Four Areas of Asphalt Maintenance

When looking at asphalt maintenance it can be divided into four areas. The primary cause of asphalt failing is the penetration of water into the asphalt base. Over time, it will become brittle and dry with the aggregate beginning to wear away and cause cracks that will let water penetrate into the base of the pavement. When the water seeps into the crack it causes the base material to move and settle. This leads to the surface cracking in a pattern that is grid-like When the payment has reached this stage there are only two options, which replace the old asphalt or patch repair it.

Patch repair

It deals with areas that are isolated. Using a backhoe and saw-cutting the pavement is removed. They can also use a grinding machine. Once the old asphalt is removed, it is replaced with new asphalt. The removal method determines the amount that is removed. The removal depth should be equal to one point five times the original thickness of the asphalt. You may also have to replace the base-rock to match the adjacent areas to allow for base support that is uniform. The amount of removal should be extended twelve inches past the area that failed.

Asphalt overlay

This asphalt maintenance is affordable and provides a new wearing surface. When dealing with asphalt overlay there is a certain factor you need to be aware of, which include:

• Overlay thickness-it should be a maximum of two point five inches with a minimum of one point five inches
• Smooth transitions-when you are considering where to grind the existing pavement down remember not to grind down the overlay section to match the existing structure. If you do this could weaken the strength of the overlay. They will grind the existing payment down to where they meet flush together to prevent this.

Inlay and pulverize in place

Both of these areas of asphalt maintenance are accomplished using a milling machine. During the process of inlay, it removes a depth of the existing asphalt, which is many times a previous overlay. This will let the contractors put the asphalt back to the pre-inlay elevation. The method of pulverize-in-place will reduce all of the asphalt to particles that are base-rock size.

Seal coating

This is an important part of extending the life of the asphalt and it should not be overlooked. Seal coating is a mixture of mineral fibers, emulsified asphalt, and water along with other admixtures. This will seal the top layer of asphalt to prevent water from penetrating the pavement surface and protecting the top layer from wear from sun exposure and oxidation. It is what gives the asphalt its even black surface.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lora_Davis/2146280

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New Asphalt Repairs Its Own Cracks

They're a common sight on many roads and the bane of motorists' lives, but potholes could soon be a thing of the past thanks to nano-technology.

Researchers in Switzerland have patented a method that repairs stress-induced cracks in asphalt to prevent potholes forming in the first place and could double the life span of roads embedded with the technology.

A precise amount of iron oxide nanoparticles are mixed with bitumen - the sticky, viscous black binder obtained from crude oil and used to keep road material together.

Ever-so slightly heating up this asphalt using a small magnetic field melts the bitumen, allowing it to seep into the minute cracks to 'self-heal'.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEALCOATING A DRIVEWAY

What is the importance of sealcoating a driveway? Sealcoating prolongs the life expectancy of your pavement assets by providing a protective layer to protect it from the weather, traffic, and fuel spillage. The low cost of regular sealcoating can save you money in the long run and a properly maintained and sealed asphalt driveway has an extended lifetime and reduces long-term repair costs.

Your property’s asphalt driveway or pavement is likely one of the biggest investments you have made, and you will naturally want to keep it looking as good as new for as long as possible. Sealcoating is one of the most effective ways to keep your asphalt driveway in the best possible condition for many years.

Your driveway is one of the first things people see when they arrive at your house. Increase your home's curb appeal by taking excellent care of your asphalt driveway.

How Its Made - Asphalt Paving

How Its Made - Asphalt Paving

Credit : Discovery Channel

Why Asphalt Paving is the Top Choice For Most Property Owners

Whenever construction-related topics are discussed, the use of asphalt VS concrete always creates a bit of controversy. This is especially true when the discussion focuses on paving. Even the word paving these days is used to describe mostly asphalt. But the truth is pavement is any material used to created roads or driveways. The most common modern paving methods, however, are asphalt and concrete.

Both asphalt and concrete have a long history in the building industry because of the variety of ways the materials can be used. However, in regard to paving parking lots and driveways, the biggest argument has mainly been about initial cost.

Now comes the inevitable question, "Which is the better material for parking lot and driveway surfaces?" The answer may surprise nearly everyone. And if you are a property or business owner, the results documented by industry experts as well as scientific studies are quite revealing.

According to Wikipedia, Discovery.com and Industry Sources, here are the latest findings. We'll start with Concrete Paving:

The Complete Details About Concrete Paving:

• - Concrete is more prone to cracking and buckling because it's rigid and dense design. Tree Roots, Ground Movements, Freeze Thaw Cycles, and soil movement are huge contributors to concretes deterioration.

