Saturday, November 28, 2015

Sealcoating FAQs

Making an educated decision about maintaining your facility's asphalt surfaces can help prevent you from paying too much, getting a poor quality job and making a bad decision. Here are some commonly asked questions about seal coating commercial asphalt:

What if the price is too good to pass up?

Although a low price bid may be tempting, making an impulsive decision based solely on price can cost you later. Save money by hiring a reputable, paving or seal coating contractor. Make sure the company is well established - do they have a local address, a well-developed website and references? Also, it doesn't hurt to get several bids and check each company out thoroughly. Be sure to keep in mind, you usually get what you pay for!

Should we have this sealant applied every year?

No! Although many paving companies may lead you to believe that you should seal coat every year, seal coating your asphalt too much can lead to problems. The first two coats of sealer applied to your asphalt are what protect it. Additional coats are usually just for cosmetic purposes.

Should we seal our asphalt in the summer?

It is not appropriate to seal coat asphalt in hot weather. The sealer will dry too quickly causing it to peel, flake or get streaks in the finish. If the job needs to be done in hot temperatures, above 90 degrees, a good paving contractor will spray the surface with a light mist of water to cool the asphalt before applying the seal coat. Doing so will cool the surface considerably. Ideal temperatures to apply seal coat are between sixty and ninety degrees.

Can we just seal coat asphalt pavement ourselves?

Adding up the total costs of undertaking this project will give you the answer to this question. Basically, it's going to end up costing you more and you more than likely will not be thrilled with the results. Not only will sealer, sold by the pail, cost as much as five times more at local improvement stores, it is not the high quality as professionally mixed commercial sealer. Tools are often expensive and may not be of professional grade to perform the task properly. Prior to seal coating, the surface must be cleaned - a leaf blower and a hose won't give the professional results of a commercial blower and washer. Add in your labor time, and the fact that you'll probably ruin your shoes, shirt, pants and gloves - it really adds up. Using a professional, paving and seal coating company will only cost you a few dollars more that it would to do it yourself, and you'll be much more satisfied with the job when complete.

A well-paved asphalt surface can last 20-40 years if maintained at proper intervals. Save money by hiring a reputable, paving or sealing contractor. They can develop a strategy to maintain your pavement. Spending a little more now, can save you a lot down the road.

Maureen McHale is a web marketing consultant. ABC Paving and Sealcoating (ABC) provides commercial paving service throughout the state of Florida.
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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!


"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." - William Arthur Ward 

Wishing You and Your Family a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Sunday, November 22, 2015

A Thank-You to Our Returning Customers with This Awesome Special!



15% Off for Second Time Customers

 http://www.vacavetstriping.com 

We understand the importance of quality asphalt maintenance and the importance of leaving a lasting impression to prospective tenants, home buyers, customers and the general public.

Vaca Vet Striping has over 30 years experience doing business as ACE Paving Company, with a General Engineering Class A Contractor's License #389714. We strive to provide quality work and great service at an affordable cost. V.V.S. provides services in Solano, Napa, Yolo and Sacramento counties. Our services include city, county, and state roads, highways, airports, commercial parking lots, driveways and racetracks.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

The History of Paving


It is undeniable that times have changed since the invention of paved roads. No longer were drivers subjected to traveling along bumpy, unfinished roads in cars with no form of suspension. However, many individuals do not understand how the concept of paving roads began, much less how it has developed since its invention.

When the first forms of asphalt were invented, it was rare for commoners to experience such a luxury. Oftentimes, main roads that traveled through towns and neighborhoods of wealthy individuals were the only roads that were paved. Currently, pavement covers approximately ninety-four percent of roads across the United States, including parking lots, interstates, driveways, and racetracks, to name a few.

Although asphalt has always been present in various forms, the history of paving began with its initial use to build roads in 625 B.C. in Babylon! Romans then discovered that asphalt could be used to seal reservoirs and aqueducts, and soon after, Europeans began identifying natural asphalt deposits. Although the use of asphalt was extremely popular throughout many countries, it was not used as a paving resource for many more years.

As the use of asphalt began to spread, individuals sought out different forms of this substance and even patented various mixes. Furthermore, as the wide use of automobiles began to grow, the need for different forms and great quantities of asphalt did likewise. In fact, the general type of asphalt as we know it today was not developed until the 1900s.

