Tar and Chip Driveways in Naperville, IL
We build tar and chip driveways, with a rough stone top, for homes across Naperville, Illinois.
- Quotes in writing
- 21 areas covered
Naperville Asphalt Driveway builds tar and chip driveways for homes across Naperville. We spray a hot coat of liquid asphalt over a firm base, spread small stone chips on top and roll them in, so the driveway gets a rough stone finish instead of smooth black asphalt.
How a tar and chip driveway goes down
We build it the way road crews build what they call a chip seal. The Federal Highway Administration says a chip seal is built by first putting a coat of asphalt on the pavement, then dropping small stones, or chips, onto it and rolling them so they press into it.
It also says chip seals come in single, double and triple layers. Your written quote from us says how many layers your driveway gets.
Where tar and chip works
We only put tar and chip over a base that is still firm. If your old driveway is breaking up deep down, we'll say so and suggest asphalt driveway replacement or a new asphalt driveway installation instead.
Before we spray over old asphalt, we fill the bigger cracks. Our crack filling page says how.
Loose stones after the job
The Federal Highway Administration says chip seals can lose chips, which can lead to flying stones and broken windshields. It says that's why they aren't common on busy city roads.
Its chip seal checklist says crews should sweep off the extra stone as soon as they can, and finish the last sweep no later than the morning after the chip seal goes down. We sweep your driveway the same way, then come back and sweep it again.
The weather it needs
The Federal Highway Administration's checklist says the air and the surface should be at least 50°F and warming, and that a chip seal should only go down when there's little or no chance of rain. So we book tar and chip work for warm, dry days, and we move the date if rain is on the way.
Naperville driveway rules
The City of Naperville says it requires property owners to fill out and send in a Driveway Permit Application before a new driveway goes in. Its Driveway Guide says that rebuilding a driveway with any changes needs a permit too. The guide also says residential driveways can't be wider than 20 feet or narrower than 9 feet, measured at the property line.
We tell you before we start whether your job needs a permit.
What to get in writing
Ask for these in writing, whoever you hire:
- How the base will be fixed or firmed up before the chips go down.
- How many layers of asphalt and chips you're getting.
- The type and size of stone. The Federal Highway Administration's checklist says the chips should all be close to the same size.
- When the loose stone will be swept up, and when the second sweep happens.
- Which part of the driveway is in the price, marked on a sketch.
Questions about tar and chip driveways in Naperville
How is tar and chip different from a regular asphalt driveway?
On an asphalt driveway we lay hot asphalt mixed with stone and roll it smooth, while on tar and chip we spray the asphalt first and roll loose stone into it, so you get a rough, stony top.
Can you put tar and chip over a gravel driveway?
Yes, we can, once the gravel is firm and graded. The Federal Highway Administration says chip seals usually go over old asphalt, but they have also been used on unpaved roads.
Is tar and chip strong enough for a driveway?
The Federal Highway Administration says chip seals give a very durable top surface. It says they're common on rural high-speed roads, including rural interstates and state highways.
Is a tar and chip driveway slippery?
The Federal Highway Administration says chip seals are used to seal fine cracks and keep water out of the pavement underneath, while keeping or improving how well the surface grips tires.
How soon can I drive on a new tar and chip driveway?
The Federal Highway Administration's checklist says traffic should go slowly, 25 mph or less, on a fresh chip seal until it has been swept a second time. We ask you to drive slowly and avoid sharp turns on your driveway until our second sweep is done.
Can you match the stone color to my house?
We go through the stone we can get with you before we start, and we write the color into your quote.
Get a quote for a tar and chip driveway
Call us, or send the quote form with your ZIP code and roughly how big your driveway is. We'll come out, check the base, and give you a written quote. To see the other work we do, go to the Naperville Asphalt Driveway home page.
Ready to talk about your asphalt driveway job?
Send the quote form with your ZIP code and what you need. We will get back to you with a written quote.