Paving the Way — Your WayPaving the Way — Your Way


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Paving the Way — Your Way

How much time do you think you spend on pavement each day? You have to count all the time you're driving — unless you're driving on dirt roads. You also have to count the time you spend walking across parking lots. Pavement is really important. That much is clear. Since pavement is so important, we thought we would start a blog to write a little more about pavement and pavement contractors. They deserve mention, too. They have a hard job and one that requires quite a lot of skill. We'll explain some of the skill behind pavement work on this blog, and we'll also dive into other related topics.

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Options Your Asphalt Paving Contractor Might Give You When Your Old Driveway Is Faded And Cracked

If you're tired of looking at your run-down asphalt driveway, talk to an asphalt paving contractor to understand your options. A new driveway will make a big difference in the way your property looks, but it's also a major investment. There could be other options, but that depends on the condition of your driveway and the base underneath it. Here are a few ways to improve an asphalt driveway.

Solve Problems With The Base

One of the first things the asphalt paving contractor checks is the base. If the base is washed out, it may not be possible to repair the driveway. In order to repair the base, the asphalt has to be broken up and removed. If only a small part of the base needs work, a small section of the driveway may be torn up and replaced, but that makes the repaired area obvious. If a large part of the base is bad, as may be indicated by the presence of a lot of alligator crumbles in the asphalt, then replacing the asphalt driveway could be the right solution once the base has been repaired.

Fixing problems with the base could include putting in better drainage, grading the soil, adding more gravel, or compacting the soil. Once the base is finished, new asphalt is added to create a new driveway that looks fresh and lasts for years.

Fix Cracks And Add A Sealcoat

If your driveway has any cracks, they should be filled so rain doesn't get in them and flow to the base to wash away the soil. Cracks can be filled with asphalt crack sealer or asphalt patch. Potholes can be repaired by filling the holes with gravel and sand and then pouring in hot asphalt.

Repairs are necessary to protect the base, but they can make your driveway even more unsightly since the repair material is dark black, and that is easily noticed on faded asphalt. The solution may be to sealcoat the driveway. This involves putting a black coating on the asphalt that makes it watertight and also protects the asphalt from the sun. The coating also makes your entire driveway black so the repairs aren't quite as noticeable.

Freshen The Surface

Another option your asphalt paving contractor might recommend is to resurface the driveway with a new layer of hot asphalt. This is the same material that's used for a new driveway, so the top of your old driveway will be new.

This is only done if your old driveway still is in good shape and the base is strong. Resurfacing makes your asphalt driveway look new and fresh, but it doesn't cost as much as getting an entirely new driveway put in. 

For more information about asphalt paving, reach out to a local service.