Installation And Care Tips For Your New Asphalt Pavement
There are many options for pavement installation on your property, whether you want cobblestone, gravel, concrete, or asphalt. However, with asphalt being a more affordable option that provides flexible durability and strength, it can provide you with years of use when it is installed and cared for properly. Here are some helpful tips about installing a new asphalt pavement on your property.
Plan For the Installation Timing
There is a reason that you only notice asphalt paving crews completing road work during your summer road trips. The reason is that asphalt is always supposed to be installed during warm weather. Hot mix asphalt installed during the freezing temperature of winter is not going to provide you with a durable surface, as it will crack and fail. So when you plan for your asphalt driveway installation, make sure it is between the months of spring and fall.
Anytime between spring and fall when temperatures are mild to hot and the weather is dry is going to provide you the optimal installation and repair opportunities for your new pavement. The sun and its heat plays an integral part in a successful pavement installation. The hot mix asphalt is poured onto your driveway site and it is compacted in place where it will slowly cool over a period of hours and cure over the next few days. This allows for the asphalt mixture to form its flexible yet durable surface for your vehicles and other traffic. One of the benefits of asphalt is the amount of flexibility it allows under heavyweight to withstand cracking as a concrete slab can. So, with flexibility, you have a surface that will give a bit under pressure and still not crack.
Arrange a schedule for your new asphalt pavement to be installed by your local paving crew. Then, if there is any rain in the forecast, they will reschedule the installation to ensure your asphalt is properly and correctly installed.
Protect It After Installation
Your new asphalt pavement is going to cool within a few hours, but it will need a few days for it to fully cure to withstand the weight of your vehicles. Keep foot traffic off your pavement for the first day and avoid parking on it for the first two to three days, based on your asphalt professional's recommendations and the temperature in your area.
Because asphalt does not need to cure as long as concrete, you can start parking on it sooner. However, keep heavy trucks and RVs off it for the first few weeks to allow a full hardening. If your asphalt becomes soft in the extreme heat of summer, you can spray it off with your garden hose just before parking on it to prevent dents and marks from forming on its surface from your vehicle tires. Contact a team like New England Paving for more information.