McLean Asphalt: Frequently Asked Questions About Asphalt Paving in McLean, VA

New asphalt driveway installation in Northern Virginia runs $4–$10 per square foot depending on thickness and base preparation requirements. A single-car driveway (200 sq ft) runs approximately $1,000–$2,000; a standard double-car driveway (800 sq ft) runs approximately $3,200–$8,000. Northern Virginia prices are 25–35% higher than the national average due to labor and material costs. Call (571) 389-7109 for a free on-site estimate.

No permit is required for standard residential driveway replacement or resealcoating in Fairfax County, per Fairfax County Land Development Services (fairfaxcounty.gov/landdevelopment). A permit may be required if the driveway exceeds 2,500 square feet, involves an elevated or structural surface, or if the work creates a new curb cut onto a public road — in which case a VDOT entrance permit is needed. McLean Asphalt handles permit coordination on your behalf when required at no extra charge.

Our estimates are free and include an on-site visit, surface condition assessment, measurements, and a written quote itemizing scope, materials, and total price. We note whether base preparation, grading, or edge work is needed and price it accordingly. The estimate includes all labor and materials. What you see in the quote is what you pay.

Most residential driveway paving jobs are completed in one day. A standard 800–1,200 sq ft driveway replacement takes 4–6 hours from start to finish. New construction driveways with grading and base preparation may take 1–2 days. Commercial parking lot projects take 1–5 days depending on size.

Asphalt can be installed any time ground temperatures are consistently above 50°F — typically April through October in Northern Virginia. Summer is peak season. Fall is ideal because cooler temperatures allow the asphalt to cool and compact without the heat softness that can occur in July and August. We do not recommend paving when overnight temperatures are below 40°F or when rain is forecast within 24 hours of the job.

A properly maintained asphalt driveway lasts 20–30 years. Without regular maintenance — specifically sealcoating every 2–3 years — lifespan drops to 8–12 years. The top factors that affect longevity are base preparation quality, asphalt thickness, drainage, and maintenance frequency. At McLean Asphalt, every installation includes a minimum 3-inch surface course over a compacted base.

Asphalt is generally better suited to Northern Virginia's climate. It costs $4–$10 per sq ft vs. $6–$12 for concrete, and is ready for light traffic in 48–72 hours vs. 7 days for concrete. More importantly, asphalt is flexible and handles freeze-thaw cycles better — ground movement in winter causes concrete to crack and heave in ways that require expensive panel replacement, while asphalt flexes and can be patched at lower cost. For most residential applications in Fairfax County, asphalt is the more practical choice.

You can walk on new asphalt after 24 hours. Passenger cars should stay off for 48–72 hours minimum. Trucks, SUVs, and heavy vehicles should wait up to 7 days. Full curing takes 6–12 months — during this period, avoid sharp objects like kickstands, high heels, jack stands, and RV leveling blocks that can leave permanent dents, especially during hot summer months when the surface stays pliable.

This is normal. Asphalt is an oil-based material that softens in direct sunlight and high temperatures. Brand new asphalt (within the first 6–12 months) is more susceptible to heat softening than fully cured pavement. During summer, surface temperatures can reach 150°F+ in direct sun, which can cause indentations under point loads like kickstands or narrow-footed equipment. Avoid parking vehicles in the same spot day after day during the first summer.

Residential driveways should have a minimum of 2 inches of compacted asphalt for passenger cars, with 3–4 inches recommended for driveways that accommodate heavy vehicles, trucks, or RVs. New construction driveways at McLean Asphalt are installed at 3–4 inches. For heavy-use commercial parking lots, 4–6 inches of asphalt in multiple lifts is standard. Thicker asphalt on a properly prepared stone base is the single biggest factor in long-term durability.

The base is everything. Asphalt is only as good as what it sits on. A 4-inch asphalt surface on a poor base will fail in 5 years; a 3-inch surface on a properly compacted 6-inch stone base will last 20+. At McLean Asphalt, we never skip base preparation. For new installations we compact the existing subgrade, then add the appropriate depth of crushed stone base, compact it in lifts, and grade it for drainage before any asphalt goes down.

Residential driveway sealcoating costs $0.15–$0.35 per square foot, or $150–$350 for a typical 1,000 sq ft driveway, based on 2026 national averages from HomeAdvisor. Commercial parking lot sealcoating runs $0.25–$0.60 per sq ft. Price varies based on lot size, surface condition, number of coats, and whether crack filling is needed beforehand. McLean Asphalt provides written quotes before any sealcoating work begins.

Every 2–3 years is the standard recommendation for residential driveways in Northern Virginia. Your first sealcoat should be applied no sooner than 6–12 months after the initial installation, once the asphalt has fully cured and most oils have evaporated. Over-sealcoating (more than once per year) can cause the coating to peel and flake — more sealcoat is not always better.

Sealcoating is typically dry and ready for foot traffic within 4–6 hours after application in warm, sunny conditions. Vehicle traffic should wait 24–48 hours. Cooler temperatures, humidity, and overcast skies slow the drying process — on a cloudy 60°F day, allow 48 hours before driving on a freshly sealed surface.

