Our asphalt driveway in Alta Vista is over 25 years old — is it worth resurfacing or should we just tear it out and start fresh?

At 25+ years old, your Alta Vista asphalt driveway is likely a candidate for full replacement rather than resurfacing, especially given Ottawa's harsh freeze-thaw conditions that accelerate asphalt deterioration.

The decision between resurfacing and replacement depends entirely on the condition of your existing base and the extent of surface damage. Resurfacing only works if the underlying base is still stable — if you're seeing widespread alligator cracking, significant settling, potholes, or areas where the driveway has heaved or sunk, these are signs of base failure that resurfacing cannot fix. An overlay will simply reflect every crack and movement from below within 1-2 Ottawa winters.

Alta Vista's housing stock from the 1960s-1980s often has driveways built to older standards with thinner base layers than what we'd install today. Many of these driveways were built with only 150-200mm of granular base, which is insufficient for Ottawa's 1.2-1.5 metre frost depth. After 25 years of freeze-thaw cycling, snow loading, and salt exposure, the base has likely deteriorated significantly. Additionally, the clay soils common in parts of Alta Vista can cause base instability over time.

Here's how to evaluate your driveway: Walk the entire surface and look for widespread cracking (especially alligator or interconnected cracks), areas that feel spongy underfoot, significant settling or heaving, and edge deterioration. If damage is limited to surface oxidation, minor linear cracks, and general wear, resurfacing might work and would cost $2,500-$5,500. However, if you're seeing structural issues, full replacement at $5,000-$12,000 is the only durable solution.

Given Ottawa's extreme climate, a properly rebuilt driveway with modern base specifications (300mm Granular B sub-base plus 150mm Granular A base) will last 20-25 years with regular sealcoating every 2-3 years. A resurfaced driveway over a failing base might only give you 3-5 years before requiring complete tear-out anyway.

When to hire a pro: Have a qualified paving contractor assess your base condition — they can often tell from surface symptoms whether the foundation is sound. Most will provide free estimates and can explain what they're seeing.

Need help finding a driveway contractor? Ottawa Driveways can match you with local paving professionals for free estimates on your Alta Vista project.