3 Asphalt Pavement Solutions You Need to Know
Whether you own an asphalt parking lot or residential driveway, you likely understand that it is vulnerable to damages, especially when not correctly installed or adequately maintained. If you let your parking lot or driveway deteriorate, it will result in costly repairs. Sometimes it will even require complete rebuilding, a process involving removing the asphalt down to the rocky substrate and reinstalling your asphalt surface. Instead, it is far more cost-effective to protect your asphalt with regular sealcoating maintenance and the occasional asphalt pavement overlay.
People often wonder whether sealcoating or asphalt overlays are the most cost-effective and long-lasting solution. Most professionals will tell you that both applications have their place for preventing fissures, cracks, and premature pavement repairs. Our experts on sealcoating in Park Falls, WI, offer the following pavement solutions you need to know about:
Sealcoating for newly installed asphalt
Nearly nothing can improve your business or home's look better than a newly installed driveway or parking lot. With that in mind, the best way to preserve its beauty and lifespan is with regular sealcoating maintenance. The sealcoating process will leave your asphalt surface with a beautiful, ebony coating that hardens on the surface. You should apply the initial layer of sealcoating to your pavement within a year of installation for optimal protection and appeal. This will give your pavement time to cure and be ready for the sealing process.
Sealcoating for asphalt repair prevention
It is no secret that asphalt has a long life, but if left unsealed, it might only last 10 to 12 years. Fortunately, you can ensure a longer life of 15 to 20 years or more with sealcoating maintenance and regular asphalt repairs. Sealing your asphalt surfaces is the best way to prevent depressions, potholes, and cracking. Sealcoating protects your pavement from water penetration, oxidation, and vehicle fluid leaks. In addition, in colder climates, sealcoating can accelerate the rate of melting ice and snow. The most significant risks to your pavement from choosing to skip sealcoating maintenance are seasonal cycles and UV rays from the sun. Unprotected asphalt paving will lose flexibility and become brittle as UV rays deteriorate the carbon bonds in the asphalt materials. Seasonal cycles will allow the formation of cracks that allow water intrusion into deeper layers of the structure. The expansion and contraction that come with temperature changes will cause the damages to get worse, leading to expensive repairs over time.
Professional overlay for asphalt renewal
If you purchase a neglected property or skip sealcoating maintenance, you will find your pavement in need of repairs sooner rather than later. Fortunately, an asphalt overlay is often available for minor to medium range potholes, fissures, and cracks in your parking lot or paved driveway. If the asphalt subgrade is still in functional condition, you can apply an asphalt overlay following any necessary restorations. Contractors will clean and fill any depressions, cracks, and potholes before applying a new asphalt layer to lengthen the surface's life and give it a fresh look. Any newly installed asphalt surface should be sealcoated within 12 months to ensure optimal protection.
These are just a few of the asphalt paving solutions you need to know. Contact us today for more information on sealcoating in Park Falls, WI. We want to be your asphalt paving specialists!