Should I Tar and Chip My Driveway?
You should tar and chip your driveway if it's long or steep, or still gravel. It gives you a sealed surface for less than asphalt. It's a poor fit if you want a smooth surface for bikes and basketball. It also struggles where heavy trucks turn every day. Either way, the base and drainage underneath decide how long it lasts.
That's the short answer we give homeowners around Pittsburgh and the surrounding counties. The longer answer depends on your driveway's length, slope and what drives on it.
What Is a Tar and Chip Driveway?
A tar and chip driveway is hot liquid asphalt with crushed stone rolled into it. It's built over a compacted stone base. The stone locks into the asphalt and becomes the surface you drive on.
Road crews use the same method on country roads, where it's called a chip seal. The asphalt keeps water out of the base. The exposed stone gives tires more bite than smooth blacktop. You can see the finished surface up close on our tar and chip driveway page.
Tar and Chip Driveway Pros and Cons
Tar and chip trades a smooth finish for lower cost and better grip. The lists below are what owners notice after the first year.
Pros
Costs less than asphalt, and the savings grow with every foot of length
Rough stone grips well on wet or icy hills
Natural stone color that blends with fields, woods and older homes
Never needs driveway sealer
Can go right over a well-prepared gravel driveway
Cons
Loose stone for the first few weeks while it settles
Rough to walk, bike, skate or shovel on
Plow blades and sharp turns can scrape chips loose
Needs a fresh coat every several years
Fewer contractors do it, so the installer matters more
When Tar and Chip Is the Right Choice
Length is the biggest reason to choose tar and chip. Hot mix asphalt goes down several inches thick. Tar and chip uses a thin coat of liquid asphalt and one layer of stone. Over a few hundred feet, that difference in material adds up fast.
Grip is the second reason. Tires hold better on a wet hill, which matters on the steep driveways found all over Allegheny, Westmoreland and Fayette Counties.
It's also the natural next step for a gravel driveway that washes out, ruts or throws dust every summer. Tar and chip seals the gravel in place without the cost of paving it.
When You Should Pick Asphalt Instead
Pick asphalt if the driveway is short and sits close to the house. On a short run, the cost gap shrinks and asphalt's smooth surface is worth more.
Asphalt also wins if kids play on the driveway or you shovel by hand. The same goes for delivery trucks making tight turns. Spinning tires and power steering at a standstill tear chips loose.
Some owners split the difference. They pave the stretch near the house with asphalt and use tar and chip for the long run out to the road.
Tar and Chip vs Asphalt
Tar and chip usually wins on long, rural or steep driveways. Asphalt usually wins on short driveways near the house.
Tar and chip | Asphalt | |
Cost on a long driveway | Lower, since it uses less material per foot | Higher, since hot mix goes down several inches thick |
Surface | Rough, textured stone | Smooth and even |
Grip on a wet hill | Strong | Less bite in the rain |
Look | Natural stone color | Black with clean edges |
Shoveling and plowing | Shovels catch, plow blade set slightly high | Easy to shovel and plow |
Upkeep | A fresh coat of asphalt and stone every several years | Sealing every two to three years |
Best fit | Long, rural, wooded or steep driveways | Short driveways and parking areas near the house |
If you go with asphalt, our guide on how often to seal an asphalt driveway covers the upkeep.
How Long Does a Tar and Chip Driveway Last?
A tar and chip surface lasts as long as the base under it holds up. On public roads, one chip seal coat commonly adds five to seven years of life. A driveway with a few cars a day usually goes longer between coats.
When the surface wears thin, it doesn't get torn out. A new coat of asphalt and stone goes right over the old one. A double chip seal, with two layers, builds a thicker surface for steep or busy driveways.
What Does a Tar and Chip Driveway Cost?
Tar and chip costs less than asphalt per foot, but no two driveways price the same. Your number depends on:
Length and width
How much grading, new stone or base repair is needed
Drainage work, such as ditches or a pipe under the driveway
A single or double layer of stone
Access for the spreader truck and roller
That's why every estimate starts with someone walking the whole driveway.
