Asphalt Paving Operation Training Video - Positions and Equipment

Learn about all positions and equipment on a paving operation. From grading to milling to paving.

Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering

Parking Lot Striping and Maintenance Increases Customer Safety

In business, it is important to always put your best foot forward, and that step can start with fresh parking lot striping. Fresh paint provides a good first impression for arriving customers. Faded and cracked lines, potholes, and crumbling chocks are not only an eyesore, but can also be a safety hazard as well. To ensure customers can park their cars with ease and navigate the car park without any confusion, regular maintenance is crucial.

Clear parking lot striping will not only help visitors navigate easily, but well-planned spacing can also help maximize a small area, squeezing in extra spots for cars so that you don't unintentionally lose business. Most car parks are also required by local regulations to meet certain codes which include a specific number of designated handicap spaces for disabled individuals (how many will depend on the location and size of the area). These will require an extra wide border to be clearly marked, allowing for room to remove wheelchairs or other necessary mobility devices. Codes may also require specific stenciling and marked fire lanes.

If the area is jointly operated by several businesses, it can be helpful to designate specific spots directly in front of doors exclusively to one shop. This is particularly useful for quick-stop stores located next to businesses with longer transactions such as restaurants or movie theaters. Keeping a few spaces free and marked for fifteen minutes or less is another way to keep traffic flowing, turning away fewer customers during peak periods. Spaces can be stencil-painted and bordered in a different color to distinguish it from others.

Proper parking lot striping is also a valuable safety tool that can help you cut back on collisions, slip and falls, or other potential hazards. In addition to keeping the paint fresh and direction arrows clear to improve traffic flow, consider re-paving the entire car park if it is extremely damaged. Large holes and cracks can not only damage vehicles, but people can fall and hurt themselves. And if it happened on your property, you may have a lawsuit on your hands. Smashed chocks are another common problem that is often overlooked. Chocks are the bumpers located between spaces or in front of sidewalks to prevent vehicles from moving too far. Over time, the constant stress from car bumps, or even just a single hard hit can result in them cracking and shifting. The rubble left behind can be dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists.

Parking lot striping professionals generally offer several other benefits in addition to their painting skills. Included in their services are often a cleaning of the area using power washing to lift and blast away long-standing grime, a basic warranty covering unexpected fading or stains for the first few months or longer, and help re-planning the area if needed. Most paints are fast-drying, so you won't have to worry about closing off the area for long. Always choose a company that is licensed, experienced, and fully insured so that you will receive quality work that you can depend on. For information about their services, go to www.articlesrx.com [http://www.articlesrx.com].

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Seal Coating Prolongs The Life Of The Pavement | Vaca Vet Striping

 

Sealcoating

Sealcoating provides versatility, rapid usability, and aesthetic value while correcting minor deficiencies in the pavement surface and preventing further deterioration.

Call Vaca Vet Striping at 707-592-8331. https://vacavetstriping.com/sealcoating/

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.

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20 Best Driveway Ideas and Designs Perfect For Any Budget

When it comes to your home’s curb appeal, driveways are often considered as an afterthought. Driveway design should be included in the planning of your landscape. It’s a significant section of your property that can make or break the look of your home. Detailed information about each driveway idea: https://www.decorhomeideas.com/drivew...

Decor Home Ideas

What People are Saying

 

We are so very pleased with our new parking lot thanks to the superior work of David & Gina and their wonderful crew.  They were honest, professional, fast, thorough, and truly went the extra mile to make sure we were satisfied with their work.  Go with Vaca Vet Striping if you want the Best in the Business!

Product Quality: Very Satisfied

Customer Service: Very Satisfied

Contact Vaca Vet Striping

Gina Mccartney
gina@vacavetstriping.com
707-592-8331
Open 7 Days a Week
License #389714

How an Asphalt Plant Works

Go behind the scenes and follow the process of making hot mix asphalt at an asphalt production facility. Learn about the different components that make an asphalt plant work.

Creating a Handicap Accessible and ADA Compliant Parking Spot

When business owners are designing their location's parking lot, they should be sure to keep in mind their handicapped customers. The Americans with Disabilities Acts establishes a strict set of guidelines that must be followed by every business with a parking lot. Failure to comply with ADA regulations can result in fines. Luckily for business owners, the ADA specifications are rather straightforward.

ADA regulations require that a business owner have a certain number of handicapped parking spots. According to Adaptive Access, this number depends on how many parking spots a location offers. For small businesses with only 25 parking stalls, only one accessible parking space is necessary. As the number of parking stalls increases, though, so does the number of required accessible parking spots. At the maximum, for locations with more than 1,000 regular parking spaces, handicapped parking spaces must account for 20 spots, plus one for every extra hundred spots.

When deciding on the location of a handicap-accessible parking spot, there are a few rules that a business owner needs to observe. The accessible parking spots must be the closest parking spot to the store. At some businesses, the closest parking spot may not be suitable for an accessible parking spot. For example, the closest spot may be located on an extreme slope, or the ground may have large cracks in it. If this is the case, than the accessible spot needs to be as close as safely possible to the business' entrance.

The pathway from the handicapped parking space to the store must also be accessible to customers with disabilities. A handicap-accessible parking spot cannot be located on the top floor of a garage unless there is a ramp or elevator that leads to the store entrance. An accessible spot may also not be positioned in a spot where there is an extreme slope. If the path to the store crosses in front of any vehicular traffic, than the area must feature a clearly marked pedestrian-crossing zone.

Each handicap-accessible parking spot must be at least eight feet wide. Handicap-accessible parking spots must have two five-foot wide pedestrian loading zones, into which a wheel chair or electric scooter can easily fit. Two adjacent handicapped parking spaces can share one loading zone. According to the Florida Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the parking spot must be outlined in blue, and needs to be repainted as necessary so that it is always clearly defined. Loading zones must be painted with diagonal stripes to denote that they are not parking spots.

The international handicap symbol should be painted on the pavement furthest from the curb so it is easily visible as a car approaches the stall. You can use the 39 inch (1 meter) international handicap parking stencil which is made to Federal ADA specifications. However, you should verify size requirements with your local zoning office as state specifications can vary and change without notification. For example, California requires the 36 inch handicap parking stencil and Florida requires the 60 inch handicap pavement stencil.

Handicap parking stencils are available in a range of sizes. A 21 inch is typically used in stadium row seating and the 72 inch is typically used at airports and large facilities.

ADA regulations say a handicapped parking spot must always have a handicapped parking sign placed in the front of the spot as well. A handicapped parking sign needs to be posted at a height so that it will always be viewable and mounted high enough for other cars to see - generally speaking, the parking sign needs to be posted five feet off the ground. The parking sign must also show the international symbol of accessibility. Once inside, you should include handicap bathroom signs.

For every eight handicapped parking spots, at least one spot needs to be accessible to vans. The van-accessible handicapped spot must still be eight feet wide, but the loading zones must be eight feet wide instead of five feet. The parking sign also needs to clearly designate that the spot is for vans, though regular vehicles with a permit may park there.

Designing a parking lot with handicapped accessibility in mind is key. Not only will it prevent a business owner from being fined, but it will also go a long way to pleasing any handicapped customers a business may have.

Daniel Keane has been owner of Alphabet Signs located in Wilmington DE since 1991. Daniel graduated Drexel University College of Business Administration in 1983. Membership includes International Sign Association and United States Signs Council. Alphabet Signs has over 3000 quality products in 50+ sign categories at discounted prices: http://www.alphabetsigns.com/

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