Technological advances that sought to aide in the production and use of asphalt began to arise, as well. Devices, such as vibrating screens, pressure injection systems, and mechanical spreaders evolved in effort to make the paving process more simplistic. Initially, asphalt production companies simply could not keep up with excessive demands for this product. However, as more roads began to erupt, the widespread use of asphalt for paving exploded. The history of paving began to evolve rapidly.

Currently, new trends such as pavement warranties and asphalt recycling are on the rise. As a result, asphalt supplies are being utilized more efficiently and the price of asphalt has dropped because of recycling efforts. In fact, over 95 million tons of asphalt paving materials is recycled every single year. In addition, pavements that are more durable, have greater levels of skid resistance, provide a smoother ride, and reduce splash/spray in harsh weather are in production and readily available. Thus, drivers now have the luxury of traveling on some of the safest surfaces ever known to man.

Helenski Construction is a Malvern home remodeling contractor that serves local homeowners' home improvement needs. Helenski also offers driveway paving in Malvern and other asphalt paving and maintenance services, such as sealcoating [http://www.pavingcontractorpa.com/services/sealcoating.html] and crack repair.
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Monday, November 16, 2015

How to Choose the Best Driveway Paving Option: Update With Asphalt, Pavers, or Block Curbing


Whether your crumbling, old driveway is in desperate need of repair or you're putting in a driveway for a new construction property, there are several options to choose from for paving your drive. Be sure that you've considered the pros and cons of each material for your paving project by learning more about traditional asphalt, brick, and paver driveways as well as block curbing to determine which driveway paving option is right for your home.

Asphalt Driveways

Asphalt driveways are a traditional and simple option and are by far the most popular driveway paving material/style across the country. Putting in an asphalt driveway can create a stable driving surface with a no-nonsense appearance. However, this is not a task you would want to handle on your own, due to the various steps necessary for a stable, long-lasting drive. You'll also want to make sure you properly vet any driveway paving companies you consider hiring to ensure you find a skilled professional who will get the job done right. Asphalt driveway paving begins with preparing the underlying soil beneath where the coating of asphalt will be laid. Precision for laying smooth, even asphalt is essential for the quality and longevity of your driveway.

Brick and Paver Driveways

If you're looking to create an eye-catching driveway that will stand out on your block, consider an out-of-the-box approach. Asphalt driveways are the obvious go-to for a sturdy driving surface, but if you want to give your driveway personality and style, you may want to look into using pavers. Pavers are a special type of brick or block used for driveway paving. When it comes to this style of driveway, you have a plethora of options. You could choose to put in brick or pavers for your entire driveway or just the "apron," (the first few feet of the drive). You have to consider the type of block used, the color, and the shape of the paver to create the stylized driveway of your dreams.

Beyond choosing your preferred style, it's important to install the driveway correctly by finding skilled driveway paving contractors. If the asphalt, pavers, or other materials are not laid correctly, you may find yourself facing a plethora of problems. Asphalt driveways can crack if not installed appropriately, while driveway pavers can move and shift out of place, creating gaping cracks, if their initial installation is not done properly.

Block Curbing

Another great option for enhancing your driveway is block curbing. Block curbing creates an attractive outline around the driveway, also serving as a barrier between the asphalt of the drive and your lawn. This stylish addition to your driveway can provide a finished look on your landscaping as well as help prevent weeds from growing onto the driveway. You could pair this curbing with an asphalt driveway or a brick or paver driveway, depending on your desired home aesthetic.

No matter what you choose for your new driveway, opt for professional installation for quality results that will look good both today and in the future!

Maria Allen is a home improvement hobbyist and an Internet marketer for Prospect Genius, a leader in online local advertising.
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Friday, November 13, 2015

Asphalt and Concrete Potholes Can Be a Liability for Owners


Any person who owns property should know about the risk inherited by not fixing potholes on your property. Potholes and uneven pavement can be a major liability for property owners. Having a pothole or uneven pavement can be dangerous and considered a trip hazard for pedestrians, which puts you the owner, at risk of being sued. It is important for these problems to be corrected before they become a danger. You need to respond quickly if you see signs of pavement failure, such as large cracks or indentations in the surface.