Sealcoating seals the surface of the asphalt, preventing water, oil, UV rays, and de-icing salts from penetrating and breaking down the asphalt binder underneath. It also restores the dark color of oxidized asphalt. UV oxidation — the same process that fades and cracks asphalt — is the leading cause of premature driveway failure, and sealcoating is the most cost-effective way to block it. Think of it as sunscreen for your driveway.

Repair (resurfacing or patching) is the right call when the base is structurally sound and damage is limited to the surface. Signs the base is still good: cracks are linear (not alligator-patterned), the surface is mostly flat, and there are no depressions that collect standing water. Replace when the base has failed — signs include alligator cracking across large areas, significant surface depressions, or sections that flex underfoot. McLean Asphalt assesses every driveway on-site before recommending a scope.

Pothole repair typically costs $100–$400 per pothole for residential driveways depending on size and depth. Small surface potholes under 6 inches wide can often be repaired with cold patch for $100–$150. Larger potholes requiring base excavation and hot-mix patch cost $250–$400+. For commercial parking lots with multiple potholes, per-square-foot pricing is more common: $3–$7 per sq ft for infrared or saw-cut patching.

Potholes form when water enters cracks in the asphalt, freezes in winter, and expands — a process called freeze-thaw cycling. The expanding ice breaks up the asphalt structure from below. Repeated cycles widen the damage until the surface layer collapses into the void below. Northern Virginia's winters — with frequent freeze-thaw cycles between November and March — are particularly hard on pavement that has not been properly crack-filled and sealed.

Asphalt resurfacing (also called overlay or mill-and-fill) involves placing a new 1.5–2 inch layer of asphalt over an existing structurally sound surface. It costs $2–$4 per sq ft and extends the life of a driveway or parking lot by 10–15 years. It is appropriate when the existing asphalt has surface cracks and oxidation but the base is still intact. If the base has failed, resurfacing will not fix the problem and full replacement is required.

The clearest signs of base failure are: alligator cracking (interconnected cracks that look like crocodile skin across a large area), surface depressions that collect water, sections that flex or bounce when walked on, and cracking at the edges where the driveway meets the lawn. Any one of these signals is worth a professional assessment before deciding between resurfacing and full replacement.

Yes. McLean Asphalt works with HOA communities throughout Fairfax County for parking lot maintenance, community road paving, annual sealcoating programs, and striping. We provide written quotes suitable for board approval and can coordinate scheduling to minimize disruption to residents. Annual maintenance contracts are available for HOAs that want to lock in pricing and scheduling year-over-year.

Standard parking lot striping costs $5–$20 per stall for re-striping an existing lot. New striping on freshly paved asphalt runs $9–$12 per stall for oil-based paint. Thermoplastic striping (longer lasting) runs $15–$30 per stall. ADA-compliant handicap stalls require additional materials and typically cost $100–$300 per stall including the van-accessible markings and signage coordination. Fire lane striping runs $3–$5 per linear foot.

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires a minimum number of accessible spaces based on total lot size: 1–25 total spaces = 1 accessible; 26–50 = 2; 51–75 = 3; 76–100 = 4; 101–150 = 5; 151–200 = 6; 201–300 = 7; 301–400 = 8; 401–500 = 9. Of these, at least one must be van-accessible (96 inches wide with an adjacent 96-inch aisle). Lots with more than 500 spaces follow a percentage formula. When we restripe a parking lot, we flag any ADA deficiencies in the quote so you can bring the lot into compliance at the same time.

Yes. Virginia requires a Class A or Class B contractor license for asphalt paving projects over $10,000. McLean Asphalt holds a Virginia Class A contractor license and carries full general liability and workers' compensation insurance. When hiring any paving contractor in Virginia, ask to see their license number and verify it at dpor.virginia.gov. Unlicensed contractors offer no recourse if work is substandard or incomplete.

A small commercial lot under 5,000 sq ft is typically completed in one day. A medium lot of 10,000–25,000 sq ft takes 2–3 days. Large lots over 50,000 sq ft may require 4–7 days with phased closures to keep part of the lot usable throughout the project. We work with property managers to schedule work during low-traffic periods — nights, weekends, or between seasons — and provide advance notice to tenants and customers.

Professional crack sealing typically costs $75–$250 for a residential driveway depending on the number and length of cracks. Most driveways have $100–$150 worth of crack work needed before sealcoating. Stand-alone crack sealing is often bundled with sealcoating at a reduced per-linear-foot rate. For commercial lots, crack sealing is priced per linear foot at $1–$3/LF for rubberized hot-pour crack sealer — a 10,000 sq ft lot with moderate cracking might have $500–$1,500 in crack work.