• - According to the Ohio Highway Commission, concrete costs of $70 to $100 per cubic yard were more than double the costs of asphalt paving. All Ohio highway paving is now done with asphalt.

• - Concrete paving of parking lot and driveway surfaces requires more time and initial cost than asphalt paving. This holds especially true the larger a project gets.

• - Repairs to concrete paving surfaces are more costly to repair than asphalt. They also don't blend as well as asphalt paving does. Especially after asphalt gets freshly seal coated.

• + Concrete paving last far longer than asphalt paving surfaces.

• + Concrete paving maintenance cost over time, is far less expensive than asphalt paving.

• + Concrete paving requires far less on-going maintenance to keep its strength.

The Complete Details About Asphalt Paving:

• - Asphalt requires continual maintenance including seal coating, striping, crack filling, and many other forgotten costs when deciding what type of pavement to install.

• + Asphalt Paving offers more flexibility giving a slight advantage over concrete in terms of handling stress and cracking.

• -+ Asphalt is the easiest to use and most economical pothole repair product available. It can be applied as a cold patch, hot patch, and become a permanent solution for repairing potholes in a shorter amount of time than concrete and other more costly hybrid mixtures. Keep in mind that potholes are far less likely in concrete.

• + In addition to pothole repair, asphalt is used to repair parking lots, driveways, and roadways on a larger scale. The preparation for paving with asphalt is relatively easy, depending on the condition of the surface being covered. Asphalt paving can be done directly over the present pavement in many cases.

• + Asphalt is very strong, durable and weather resistant in addition to being resistant to damaging effects from chemicals

• - Only when the maintenance schedules are kept up.

• + Asphalt sets faster than concrete giving it a strong advantage in both cost and convenience for parking lot and driveway paving.

In summary,

Asphalt:

An environmentally friendly and recyclable paving product that provides many benefits for driveway, road, and parking area applications. With its upfront cost savings, it is by far the more popular choice for parking situations and driveway paving construction. However, those upfront savings are quickly lost within the first 5 years of installation through ongoing and costly asphalt construction projects.

Concrete:

Also highly green in its recyclable qualities. Concrete paving is a long lasting, low maintenance cost product which looks great over time. Although typically more difficult and slightly costlier to repair, when that time comes. Over time the cost to maintain a concrete pavement surface is much lower. Over the life span of 20-30 years, there will be even a larger saving on concrete constructed projects VS its asphalt counterpart.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Scott_Flores/647793

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How to Protect Your Driveway

Driveway sealing is an easy and cost-effective way to protect and prolong the life of your driveway. Asphalt surfaces are particularly susceptible to wear and tear, both from weather and from automobile traffic, and the grade of asphalt commonly used on driveways is even more so. Driveway sealing at regular intervals gives your driveway the added protection it needs to last longer and resist deterioration.

Needs Regular Upkeep
If you’re not sure on this point, consider the constant upkeep the asphalt roads in your community need in order to stay in good shape. Add to that the fact that the asphalt used on roads is generally a higher grade and made to withstand a higher level of abuse than the asphalt typically used in driveway applications, and you can see why it’s important to keep up on regular maintenance, including asphalt sealing, in order to fend off major projects such as repaving a crumbling asphalt surface.

The Benefits
Sealing your driveway has many benefits when it comes to preserving your concrete driveway. First and foremost, a properly applied driveway sealer repels water, perhaps the single most harmful agent when it comes to deteriorating asphalt surfaces. Concrete has a natural tendency to crack if water is allowed to permeate it, and this tendency is only increased by the weight of cars regularly driving over it. Once those cracks appear, water further damages it, especially in cold climates where it expands and contracts with freezing temperatures.

Other enemies of your driveway include sunlight and oxygen, both of which hasten corrosion. By regularly applying a quality driveway sealer to your concrete you can prevent water, sunlight, and air from permeating your asphalt and prevent these problems. As an added benefit, driveway sealing also repels oil spills and leaks and makes it much easier for you to sweep and clean your driveway surface.

When to Apply
As a general rule, you should seal your driveway every 1 to 3 years. More specifically, if you can see the color of the individual stones that make up your asphalt surface, you know it’s time to seal it up. A few rules apply before you seal, however. For starters, never seal a new asphalt driveway. Asphalt needs a minimum of six months for the oils in it to evaporate. The less oil, the harder the driveway, which is the goal. If you apply driveway sealer before your asphalt has time to cure, it won’t achieve the necessary hardness and all your work will be for naught. Other things to consider are the outside temperature, which must be fifty degrees or higher for the sealer to adhere properly, and the weather. Ideally, you want your sealer to be on your driveway for at least 48 hours before any rain comes down on it.

