Paving an area with asphalt can be an option that is suitable for both commercial and residential properties. Yet, individuals often are misled by some common misconceptions that can impact their ability to weigh whether asphalt is a suitable option for their property's needs.
Myth: Asphalt Will Require Very Intense Maintenance
Properly maintaining your paved surfaces is essential for keeping them in usable condition for as long as possible. With asphalt, the amount of maintenance that is needed will be fairly minimal. More specifically, a person will simply need to periodically clean the asphalt surface to remove chemicals or abrasive particles, and they will need to be periodically seal coated to further improve durability. At some point, cracks or other surface damages can occur to the asphalt, and they will need to be repaired. However, patching damaged asphalt is a relatively easy process due to the availability of asphalt patching kits and repair resin.
Myth: Asphalt Pavement Should Have A Sealcoat Applied Immediately After Pouring It
Sealcoating the asphalt is an important step for protecting it against damage from moisture seeping into it. However, the sealcoating will not need to be applied as soon as the asphalt has been poured. Rather, enough time will be needed for it to fully harden and cure before this is done. This will usually take a few months to finish. However, you will not have to wait this long to start using the asphalt driveway. Rather, it will likely be hardened enough to support the weight of your vehicles in as little as a day or two.
Myth: Bleaching Of The Asphalt Means It's Time To Replace The Pavement
Asphalt will have a dark black color that many people will find attractive. However, exposure to the sun can cause these colors to start to fade over the years. While this may lead you to believe that the asphalt is approaching the point where it needs to be replaced, this is not always the case as it is possible to resurface the asphalt to fully restore it. Additionally, sealcoating the asphalt may also help to restore it to a darker color, but this may only be effective when the fading the asphalt has experienced is relatively minor. An asphalt paving contractor will be able to assist you with fully evaluating your options for restoring the color of your asphalt. Luckily, this is something that may only be needed after the asphalt has been in place for many years.
Share7 March 2022
Paving contractors spend all day laying the pavement. We figured that the least we could do was write about it! In other words, we plan on laying the pavement of information. Yes, that sounds a little cheesy, but sometimes it's okay to sound cheesy when talking about something as serious as pavement. We caught your attention, didn't we? Now that we've caught your attention, allow us to share a little more about this blog. It will feature articles about paving and pavement contractors, and we plan on providing a lot of different information and perspectives as we go. You're welcome to join us!