Driveway Replacement in Gresham, Oregon: When It's Worth It & What It Costs

When It's Time to Replace Your Gresham Driveway

There comes a point where patching and resurfacing stop making sense and a full replacement is the smarter spend. For Gresham homeowners, that point usually arrives when the base beneath the asphalt has failed — and in east Multnomah County, the wet clay soils and freeze-thaw cycling off the Columbia Gorge tend to push driveways toward base failure faster than in drier parts of the state.

A full replacement tears out the old surface and base, rebuilds the foundation, and lays new asphalt. It costs more than an overlay, but when the base is gone it is the only fix that lasts. This guide covers the signs you need replacement, what it costs in Gresham, and how the process works. For the full checklist of warning signs, see our guide on 7 signs your driveway needs replacement.

Signs You Need Replacement, Not Repair

• Alligator cracking across large areas — the interconnected, scaly pattern that signals the base has failed
• Potholes that keep returning after being patched
• Sinking or heaving sections — water is moving under the slab and the ground is shifting
• More than 25% of the surface cracked or damaged — past the point where repairs are economical
• Age beyond 20–25 years with widespread deterioration
• Drainage failure — water pools and undermines the base every winter

One or two of these might be manageable with repair. Several together, especially alligator cracking and sinking, mean the foundation is compromised and a new surface laid over it will fail again quickly.

What Driveway Replacement Costs in Gresham

Industry baseline ranges shown below. Actual costs vary with removal, base condition, slope, and driveway size.

Driveway Size	Approx. Square Footage	Industry Baseline Range
Single car	300–400 sq ft	$1,500–$3,600
Two car	600–800 sq ft	$3,000–$7,200
Three car / extended	1,000–1,200 sq ft	$5,000–$10,800

Full replacement has historically been baselined around $5 to $9 per square foot, reflecting the cost of tear-out, haul-off, base rebuild, and new paving. Gresham's clay soils can raise the base-rebuild portion if the subgrade needs over-excavation, and a sloped lot near the buttes adds drainage work. These are starting points — a site visit gives the real number.

The Replacement Process

1. Demolition and Removal

The old asphalt and failed base are broken up, loaded, and hauled off. This is a real cost line because the material has to be disposed of properly.

2. Excavation and Subgrade Prep

The crew excavates to a stable subgrade and grades it to drain. In Gresham's wet, clay-heavy soils, soft spots are over-excavated and the subgrade is shaped to shed water away from the garage and street.

3. Base Rebuild

Fresh crushed aggregate base is laid and compacted in lifts. Where the soil is soft or wet, a geotextile fabric goes between the subgrade and the rock to keep clay from migrating up. This rebuilt base is the whole point of replacement — it fixes the foundation the old driveway never had.

4. Paving

Hot-mix asphalt is laid in a binder and surface course, then compacted with a roller to a typical 2.5 to 3 inches on a residential driveway.

5. Edging and Curing

Edges are shaped and supported, transitions to the garage apron are finished, and the new surface is left to cure before use.

Why Replacement Pays Off in Gresham's Climate

It is tempting to keep patching to defer the cost, but in east Multnomah County that math usually loses. Every freeze-thaw cycle widens cracks, every wet winter drives more water into a failing base, and each patch buys less time than the last. A proper replacement with a rebuilt base and good drainage resets the clock for 20 or more years.

The bigger value comes from doing the base right the first time. A driveway that fails in Gresham almost always failed at the base — too thin, poorly compacted, or built on soft subgrade without drainage. Replacement is the chance to fix that root cause for good.

Once the new driveway is in, maintenance protects it. After the asphalt cures, our asphalt driveway maintenance services cover the sealcoating and crack repair that keep water out through the wet seasons. For the full picture of owning an asphalt driveway in Oregon, our complete asphalt driveway guide for Oregon pulls it all together.