Costs and Differences of Asphalt Parking Lot Resealing, Resurfacing and Repaving

General Price Range

Asphalt parking lot resurfacing generally costs around $1.60 per square foot. There are however a great deal of factors that come into play when resurfacing black tops/parking lots. It’s also important to understand the difference between ‘resurfacing’, ‘resealing’ and ‘repaving’ as these are very different from both a cost and final outcome standpoint. Factors like location, local competition, and time of the year may also greatly affect the cost to resurface or repave your asphalt parking lot.

“Resurfacing” is often used interchangeably

The term “resurfacing” is commonly used when referring to any type of parking lot project where the blacktop is restored to a ‘new’ look however there are actually three different categories of job associated with this term. From quick and simple resealing to the fully involved repaving, the real method of ‘resurfacing’ actually refers to the project that would fall in between these two levels of blacktop magic.

Asphalt Resealing vs. Resurfacing vs. Repaving: Quick Definitions

• Resealing: Adding a new layer of seal coat to the lot without the use a full, fresh asphalt coating.  What is sealcoating, exactly?  We explain it thoroughly in this article.
• Resurfacing: Adding a new layer of asphalt atop the old lot, often followed by resealing.
• Repaving: Removing the old pavement/asphalt and adding a whole new asphalt layer, also often followed by sealcoating.

All of the above asphalt services are then followed by new line stripping when they are done on a blacktop parking lot.

Resurfacing & Resealing Asphalt Preparation

Resealing asphalt is the most cost-effective method of bringing the parking lot back to its former clean and new aesthetic look, however, may not be your best option depending on the condition of the lot’s surface. The resurfacing and resealing processes start with professional repairing of major and minor issues on the lot such as filling potholes and medium to large cracks on the surface with an asphalt filler and allowing it sufficient time to dry. If the experts find the lot to be overridden with cracks and potholes, or large compressions and un-level areas they may inform you during the quote process that repaving is actually necessary as simple resurfacing may not do the job to make the lot both safe and professional in appearance.

After parking lot prep work

Resealing / Fresh Sealcoat

A fresh layer of sealcoat is laid to give your parking lot a clean top coat however the surface will not have a full uniform look as cracks and repairs may still show through the final sealcoat layer. Color will however match and in many cases, sealcoating is enough to give a parking lot a completely ‘new’ look with a professional atheistic especially when followed with expert line stripping.

Resurfacing

Once the parking lot is fully level and all areas requiring pre-treatment have fully cured, the next step involves laying a new thin layer of asphalt to assure a complete, uniform surface is created. Depending on the condition of the older asphalt, this layer may range in thickness from one to three inches. This step often involves the usage of a large ‘Double Drum’ heavy roller to assure the surface is flat, level, and compact yielding a ‘like-new’ asphalt finish, thus making way for the best possible outcome when followed with professional sealcoating and expert line-stripping.

Repaving

When is repaving necessary?

Complete surface repaving is necessary when the condition of the parking lot is so bad that no asphalt can be laid atop it without so much prep work that the cost to perform the prep outweighs the cost to remove and repave entirely. Often when surface cracks appear throughout the entire lot, the main issue causing the cracks lies within the subsurface, also requiring complete repaving.

What is the repaving process?

Repaving starts with a total demolition of the old asphalt followed by subsurface prep to assure the foundation is strong, level, and compact enough to take the new asphalt layer and minimize future cracks and water build-ups which are a leading cause of potholes.

Now that you have an understanding of the different methods for ‘resurfacing’ your parking lot, here are some general price points of each method;

Resealing Costs

Depending greatly on the amount of prep work required prior the sealcoating, costs per square foot may range from .15 to .30 cents. In some warmer climates it’s also possible a more dynamic, durable product is used which may also carry a higher cost.

Resurfacing Costs

Again, the prep work can greatly cause this range to fluctuate yet the average asphalt parking lot resurfacing may range from $.90 to $2.00 per square foot.

*Driveways
Resealing and resurfacing driveways may tend to cost significantly more per square foot as the same amount of equipment and general overhead is required for a smaller area.

Repaving Costs

As complete demolition of the old asphalt lot is required prior the laying of fresh asphalt, repaving carries the highest cost of all the resurfacing methods. With a total cost of demo to new asphalt ranging from $2.00 to $4.00 per square foot repaving an asphalt parking lot can become expensive, however most professional asphalt companies have a sliding scale allowing for price reductions per square foot as the size of the lot increases.

Pinellas, FL Parking Lot Services

Is your parking lot located in Pinellas, Florida? If so, feel free to contact Anderson & Son’s Asphalt with any questions or for a free quote today.