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An asphalt driveway should be at least 3 inches thick over a compacted gravel base. Areas with poor drainage should have a thicker stone base. To install a new asphalt driveway over an existing driveway, the new asphalt should be at least 2 inches thick and the existing driveway should be in relatively good condition.

The ideal distance between stepping stones depends on your design preference. A general rule is to place them about 24 inches apart from center to center to match an average person's stride. Another common approach is to leave about 6 inches of space between the edges of each stone; this can be adjusted to fit the path's total length without cutting pavers. If you plan to plant between the stones, leave at least 6 to 8 inches of space to give the plants room to grow.

You can pour concrete over asphalt if it’s in good condition, thick, stable, and well-compacted. Concrete is more durable than asphalt and can extend the lifetime of your driveway without having to pay frequent asphalt driveway repair costs or replace it completely. 

But this is best reserved as a temporary solution based on budget restraints, as asphalt requires more frequent repairs and assessments than concrete. Once that concrete top is poured, it’ll be harder to accurately understand what’s happening beneath that layer, which could lead to more issues.

The stones do not work well on uneven ground. If the stones are not buried into the ground and made level upon installation, they almost certainly will shift or crack on uneven ground. Additionally, rainwater or water from sprinklers can run under the edge of an uneven paver, causing erosion. In a freeze and thaw cycle, trapped water under the paver can cause the problem to worsen by shifting the stepping stones around. Use a bubble level to make sure the ground under each paver is as even as possible, even if the nearby ground is uneven.