Parking Lot Resurfacing Project in Chicagoland

The Challenge

This Chicagoland commercial property had a parking lot that was showing its age. The asphalt surface was faded, rough, and worn down from years of traffic. Several areas had cracking and small potholes that were getting worse every season.

The property owner did not want to tear the whole lot out and start over. The base underneath was still in good shape for most of the lot. What they needed was a resurfacing overlay that would give them a brand new driving surface on top of the existing base.

There were a few spots where the old asphalt had failed all the way through. Those areas needed base repair before the overlay could go down. The goal was to give the entire lot a fresh, even surface that would last another 15 to 20 years.

Before Photos

Here is what the lot looked like before we started. You can see the worn-out surface, faded color, and damaged areas that needed attention.

Our Solution

We used a milling and overlay approach to resurface the entire lot. Here is the process we followed.

Milling the Old Surface. Our crew brought in a milling machine to grind down the top layer of the old asphalt. Milling removes the worn-out surface and creates a rough texture that helps the new asphalt bond to the old base. It also brings the surface back down to the right height so the new overlay does not build up too high at curbs and doorways.

Base Repair. After milling, we found a few spots where the base had failed. We dug those areas out, replaced the bad material with fresh aggregate, and compacted it. Fixing the base in these spots makes sure the new overlay will not sink or crack in those areas.

Hot Mix Asphalt Overlay. Once the milled surface was clean and the base repairs were done, we laid down a fresh layer of hot mix asphalt across the entire lot. The paving machine spread the material at an even thickness so the finished surface would be smooth and level from one end to the other.

Compaction. We rolled the new asphalt with a steel drum roller and then a pneumatic roller to pack it down tight. This step is what makes the overlay dense and strong. Good compaction helps the new surface resist cracking and stand up to heavy traffic for years to come.

After Photos

The finished lot looks brand new. The fresh asphalt overlay gives the property a clean, professional look that the owner is proud of.

Before and After Comparison

See the full transformation side by side. From a worn-out, damaged surface to a fresh asphalt overlay that looks and drives like new.

Before

After