How Long Does an Asphalt Driveway Last in Oregon?

How Long Does an Asphalt Driveway Last in Oregon?

A well-built, well-maintained asphalt driveway lasts 15 to 30 years in Oregon. That is a wide range, and where your driveway lands inside it has less to do with luck than with three things: how it was built, how water is managed, and how it is maintained. Oregon's climate adds its own pressures, and they differ sharply between the wet Willamette Valley, the salty coast, and the freeze-thaw high desert. This guide explains what shortens driveway life and how to push yours toward the high end. For the full overview, see our complete asphalt driveway guide.

What a Realistic Lifespan Looks Like

• The asphalt surface: 15 to 20 years before it typically needs resurfacing or replacement
• A driveway kept on a maintenance plan: 25 to 30 years with periodic sealcoating, crack filling, and the occasional overlay
• A neglected driveway on a thin base: sometimes under 10 years before serious failure

The difference between those outcomes is rarely the asphalt brand. It is the base, the drainage, and the care.

What Shortens Driveway Life in Oregon

Water and Drainage

Water is the number one enemy of asphalt. It seeps through small cracks, weakens the base, and washes out fine material. In the Willamette Valley, months of steady rain mean any low spot or poor grade gets tested constantly. A driveway that drains well will far outlast one that ponds. Our driveway maintenance schedule covers the timing that keeps water out.

Freeze-Thaw Cycles

In Bend, Klamath Falls, La Grande, and the Cascade foothills, water that gets into a crack freezes, expands, and pries the asphalt apart. Each freeze-thaw cycle widens cracks and creates potholes. Sealing cracks before winter is the single most effective thing high-desert homeowners can do. Our driveway crack repair guide explains the methods that hold.

Coastal Salt and UV

On the Oregon coast, salt air and wind-driven sand abrade and chemically age the surface, while UV exposure dries out the asphalt binder and makes it brittle. Coastal driveways benefit from more frequent sealcoating to replace the binder the sun and salt strip away.

Sun and Oxidation

Everywhere in Oregon, UV light slowly oxidizes asphalt, fading it from black to gray and making it brittle. Oxidation is what turns a flexible surface into one that cracks. Sealcoating restores the surface and slows this process.

A Weak Base

The most common reason a driveway fails early is a base that was too thin or poorly compacted. No amount of surface care fixes a failing base. When the base goes, you are looking at replacement rather than repair, which is why our resurfacing vs. replacement guide focuses on base condition.

How to Extend Your Driveway's Life

1. Seal cracks early. A sealed crack keeps water out of the base. An open crack invites failure.
2. Sealcoat on schedule. Every 2 to 3 years restores the surface and protects the binder.
3. Fix drainage. Correct any spot where water ponds or runs across the surface.
4. Address potholes fast. A small pothole is a surface fix. A large one signals base failure.
5. Avoid heavy point loads. Trailer jacks, dumpsters, and constant heavy-truck traffic stress the surface.

A driveway that gets this care routinely reaches the upper end of its lifespan. One that gets none rarely does.

Signs Your Driveway Is Near the End

Watch for widespread alligator cracking, where the surface breaks into small interconnected pieces, multiple potholes, areas that sink or hold water, and crumbling edges. These often point to base failure rather than surface wear, which usually means replacement. Surface fading, minor cracks, and small chips, on the other hand, are normal aging that maintenance can reverse.