive along the side of the house, sometimes shared with a neighbor. Those need careful handwork, a clean joint against the foundation and attention to where roof water lands.

After paving

Keep cars off for the first few days and off the edges for longer. In summer heat, avoid turning the wheel in place. Seal once the asphalt has cured, typically 3 to 6 months later according to HomeGuide.