It is always a good idea to have repairs made by a professional asphalt company. By having your repairs done by a professional will help to guarantee a good quality repair job that will last. A paving contractor can be found in your area by either the internet or a phone book. It is also beneficial to you to try and meet with a few of the paving contractors on site. This helps to ensure that you are both on the same page, as far as the scope of the work being done. The contractor should take measurements and offer you, the customer, with a written proposal. The proposal should state exactly what he or she intends to do as well as an estimate of the cost. If your business is open and running during the repairs it will be necessary to make the repairs while you are closed. (Such as overnight)

The planning and communication between the paving contractor and the property is very important and will make for a smoother operation during the job. It is important to evaluate the entire parking lot with your contractor to make sure there will be no unforeseen complications during the construction process. If your property has tenants that require parking spaces around the clock, it may be necessary to make repairs in sections. This will allow some parking areas to remain open for use. The contractor will need to mark off the construction area with construction tape; this will help in keeping pedestrians and traffic off of the area while the repairs are being made. Lot striping your parking lot after you have made all the repairs to the surface, is a great way to give your parking lot a new and fresh look.

Damage to your asphalt and concrete is caused by storm water and ultraviolet rays which breaks down the pavement. By seal-coating the parking area you are helping to prevent further damage. Keeping your asphalt or concrete pavement in good condition will limit your liability on your property.

Peyton Stallings is a lifetime Atlanta resident and general contractor. Peyton is President and onsite manager for PKS Paving And Construction and writes regular columns on, paving, Asphalt Paving Atlanta and construction in general. To learn more please visit our site at http://www.pksasphaltpavingatlanta.com
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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Asphalt Pavement Maintenance Planning


Do you have an asphalt maintenance plan in place for your facility? As asphalt surfaces age, erode and become brittle, proper periodic assessment and treatments are essential in maintaining a quality surface and infrastructure. The appropriate course of action can save time and money by making sure the maintenance applications are matched to the severity of the pavement problems.

Understanding Defects

There are typically three types of asphalt failures: Surface, Bond, and Structural Failures. For surface failures there can be raveling, and transverse or longitudinal cracking problems. Raveling is the loss of aggregate from the surface as a result of abrading action from wheels. Longitudinal cracks run in the direction of traffic and transverse cracks are 90 degrees to longitudinal cracks. Longitudinal cracks are typically caused from shrinkage.

Bonding failures are usually in the form of slippage between two layers of surfacing causing cracks in the upper layer. In some cases the combination of bonding and crack failures causes the top layer to flake off in chunks.

The most severe defects are structural cracking which can include fatigue cracking and rutting. Fatigue cracking results from the surface being flexed up and down from heavy loads going by. The cracks are very close together and look like an alligator's skin. This defect occurs when the underlying road section can no longer support the loads being applied to the pavement. One heavy truck can flex and damage a road more than thousands of cars passing over the same spot. Rutting is a depression of the pavement in the wheel path and is usually continuous throughout a pavement. It can occur in just the asphalt layer or throughout the entire infrastructure of asphalt, base, and soil.

Types of Treatments

The difference types of actions one can choose will vary with the defects and extent of damage found on the pavement surface. The potential solutions can include surface seal coats, crack filling, slurry seals, selective dig-outs and patching, or full overlays.

Within the use of surface seal coats, there are several to choose from. They include slurry, cape, micro-surfacing, fog, and rubberized chip seals to name a few. A fog seal contains no aggregate or sand and is spray applied to keep the surface aggregate in place. A surface seal coat is a mixture of sand and asphalt emulsion with other fillers. It provides a uniform black surface and protects from UV damage and reduces water intrusion. A slurry seal consists of emulsified asphalt binder, a graded fine aggregate additive and water and is applied by machines with pressure.

An overlay is used over the top of an existing pavement surface to strengthen and protect the original structure. It can be applied at various thicknesses and also can be rubberized. Sometimes milling is required before the overlay when excessive heights are an issue to prevent any potential trip hazards. Also the use of paving grids and fabrics over the top of an existing cracked pavement can provide additional strength and water intrusion protection.

Choosing a Plan of Action

Parking lots primarily utilize asphalt seal coats, slurry seals and sand seals. These seals are designed for use in areas that will have constant turning forces. The oils are harder than chip and cape seal oils and lessen tire marking on the pavement.

Streets generally utilize slurry, chip, cape seals or micro-surfacing. These treatments vary depending on the conditions of the road. Crack filling and dig-out repairs must be completed prior to the placement of the surface treatments to obtain the maximum performance life.

So you can see there are various failures modes from minor surface issues to major structural failures and there are a wide variety of treatments to deal with them. Plus following an overall maintenance plan through the lifecycle of the pavement will help prevent early failure and maintain the asset through its expected lifetime. The best way to get started is to have an asphalt engineering firm or quality asphalt contractor assess your situation and provide guidance on what the most economical course of action would be for your situation.

