Just had my driveway replaced. Promised 2 1/2" to 2 3/4". Came home from work and the job looked great exept the material was very course, more larger gravel pieces that I have seen in other jobs. The neighbor came over and said he watched them and thought it went down kind of thin, maybe an inch or so.
We punched a small hole then with a bent wire felt the bottom of the blacktop. Yup one inch max.
The Company claims it's not the blacktop that makes a good job but the preparation of the base, and the course material makes it stronger and lets the water drain through.
Is that a bunch of crap" Any one know about blacktop?

Another thing. The wheel on the Iron gate (aluminum) puts 50#on the drive. Its making a slight grove.
The trailer jack wheel went in two inches, around seventy pounds
Nothing was on the drive for a week.

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1984 300SD turbo 126
"My true love"

God made me an atheist and who am I to question His wisdom

Sounds like they slapped down some cheap junk to make a quick $$ Have them re-do it or refund your $$.

Blacktop is too flimsy. Concrete or tight cobble brick is the only way to go IMHO. Not to mention blacktop is like an outdoor oven surface in the summer.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Have you paid yet? With a credit card? You got just over a third of what you bargained for. Seems to me it's worth about a third of the price. I've never heard of water draining through blacktop. It's supposed to drain off the blacktop as far as I know.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Are you sure they are not putting a second coat? I often see one layer applied. Then after its compacted a second layer is put on. Helps prevent tire grooves. If this is the plan, then there would be a lip at the transitions to concrete, etc.

Guessing thats not the case. If so one inch is pretty thin. Frost and water will easily heave it up and crack it. Call other companies and see what they say.

Also, if they agreed to over 2 inches and applies less then they better invoice you less!

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1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

Blacktop is a prime scam around here. Guys show up with a truck load claiming they have extra and you can have it for half price. Only problem is they quote about double the standard rate, not half. But the average person has no idea what the stuff costs so they fall for it. Sounds like this is a different situation though. Hopefully it is just the base coat as was mentioned. Jobs like that are prime opportunities for scammers though.

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

No to base coat. This is the finished job. Flush with the garage and road way.

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1984 300SD turbo 126
"My true love"

God made me an atheist and who am I to question His wisdom

a proper job needs to have a finished prepped surface, then oil/tarred, then a base coat (1 to 1.5 inches depending on use/traffic), then the top coat (additional 1 to 1.5 depending on use). but then this is if it's done properly.

one coat an inch deep isn't going to hold up to anything over time.

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All gave some, Some gave it all ~ 9-11-2001 Never Forget

People shouldn't fear their Government, The Government should fear its people.

Asphalt is sold and bought by the ton, so you got 1/3 what you paid for (Hopefully you have not paid yet). It needs both base coat and finish coat, the base coat is what you have it sounds like. It won't hold up. If they cheated on the asphalt they probably cheated on the stone base too.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The Contractor was right about one thing--preparation is extremely important to the longevity of the job. Since you were away, there is no way to have any confidence that the prep was any better than the finish--which is less than promised.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Asphalt scams are common around here too - usually for the elderly (I live in a rich hood). It looks great for about six months...

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

When I had my rental business on LI, we had an asphalt contractor as a customer who was absolutely the bottom of the barrel. They were known as "Midnight Pavers", and sometimes, that's when the job got done, with cold asphalt by that time.

They had one crew who's job it was to fix all the screw ups. "Keep me out of court!" was the owner's admonishment.

I used to do deliveries on occasion, you could tell one of their driveway jobs from a mile away. Looked like cold patch done with a hand tamper. What was really amazing is that people with nice homes in affluent neighborhoods would fall for this sloppy work.

The owner was allegedly a big time drug user, as were many of the employees. He even had one old Mack with no windshield, the driver wore a motorcycle helmet for protection.

On a related note.
Big article in the Tribune the other day.
Most Blacktop sealers sold in the Midwest are actually Coal Tar.
EXTREMELY Toxic !!!
polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons PAH


If interested

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-toxic-coal-tar-sealant-20110115,0,2601922.story

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KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

They screwed you, if you haven't paid them don't. It will just crack on you, you need at least 2 1/2. Also make sure you have a good solid base of stone or process. I like 4-6 inches, but you can go less if the ground is good.

I regards to blacktop and cement, you always, always count the yards/tons and are on site for the pour. Unless you have guys you work with all the time and can trust.


Saw cut a section and see how thick it is, if its 1in tell them to rip it up and redo it or they are not getting paid, also complain to the BBB about the company.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

This is outrageous! You better hope that it doesn't let the water drain through. That's the reason you put the black top there to seal it and keep the water from coming through. If the water makes it through in the Winter time it will freeze and heave. This tears it up really badly. That's why the highway department goes to so much trouble to seal cracks in black top and concrete both.

They are correct to a point about the preparation being very important. If there is plenty of underlayment properly packed, it will make a better driveway regardless of what top is used.

For that thin of a coating, they would have had to tear up the top five or six inches of your driveway at least, and replaced with proper materials, then heavily rolled and packed that before paving. If they rolled it with a little double roller, that's nowhere near packed enough.
My ex's mother's driveway was one of the scam ones, and it was horrible. Worse to shovel then gravel, the ruts were so bad. The spot where she parked her car when she stopped working had four depressions about 5-6" deep, and the other side was so bad that after 20 years, my motorcycle still sunk in.