Talk to a Professional
Driveway sealing is an important aspect of asphalt driveway maintenance, however, it’s not the only thing you need to keep up on. If your driveway has pre-existing cracks, potholes or other signs of wear, it’s vital that you fix those problems before you apply a sealant. That being the case, your best bet is to contact a professional that won’t only apply your sealant, but who will also evaluate your driveway for other maintenance needs that need to be addressed before you perform this necessary task.

Article Source: https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/how-to-protect-your-driveway/

Vaca Vet Striping Specializes In Striping For Small Or Large Jobs

https://vacavetstriping.com/

Vaca Vet Striping offers a full range of parking lot and road services, we strive to improve quality through innovation, technology, and our vast experience. Our fleet of service trucks and professional parking lot stripers allows us to perform jobs in a timely manner.

About Our Process
Vaca Vet Striping has the latest equipment and products to ensure the highest quality in painting clean, sharp lines and well defined edges.

Our Striping Services Included

• Parking stall lines
• Directional arrows
• Handicap stalls
• Paths of travel
• No parking
• Fire zones
• Entrance / Exit signage

Repairing and Maintaining Asphalt Driveways

Failure to take care of your driveway will cost you more money down the road. A properly maintained asphalt driveway can last up to 30 years. Filling cracks and holes when they appear and sealing your driveway every 2-3 years will help ensure the life of your driveway.

Why Asphalt Crack Repair Can Benefit Property Managers

Whether you manage a property for an individual or a corporation, your performance will be judged on many factors. Many of these factors depend on the type of property you manage, but one element transcends all property types: Are you helping the owner maximize profits by protecting the property’s assets? Although these assets vary, virtually all commercial properties have a parking lot that represents a significant investment. If you are not ensuring timely asphalt crack repairs for your asphalt parking lot, you could be jeopardizing that investment.

Why Asphalt Crack Repair Can Benefit Property Managers

How Does Crack Repair Help Protect an Investment in Asphalt Pavement?
Contractors build an asphalt pavement by constructing and compacting a stable foundation to support the weight of the pavement as well as the traffic that the roadway will bear. The foundation is a critical part of the pavement’s longevity. If the foundation becomes unstable, voids can develop that allow the pavement to subside. These voids can lead to the formation of potholes, large cracks, and alligator cracking. The leading cause of an unstable foundation is damage from water that leaked through cracks in the pavement. In most instances, an economical asphalt crack repair can prevent water penetration, averting costlier repairs and the premature demise of the pavement.

How Do Contractors Repair Cracks in Asphalt Pavement?
There are two basic methods that asphalt contractors can use to repair cracks. The method chosen depends on the nature of the crack. Both methods require the contractor to clean out the crack before introducing the repair material.

• Asphalt crack filling is the introduction of a fill material into the crack. Asphalt crack filler is somewhat rigid, so it is typically used for inactive cracks that will not continue to grow. Most block cracks and edge cracks are inactive, making them good candidates for asphalt crack filling. Some longitudinal cracks are also inactive, but most contractors prefer to use asphalt crack sealing for all longitudinal cracks.
• Asphalt crack sealing is often used for cracks that are less than an inch wide. As the name implies, this method seals the crack, preventing water and dirt from entering. Crack sealants are preferable for active cracks. Active cracks will continue to expand, but sealants are flexible enough to move with the pavement without breaking their bond. As a general rule, all transverse cracks will require sealing rather than filling. Some longitudinal, cold-joint and reflective cracks will also require the use of a sealant rather than an asphalt crack filler.

When Should Cracks Be Repaired?
Once a crack develops, you want to repair it as soon as possible. The problem is that you cannot restore a crack if you do not know it exists. A thorough visual inspection of your pavement every few months can help you identify issues, but you might want to consider asking your contractor whether he offers an asphalt maintenance program. Choose a program that provides a professional inspection at least once a year; it would be better to have an inspection in the spring and another one in the fall. The following tips can also help you protect your asphalt pavement.

• Hire a professional to apply sealant periodically. Sealcoating offers excellent protection against the sun and automotive fluids, but it is not a permanent treatment.
• Keep drains clean so that they can carry runoff safely away from your pavement. A clogged drain can force water underneath the surrounding pavement, leading to cracks and foundation damage.
• Keep your pavement clean. Remove trash, dead leaves, grass clippings, and other debris. Clean oil and other automotive fluids that may have leaked onto the pavement; they can soften your asphalt pavement, leaving it more vulnerable to damage.

