Interstate Asphalt of Washington

Service · Chip Seal

Tar-and-chip,
the rural workhorse.

Chip seal gives you a durable, textured driveway surface for a fraction of what full asphalt costs. Built for long country drives, farm access roads and acreage properties east of the I-5 corridor and into the Snoqualmie and Skagit valleys.

Call (206) 776-1114 Request estimate

Overview

Chip Seal done right.

Chip seal, also called tar-and-chip, is a two-layer surface: a heavy spray coat of liquid asphalt binder, then a uniform layer of crushed rock chips rolled and embedded into the binder. When the binder cures, you're left with a tough, textured surface that looks natural, drains well, and stands up to heavy farm equipment, logging trucks, and long-term gravel abuse.

Why PNW properties choose chip seal

For a 1,000-foot driveway winding through the trees in Duvall, Carnation, North Bend or out in Snohomish County, full asphalt can cost two to three times what chip seal does. The textured surface also gives traction in wet PNW conditions, sheds water naturally, and blends into rural properties better than a pure black mat. Weeds stay down, mud stays put, and the surface actually improves with a second application a year or two later.

What we bring to a chip seal job

Proper grading and base prep (the #1 reason other crews' chip seal fails), calibrated binder distribution, aggregate chosen for PNW climate, and careful rolling so the chips lock in tight. Loose chips for the first week are normal. Persistent loose chips after that are a sign the job wasn't done right, which is why we come back and sweep after cure.

Ballpark pricing

Chip seal typically runs $2 to $4 per square foot installed on prepared base, compared to $6 to $12 for asphalt. On long rural driveways, the savings add up fast. We'll walk the site and give you a real number the same day.

Chip seal rural road in Washington

Current Offer

$1,000 off
any paving project.

Minimum project size applies. Mention this offer when booking your free estimate.

Call (206) 776-1114 Claim the $1,000 off

FAQs

Common questions
about chip seal.

A properly installed chip seal lasts 7 to 10 years in PNW conditions before it needs a refresh coat. Many rural owners do a second application a year after the first for added thickness and long-term life. With good drainage and an occasional top-up, chip seal can outlast cheap asphalt mats.
It has texture, that's the point, traction in rain and ice. It's not bumpy like gravel, and a modern chip seal using smaller uniform aggregate feels smooth under normal driving. If you want a glass-smooth surface for sports cars, you want full asphalt. If you want something rugged that looks at home on a wooded Washington property, chip seal wins.
Over a solid gravel base, yes. Over failed or cracked asphalt, no, the chip seal follows the cracks. We walk the site and tell you straight whether the base is ready or needs repair first.
Chip seal needs warm surface temps, ideally 70 degrees and rising, so peak season is May through early September in western Washington. Dry weather for 48 hours before and after is non-negotiable, wet chips don't lock in.

Ready To Start

Let us quote
your chip seal project.

Free walkthrough, free written estimate. If chip seal isn't right for your property we'll tell you straight and recommend what is.

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