Crack filling uses a poured material to fill dormant cracks (cracks that are not actively growing or moving). Crack sealing uses flexible rubberized hot-pour material applied over working cracks — cracks that continue to open and close with temperature changes. The rubberized sealer stretches with the crack rather than breaking. For most residential driveways in Northern Virginia, rubberized crack sealing is the better long-term solution because of the wide seasonal temperature swings between summer and winter.

Cold-pour DIY crack fillers work for very small surface cracks (under 1/4 inch wide) on relatively new pavement. For cracks wider than 1/4 inch, deep cracks, or cracks that show signs of base movement, professional hot-pour rubberized sealer bonds better, lasts longer, and adheres properly to both sides of the crack. The cost difference between DIY and professional crack sealing on a typical driveway is $75–$150 — not worth risking improper sealing on a major structural crack.

Edge crumbling happens when the sides of the driveway lack lateral support — either because they overhang a soft soil shoulder, tree roots are growing underneath and pushing up, or because water is wicking into the edge and freezing. The fix depends on the cause: if the base is intact, taper-patching the edge with hot-mix and adding a stone border for support often lasts 10+ years. If the base has eroded or been displaced by roots, partial excavation and base repair is needed first.

Tar and chip (also called chip seal) is a paving method where liquid asphalt (tar) is sprayed on a prepared base and then immediately covered with crushed stone aggregate. The stone is rolled into the tar and the excess swept away. The result is a textured, naturally-colored surface that looks more like a gravel road than a standard black asphalt driveway. It costs $2–$5 per sq ft and is popular for rural properties, estate driveways, and homeowners in Great Falls and Loudoun County who want something that blends with a natural or wooded setting.

A tar and chip driveway lasts 7–15 years with proper maintenance. Unlike standard asphalt, it does not require sealcoating — the stone aggregate surface is naturally resistant to UV damage. Loose stones on the surface are normal in the first few weeks after installation; they settle over time. The main maintenance task is controlling weeds along the edges and occasionally adding a fresh chip seal coat every 7–10 years to refresh the surface.

Asphalt millings are the recycled material produced when existing asphalt is ground up during road or parking lot resurfacing projects. They look like coarse gray gravel and are used as an alternative to hot-mix asphalt for rural driveways, farm lanes, and properties where appearance is less important than cost. Millings driveways cost $1–$3 per sq ft installed vs. $4–$10 for hot-mix. They compact over time and shed less than gravel. The main downsides: they don't seal or cure into a fully solid surface, can track into garages, and many HOAs prohibit them. Check your HOA covenants before choosing millings.

The driveway apron is the section of driveway between your property line and the street — the transition piece that crosses the public right-of-way. Because it sits on public land, replacing or widening a driveway apron typically requires a permit from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for roads maintained by VDOT, or from Fairfax County for county-maintained roads. The permit process involves a VDOT Land Use Permit application (fees vary by project). McLean Asphalt handles the permit application on your behalf and coordinates with VDOT for inspections — this is standard on every apron job we do.

Asphalt milling uses a grinding machine (cold planer) to remove the top 1–3 inches of existing asphalt from a surface before repaving. It is required when the existing surface is too high (would create a lip at the garage or sidewalk after overlay), when the surface texture has deteriorated too far for a new layer to bond properly, or when VDOT specifications call for it on road projects. Milled material (RAP — reclaimed asphalt pavement) is 100% recyclable and is typically reused in new asphalt mixes. Milling costs $1–$3 per sq ft for the removal pass.

McLean Asphalt was founded in 2009 by Michael Travers, a McLean native who has lived and worked in Fairfax County his entire career. We have been serving Northern Virginia homeowners and property managers for over 15 years. Every job is self-performed by our own crew — we do not use subcontractors.

No. Every project is performed by McLean Asphalt's own crew. We never subcontract our paving work. This matters because it means the crew that shows up is accountable to us directly, carries our insurance, and has been trained by us. When a contractor subcontracts, quality control becomes harder and insurance gaps can leave the homeowner exposed. With McLean Asphalt, the same team that gives you the estimate does the work.

McLean Asphalt serves all of Fairfax County, Loudoun County, and Arlington County in Northern Virginia, including McLean, Fairfax, Vienna, Great Falls, Reston, Oakton, Sterling, Alexandria, Leesburg, Arlington, Falls Church, Herndon, Tysons, Annandale, Springfield, Chantilly, Centreville, Burke, Ashburn, and Merrifield. Call (571) 389-7109 to confirm availability for your specific address.

Yes. Every estimate is free. We visit the property, assess the surface condition, measure the area, and provide a written itemized quote. There is no obligation to hire us and no time pressure. We ask that estimates be done on-site rather than over the phone because accurate pricing depends on actually seeing the base condition, drainage, and access — factors that photos can miss.

For urgent repairs — significant potholes creating a safety hazard or drainage emergencies — we aim to schedule an assessment within 24–48 hours for all locations in Fairfax County and adjacent areas. Scheduling for larger planned projects (full driveway replacement, parking lot paving) typically runs 1–3 weeks in spring and summer during peak season, and 1–2 weeks in fall and early winter when demand is lower.