A fabric overlay is often the recommended choice for surfaces with a limited amount of cracking, good drainage, and rough, or aged surfaces. It can also be a less expensive and shorter-term alternative to complete reconstruction.
Also referred to by its trade name, Petromat Overlay, a fabric overlay is a layer of geotextile fabric placed between an existing asphalt surface and a new layer of hot mix asphalt. On a standard overlay, 2" of asphalt will be placed on top of your existing surface.
Why Fabric?
Because you are using your existing asphalt as a foundation, reflective cracks can come through in the overlay and cause your new pavement to fail. The fabric is designed to minimize this occurrence by providing a moisture barrier and distributing stressful vibrations evenly across the surface, reducing reflective and fatigue cracking.
Fabric overlays can increase pavement life up to 50%, reduce maintenance costs and improve the effectiveness of your pavement maintenance program, without the need to completely reconstruct your asphalt pavement.
The Process
We begin by cleaning the existing surface of dust, dirt, vegetation, and moisture. Skin patches and crack fill will be applied, as needed, to maximize the performance of the fabric overlay. We will then apply hot oil to the surface, followed by the fabric and hot-mix asphalt. During compaction, the heat and pressure cause the oil to soak through the fabric and create a waterproof barrier that adheres to both the old and new asphalt layers.