How a Tar and Chip Driveway Is Built
We check the existing base and fix soft spots, ruts and drainage.
We grade and compact the stone so water runs off.
We spray hot liquid asphalt across the surface.
We spread crushed stone over it right away.
We roll the stone into the asphalt so it locks in.
Extra stone gets swept off as the surface settles.
Install day matters. The Federal Highway Administration's chip seal checklist calls for dry pavement and weather that lets the asphalt grab the stone. It also warns against chip sealing over a surface that's already failing. On a driveway, that means a firm base with no soft spots or ruts.
Can You Tar and Chip Your Own Driveway?
Not well. The liquid asphalt goes down hot from a distributor truck, and the stone has to hit it within moments. Then a heavy roller presses it in. Without that equipment, the stone won't bond and you'll end up with a sticky, patchy mess.
What you can do yourself is the prep thinking. Note where water sits, where the gravel ruts and where the plow digs in. Those spots tell a contractor where the base needs work.
How Tar and Chip Holds Up to Snow Plows
A steel plow blade set right on the surface can scrape chips loose, especially in the first winter. Raise the blade slightly or add plow shoes so it rides above the stone. A rubber cutting edge is gentler still.
If you hire someone to plow, tell them what the surface is before the first snow. Mark the edges with stakes so the blade doesn't chew up the sides.
Can Tar and Chip Go Over a Gravel Driveway?
Yes. A long gravel driveway is a classic place for tar and chip. The gravel becomes the base once it's regraded, topped up where it's thin and compacted. Mud holes and washouts get dug out and rebuilt first, or they'll show through the new surface.
Water is the other piece. A long driveway needs a crown or a side slope so rain runs off. Where it crosses low ground, it needs a ditch or a pipe. Our drainage solutions page shows how we handle both.
Thinking about tar and chip for your driveway? Get a free estimate and we'll walk the whole length with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I tar and chip my gravel driveway?
If the gravel washes out, ruts or kicks up dust, tar and chip is a strong upgrade. It seals the gravel in place for far less than paving. The base gets regraded and compacted first.
Is tar and chip better than blacktop?
It's better on long, steep or rural driveways where cost and grip matter most. Blacktop is better on short driveways near the house, where a smooth surface is worth the extra cost.
How long does a tar and chip driveway last?
It depends on the base, drainage and traffic. On public roads, one coat typically adds five to seven years. Light driveway traffic often gets more, and a new coat can go right over the old one.
Is tar and chip cheaper than asphalt?
It usually is. It uses far less material per foot than hot mix, so the savings grow with length. Base repair and drainage work can change the final number, so get an on-site estimate.
Can you seal a tar and chip driveway?
No. Regular driveway sealer would coat the stone and take away the grip. When the surface wears, it gets a fresh layer of asphalt and stone instead.
How do you repair a tar and chip driveway?
Small bare spots get a patch of hot liquid asphalt and fresh stone, rolled in. Larger worn areas usually get a new coat over the whole driveway so the color and texture match.
Can you plow a tar and chip driveway?
Yes. Set the blade slightly high or use plow shoes so the steel edge doesn't scrape chips loose. A rubber edge is easier on the stone.
Is tar and chip good for a steep driveway?
It's one of the better choices. The stone gives tires more traction than smooth asphalt, especially when the driveway is wet.
Can you pave asphalt over tar and chip later?
Yes, as long as the base underneath is still solid. Soft spots and failed areas get repaired before the new asphalt goes down.
How soon can you drive on a new tar and chip driveway?
Usually the same day, once the stone is rolled in. Drive slowly and avoid sharp turns or spinning tires for the first few days so the chips stay put.
Talk to a Crew That Builds Both
We've built tar and chip and asphalt driveways for over 50 years as a family-owned company out of Latrobe. Our crews work in and all around Pittsburgh, plus Westmoreland, Washington, Butler, Indiana and Fayette Counties.
We'll walk your driveway, check the base and drainage, and tell you which surface fits. Sometimes the answer is tar and chip, sometimes asphalt and sometimes a mix of both. The visit is free.
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