In Quebec, you pave a driveway from spring to fall, once the ground has thawed and drained. Asphalt goes down hot, and the crew needs fairly mild weather to compact it well. Interlocking pavers need ground that no longer freezes and dry weather for their joints. In winter, frozen ground won’t compact. National Asphalte does this work.
Wait for the spring thaw to end
In spring, the ground thaws and stays soaked for a good while. Soft ground compacts poorly, and trucks leave ruts in it. Crews wait for it to drain and firm up before digging. Spring also shows what winter did to your driveway, like an open crack or a heaved paver. It’s a good time to request an estimate.
Make the most of summer for asphalt
In summer, the ground is often dry and firm, and hot asphalt holds its heat long enough to be compacted well. In a heat wave, new asphalt stays soft longer. Ask the crew laying your driveway when you can drive on it. Asphalt does not go down in the rain, or when the crushed stone base is soaked.
Finish before the cold in the fall
Fall often brings dry ground and still-mild weather. As the season goes on, the cold shortens the time available to compact asphalt. Interlocking pavers can go down as long as the ground isn’t freezing. Polymeric sand joints need dry weather to harden. Fall is also the time to seal cracks, before water gets in and freezes.
Dig and drain in the same season
Excavation and French drains are best done on thawed ground. Frozen ground breaks into hard clumps. If these clumps go back into the hole, they thaw in spring and the ground settles under the driveway. That is why you dig in the same season that you pave.
See preparing the ground under a driveway
Plan during the winter
In winter, asphalt cools too fast to be laid properly. This downtime is for planning your driveway project. During the thaw, look at where water pools on your property, and note what you want to change. Asking early gives you more choice on when the work gets done.
Why the date changes every year
Spring comes earlier some years and later in others. The thaw also varies from one property to the next, depending on shade and soil. The weather on the paving days matters more than the date on the calendar. A contractor sets the timing of the work with you, based on the actual season.