Hear from Our Customers
You’re tired of looking at that cracked, patchy driveway every time you pull in. You know it’s hurting your home’s value, and you’re worried about what your neighbors think. But traditional asphalt costs a fortune, and you’ve heard horror stories about contractors who disappear after taking your money.
Tar and chip paving changes that equation completely. You get a surface that handles Tennessee’s freeze-thaw cycles better than concrete, costs a fraction of premium paving options, and actually looks better over time. No more sealcoating every few years. No more constant crack repairs.
The textured surface gives your tires real grip in wet weather, and the natural stone appearance complements Pegram’s rural character perfectly. Most importantly, when we’re done, you’ll have a driveway that works as hard as you do.
We’ve been serving Wilson County and the greater Nashville area for over five decades. We’re veteran-owned, which means we understand the value of doing things right the first time.
You won’t find us cutting corners or using cheap materials to boost our margins. We’ve built our reputation one satisfied customer at a time, and many of our clients call us back for additional projects because they know what they’re getting.
Being local matters in this business. We understand how Pegram’s clay soil behaves, how the weather affects different paving materials, and what solutions actually work in this area long-term. When you choose us, you’re choosing contractors who will still be here to stand behind our work.
We start by properly preparing your base – this step determines whether your driveway lasts 7 years or 15 years. We grade the area for proper drainage and compact the foundation material until it’s rock solid.
Next comes the hot liquid asphalt application. We use specialized equipment to spray an even coat across the entire surface, then immediately spread uniformly sized stone chips while the asphalt is still hot. This timing is critical – it’s what creates the bond that holds everything together.
Finally, we roll the surface with heavy equipment to embed the stones deep into the asphalt. Some contractors skip this step or do it poorly, but proper compaction is what separates a professional job from one that fails in the first winter. We sweep away loose material, and you’re ready to use your new driveway within hours, not days.
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Tar and chip paving delivers exactly what Pegram homeowners need: a cost-effective solution that actually works. You’ll pay roughly $2-5 per square foot instead of $10-15 for premium alternatives, and the surface typically lasts 7-10 years with minimal maintenance.
The textured finish provides superior traction compared to smooth asphalt, which matters during Tennessee’s unpredictable weather. Ice and snow don’t create the same hazards because the embedded stone chips give your tires something to grip.
This isn’t just about saving money upfront. Traditional asphalt requires sealcoating every 2-3 years at $0.15-0.25 per square foot. Tar and chip eliminates that expense entirely. The rough surface naturally sheds water and resists the oxidation that breaks down smooth asphalt over time. For larger driveways common in rural areas around Pegram, these savings add up quickly.
Tar and chip typically costs $2-5 per square foot installed, while traditional hot mix asphalt runs $3-7 per square foot. But the real savings come over time.
Regular asphalt needs sealcoating every 2-3 years, which costs another $0.15-0.25 per square foot each time. Tar and chip doesn’t require sealcoating at all. For a typical 1,000 square foot driveway, you’ll save $150-250 every few years just on maintenance, plus you avoid the hassle of scheduling and coordinating that work.
The upfront savings make tar and chip especially attractive for longer rural driveways where traditional asphalt costs become prohibitive. We’ve helped many Pegram homeowners get professional paving for driveways that would have cost $15,000+ in regular asphalt.
A properly installed tar and chip driveway typically lasts 7-10 years in Tennessee’s climate, and sometimes longer with good drainage and light traffic. The key factors are proper base preparation and using the right materials for our specific conditions.
Tennessee’s freeze-thaw cycles actually favor tar and chip over solid asphalt. When water gets into small cracks in regular asphalt and freezes, it expands and creates bigger cracks. Tar and chip’s textured surface allows water to drain through rather than pooling, and the embedded stones provide flexibility that accommodates ground movement.
Traffic volume matters too. A residential driveway with normal car traffic will last longer than one used by heavy trucks or equipment. But even with heavier use, tar and chip typically outlasts its cost advantage over other materials.
Sometimes, but it depends on the condition of your existing surface. If your current driveway has a solid base with only minor surface issues, tar and chip can be applied as an overlay. This saves you the cost and hassle of complete removal.
However, if the existing surface has major cracks, potholes, or drainage problems, we’ll recommend addressing those issues first. Covering up fundamental problems with new material just creates bigger headaches later. We’ll evaluate your specific situation and give you honest recommendations.
For driveways with good bones but worn surfaces, an overlay can be very cost-effective. For those with structural issues, starting fresh usually makes more sense long-term. We’ll walk your property and explain exactly what we see and why we recommend a particular approach.
Very little, which is one of its biggest advantages. You don’t need sealcoating, which eliminates the biggest ongoing expense and hassle of traditional asphalt maintenance.
Basic maintenance involves sweeping away debris and loose stones occasionally, especially in the first few weeks after installation. Some stones may work loose initially – this is normal and doesn’t indicate a problem with the installation.
If small areas get damaged over time, they can be patched with cold-mix asphalt and additional stone chips. Most homeowners can handle minor repairs themselves, though we’re always available for larger issues. The key is addressing small problems before they become big ones, just like any other driveway material.
You can typically drive on tar and chip within 2-4 hours after installation, depending on weather conditions. This is much faster than traditional asphalt, which often requires 24-48 hours of curing time.
Hot weather speeds the process, while cool temperatures slow it down. We’ll give you specific guidance based on the day’s conditions and your driveway’s characteristics. The key is that the asphalt needs to cool and begin setting before bearing weight.
We recommend avoiding heavy vehicles or sharp turns for the first few days to let the surface fully stabilize. Normal passenger car traffic is fine almost immediately. This quick turnaround is especially valuable when you can’t afford to have your driveway out of service for days.
We’ve been perfecting tar and chip installation in this area for over 50 years, and we’re veteran-owned, which means we approach every job with precision and accountability. Many contractors treat tar and chip as a side service, but it’s one of our core specialties.
Experience matters with this material because timing and technique are critical. The asphalt temperature, stone gradation, and rolling process all have to be executed correctly or the surface won’t perform as intended. We have the specialized equipment and knowledge to get it right consistently.
Most importantly, we’ll be here to stand behind our work. We’re not a fly-by-night operation that disappears after collecting payment. Our reputation in Wilson County and the Nashville area depends on delivering what we promise, and our long track record of satisfied customers proves we do exactly that.
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