Article Source: https://www.alphapavingtexas.com/faq/why-asphalt-crack-repair-can-benefit-property-managers/

The 5 Cost-Saving Benefits of Sealcoating your Parking Lot

It takes 7 seconds for people to form a first impression of your business. That doesn’t give you a lot of time to be impressive.

Talk to any real estate agent and they will tell you about the importance of curb appeal when selling a property. The same is true for your business. you might not be looking for someone to buy your business, but you do want to attract customers to buy your products.

As soon as your customers drive up to your location, they’re already forming their first impressions. Sealcoating your paved parking lot is an excellent way to keep up your curb appeal and make a positive impression.

Let’s look at several benefits of sealcoating your parking lot.

1. Water-Resistant
Asphalt is a durable and long-lasting substance. That’s why it is popular for roads, parking lots, driveways, and more.

However, water is a big enemy.

Asphalt is a porous material. This means that moisture can get down inside the asphalt. When it does, this speeds up degradation and deterioration of the pavement.

In the winter months, this is further exacerbated by freezing temperatures. If you remember back to high school science class, water expands as it freezes.

So when the temperature drops, any moisture that is trapped in the asphalt can freeze and expand, causing cracks and damage to the asphalt.

Sealcoating the asphalt will diminish this effect significantly. The sealant protects the asphalt by creating a barrier that water can’t penetrate.

Snow and ice sitting on top of the asphalt can also cause problems. Not only can it be dangerous by causing cars to slide out of control, but also having water sitting on top of it constantly exacerbates the water exposure problem.

Sealcoating helps make snow and ice melt faster — protecting both your pavement and your customers and their vehicles.

2. Oxidation-Resistant
Water isn’t the only danger that asphalt faces. The sun is another element that your asphalt parking lot will face daily that can cause damage.

Asphalt contains a mix of oils that keep it supple and helps it maintain its flexibility. Constant sun exposure can dry out these oils, in essence, “baking” the asphalt. 

At first, as the asphalt dries out it may simply be more prone to cracking. Eventually, the material will become so brittle and weak that it can begin to crumble away.

Obviously, that type of disrepair isn’t the kind of impression you want to make on your customers!

Sealcoating helps slow the evaporation of the oils and keeps the asphalt “hydrated” for a longer period of time.

3. Chemical-Resistant
Asphalt is also exposed to a number of different chemicals. Cars can leak a variety of fluids including oil, gas, antifreeze, brake fluid, and more.

Just like water, these liquids can seep down into the porous asphalt. Depending on the substance they can cause even more damage than plain old water.

When you sealcoat asphalt, the same barrier that inhibits water from getting down into the pavement keeps these other liquids and chemicals out and minimizes the damage they can cause.

4. Replace Asphalt Less Frequently
What do the first three benefits we’ve talked about mean for your parking lot? Simple. You won’t have to repave it as frequently.

Though asphalt is durable and long-lasting, if you want to keep your parking lot in tip-top shape, you’ll need to replace it periodically. Remember, curb appeal is important for your business and a shoddy parking lot doesn’t make a good impression.

But replacing asphalt is an expensive and tedious process.

The weather/temperature has to be just right otherwise the asphalt won’t harden as it should when it cools. Rain can also complicate the installation as water exposure will cause significant problems with the asphalt before it solidifies.

It’s also an inconvenience. Your customers may not be able to use the parking lot while it is being repaved. Depending on your location, that could mean that you’ll have to close your business completely during the installation.

This means not only an expensive maintenance bill but also you’ll miss out on sales — hitting your wallet even harder.

Sealcoating your parking lot is a far less involved project. It won’t take as long and it isn’t as expensive. And it will drastically lengthen the lifespan of your asphalt, cutting down on how often it needs to be replaced.

In short, sealcoating is certainly preferable to the inconvenience of replacing asphalt.

5. Aesthetic Appeal
Aside from repairing cracked or crumbling asphalt, replacing your asphalt has one big benefit. It looks so nice afterward!
Fresh asphalt has that dark, smooth finish that looks so sharp and screams well-maintained. Unfortunately, it begins to fade to an ugly gray over time and with exposure to the elements.

Did you know that sealcoating creates that same dark look? It also helps maintain that look for a longer period of time due to the benefits we’ve already mentioned.

A fresh application of sealcoat will cover small cracks and other imperfections. It also goes on black — just like asphalt. So you get the fresh dark look, without the hassle of installing new asphalt. Simply paint the lines back on your parking lot and it will look brand new!

Find Your Sealcoating Professionals
Ready to breathe new life into your parking lot without going to the expense and hassle of replacing the asphalt? Then it’s time to look into sealcoating.

Article Source: https://www.mdpavingpros.com/the-5-cost-saving-benefits-of-sealcoating-your-parking-lot/