ASPHALT AND CONCRETE

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 Every asphalt pavement needs periodic maintenance to mitigate the effects of time, the environment, traffic, and chemicals. Left unchecked, these influences can inflict damage that can lead to the premature deterioration of the pavement. Repair costs can skyrocket, and it may be necessary to have the entire pavement removed and replaced. Professional attention, including periodic inspections, pothole repairs, crack sealing, sealcoating, and resurfacing, can help keep costs down while providing a longer, more attractive life for your asphalt pavement.

 Asphalt resurfacing is the placement of a new layer of asphalt over the top of an existing pavement. Resurfacing is typically performed when the pavement is nearing the end of its useful life and has a relatively intact base but large sections of surface damage. Although an overlay can have the life and appearance of new pavement, resurfacing will usually cost much less than complete removal and replacement.

Resurfacing involves cleaning and preparing the surface, and it may be necessary to repair or patch damaged areas prior to installing the overlay. Asphalt patching is commonly used to correct small areas of alligatored pavement or to repair potholes. Patching involves saw-cutting and removing the affected area, repaving with a hot mix asphalt, and compacting the area properly.

Prior to resurfacing, it may also be necessary to address drainage issues or correct the pavement’s low spots. Milling machines are often used to correct drainage, ensure that curb reveals are maintained, or smooth transitions are sustained between the overlay and adjacent pavements. After the preliminary preparations are completed, new asphalt is installed and compacted.

Necessary repairs should be performed as quickly as possible. For one thing, the smaller the repair is, the less it will cost to fix. Prompt action also helps protect the health of the entire pavement. Neglected cracks will continue to expand, allowing water to reach and erode the foundation that supports the pavement. Potholes will develop and worsen, more damage is done to the foundation, and alligator/fatigue cracking can quickly spread over large areas of the pavement. Instead of a life of 20 or 30 years, the pavement could be damaged beyond repair in less than eight years and require a complete reconstruction. Fortunately, experienced asphalt contractors know a variety of patching methods to repair damaged pavement quickly and economically.

This method is the longest-lasting type of patch and is typically considered a permanent repair. A rectangle or square of the pavement containing the damaged area will be sawed out and removed to allow access to the subbase. If the subbase is insufficient, the issue will be rectified before proceeding. After the integrity of the subbase has been ensured through either testing or a repair, hot mix asphalt will be installed in the void and tied into flush and sealed off with the surrounding pavement. The new asphalt will be compacted as necessary. This method is sometimes called a full-depth patch.

Occasionally, there are factors such as weather or budget amongst a few that make it difficult or impossible to perform a full-depth patch. Since it is critical to keep water from entering through an open pothole or mitigate a liability, some property owners may choose a temporary repair to prevent additional damage until a permanent repair can be made. A surface or skin patch is a popular temporary repair method for potholes. This method uses hot mix asphalt, but the new asphalt is applied directly to the pavement without removing the damaged area first. Although relatively inexpensive, a surface patch will not have a very long life. A suburban homeowner might get 18 months out of a surface patch on a driveway, but the patch will probably not last more than three months or so on a busy parking lot or city street.
 

 Asphalt parking lots are a key factor of a property’s value which is why sealcoating is one of the most crucial elements of a Pavement Maintenance Plan. Asphalt pavement, if left untreated, will deteriorate quickly because the asphalt binder, which holds the pavement together, begins to oxidize and weather soon after installation. Consequently, the asphalt becomes brittle and allows moisture to penetrate the pavement causing further damage and deterioration resulting in unstable and cracking asphalt as well as a faded blacktop surface. Below are a few reasons why sealcoating should be a

major part of your pavement maintenance plan.

A typical sealcoat consists of either coal tar pitch or asphalt emulsion mix that include inert fillers, water, sand, emulsifying agents, and/or latex additives. Using the most modern industry equipment, we apply sealer in a multiple coat fashion which provides superior protection against water, petroleum spills, salt, oxidation from the sun, and other damaging elements. Maintaining your asphalt with a routine sealcoat program can extend the life of your pavement by nearly 300%, according to the Pavement Coatings Technology Center at the University of Nevada at Reno.

Often times a commercial parking lot is a customers’ or tenants’ first impression. If the pavement on the property looks weathered and/or deteriorated, that can hinder an outsider’s perspective on the property itself or even the tenants, residents, and/or businesses within the facility. Sealcoating your pavement will project a positive image on the facility and ensure a good first impression.
 

To help preserve a property’s curb appeal, traffic flow, safety, and compliance, a commercial parking lot should be re-striped on a regular basis. Additionally, re-striping a parking lot is a convenient and inexpensive way to maintain the property value.

An efficient layout is essential in creating a properly functioning parking lot. An effective parking lot layout will maximize parking capabilities, increase traffic flow, ensure pedestrian safety, and provide compliant markings per ADA and local guidelines.  

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all facilities with parking lots meet and/or exceed the parking requirements set forth in the Act. For a parking lot to be ADA compliant it must meet certain requirements such as, but not limited to, the number, size and location of handicap spaces, crosswalks, access aisles, and proper signage. For more information regarding the latest requirements, please contact us today.

Curbing, bollards, light pole bases, and stenciling should also be restriped regularly along with the rest of your parking lot to ensure proper visibility and direction.
 

 Cracks naturally develop throughout the pavement’s life cycle due to oxidation and pavement deterioration. Once cracks form, they allow water to penetrate under the asphalt and into the foundation of your parking lot. If left untreated, cracks will develop into much more serious and costly issues. Many foundations are made of rock or clay, which washes away easily when introduced to water. Once the foundation erodes, the pavement loses the support it needs to perform properly resulting in pavement settlement, “alligator” cracking, and eventually potholes and repair areas.

Crack sealing is your pavement’s first line of defense against the degradation and eventual failure of the asphalt pavement  by preventing moisture and other harmful substances from seeping into the base layers of the asphalt, where it is likely to cause the most damage.

Our proven crack sealing process begins with cleaning all cracks with pressurized air and/or a grazing wheel to clear all vegetation and debris from the cracks. These cracks are then sealed using a hot-applied rubberized joint sealant that exceeds federal highway specification.

 Concrete is the material of choice for many areas around a commercial parking lot. Common areas for concrete construction in a parking lot include curbing, walkways, ramps, dumpster pads, and loading docks. Concrete is used in such areas because of its capability to form into various shapes/structures as well as withstand heavy loads.

Concrete is designed to bear heavy loads and while the upfront cost is typically high, the durability and longevity concrete provides makes it the material of choice for dumpster pads and loading docks that experience heavy loads on a regular basis.

With the versatility concrete offers, it can easily be shaped and formed to suit your needs in many circumstances while providing a smooth and rigid edge. Walkways navigate pedestrian traffic safely and efficiently throughout a property and often they are not constructed in straight lines. Concrete’s capabilities allow for versatile design and direction for walkways. Entrance ramps must be built to code (ADA and other requirements) as well as meet flush with other surfaces such as an asphalt parking lot or store front walkway. The forming ability of concrete allows these ramps to be constructed per code with a smooth transition from one surface to another. For these reasons, concrete is the material of choice in many cases for walkways and ramps.

Curbing typically is installed on the perimeter of a parking lot, road, or island to navigate water flow towards the appropriate storm drain system. Curb design and slope is important to help keep parking areas, roads, and walkways clear of water to help avoid hazardous conditions created by excess water in these areas.