Miles Labbitt recommends you always have a pavement maintenance plan professionally done to protect your valuable assets. For actually doing the work in the Southwest, these Las Vegas asphalt contractors and Las Vegas pavement maintenance experts have offices in Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.
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Saturday, November 7, 2015

Asphalt Paving


There are a lot of asphalt paving companies in. These companies contract jobs and take care in perfecting these jobs with skill and care. A lot of work goes into the project even before the pavement is poured. These companies are well-versed in all forms of asphalt applications.

Asphalt is the first component that comes to the mind when building quality pavements or driveways. The pavements are first cleared out and then the rubbles are removed. Then the asphalt is poured and compacted.

For some existing pavements and driveways, a clean sweep ensures that the surface remains unsoiled for the workers to save time and allow for quick setting of the asphalt mix. The preparation of the surface is very important while laying the asphalt. With most of the asphalt paving companies being registered in the local classifieds, a lot of people are aware of the kinds of work undertaken by them. They hire equally qualified and highly talented contractors to execute the project with great efficiency. They also look into the details of cost estimation and suggest quotes that are very much reasonable and affordable to the client.

They ensure the usage of high quality materials for mixing asphalt and the proportions are perfect in comparison to the binding agents. They are allowed to set after being heated with the right temperatures that allow the workers to spread the asphalt mixture well over the prepared surface. The contractors ensure that all defects are cleared and updated with new technologies and raised standards for the construction of driveways and pavements.

Peyton Stallings is a lifetime Atlanta resident and general contractor. Peyton is President and onsite manager for PKS Paving And Construction and writes regular columns on, paving, Asphalt Repair Atlanta and construction in general. To learn more please visit our site at http://www.pksasphaltpavingatlanta.com
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Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Ashpalt Paving is a Great Choice!



Asphalt pavement is a very strong and durable material which makes it the best option for most all paved surfaces. If it is properly laid, it need not be replaced for twenty to twenty five years. Asphalt pavement is also the most popular choice for applications such as driveways, parking lots, roadways, airstrips and more.

Approximately 80% of all asphalt pavement is recycled when it is removed. If you are looking for lasting pavement that can be used over and over again, asphalt pavement is the best choice.

Additional benefits include:
  • It costs less to construct and maintain asphalt.
  • Asphalt construction projects can be completed more quickly.
  • Asphalt pavements are the smoothest pavements.
  • Asphalt pavements generate less noise.
  • The contrast of the black pavement and white lines make it easier for motorists to understand driving and parking regulations.
  • Asphalt pavements last significantly longer than alternative pavements.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Asphalt Maintenance - What You Need To Know


Asphalt maintenance is an integral part of property management. It is a known fact that asphalt driveways are more common than concrete driveways, especially up north. They have to be well-maintained especially in areas of harsh weather. Harsh heat from the sun and corrosive deicing salts can wreak havoc on an asphalt surface.

Measures should be taken to stop these corrosive forces.

Various asphalt paving companies have come up with innovations that help in maintaining asphalt with the aid of certain strategies. Most of them are simple and easy and can be followed even by a layman. The first and foremost is that asphalt weathers easily and must be maintained by annual sealing. Proper drainage of water is a critical to prevent penetration and erosion.

The driveway should be kept clean and well-maintained from all natural pollutants such as air, smoke and draining facilities for water. The asphalt mix has to be of good quality and comprise good graded materials, so that the asphalt mix stays firm on the existing layer and does not give away too soon.
 
As asphalt cracks and splits due to age and various stresses it will need to be resurfaced. This is accomplished by grinding off the top layer and reapplying a fresh coat of asphalt.

Getting the right proportional mix of various binding agents that help in fixing the asphalt layer on to the scraped surface is very important for standard asphalt pavements. This coating should be applied smooth and even at suitable temperatures.

Asphalt maintenance can be tricky to the untrained professional. You would be well advised, when hiring a contractor, to check all references. Spend some time and check out their work. Make sure they are licensed and insured. Above all else, make sure you get the agreement in writing and signed. In other words, list every last thing you agreed to and get a signature. This protects both parties involved.

Peyton Stallings is a lifetime Atlanta resident and general contractor. Peyton is President and onsite manager for PKS Paving And Construction and writes regular columns on, paving, Asphalt Paving Atlanta and construction in general. To learn more please visit our site at http://www.pksasphaltpavingatlanta.com.
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