If you have asphalt pavement in your home, you'll want to keep it in tip-top shape throughout the year. While routine asphalt maintenance will go a long way in preserving the life of the pavement, it will eventually start to deteriorate because of age.
While a complete replacement of the existing pavement structure is inevitable at some point in the future, you may be able to extend its life with an overlay. As the name implies, an overlay requires adding a fresh layer of asphalt over a deteriorating asphalt surface to fix underlying issues — both structural and cosmetic.
Continue reading to know the steps involved in an asphalt overlay.
Asphalt Pavement Inspection
Before commencing any work on your asphalt pavement, you should always inspect it first. Asphalt pavement inspections are essential for identifying problems that require attention and determining which interventions are required to address those problems effectively.
Not all existing asphalt surfaces can benefit from an asphalt overlay. If your asphalt pavement has severe structural damage, it is best to rip it up completely and replace it. Only consider an overlay if your asphalt pavement structures have mild to moderate structural damage.
Asphalt Surface Removal
If you are a good candidate for an asphalt overlay, the next step is to remove the top layer of the pavement, leaving its base layer intact. The job is done using an asphalt milling machine and the waste material is taken to an asphalt recycling plant for processing and reuse.
Asphalt milling should be carried out with care to avoid causing more damage to the underlying layer of the existing pavement.
Asphalt Base Layer Inspection And Repair
Once the old damaged layer is removed, the base asphalt will be inspected to assess the damage to it. Close attention should be paid to areas where sinking, rutting, or potholes have occurred.
Any damage to the base asphalt will require repairs before a new asphalt surface can be installed.
Asphalt New Surface Installation
After the base asphalt is repaired, a fresh layer of asphalt will be installed over it to complete the restoration. The thickness of the asphalt overlay is usually of similar thickness to the surface of the milled asphalt. However, it can be adjusted depending on the condition of the existing asphalt.
The more damage to the structure, the thicker the overlay should be.
For more information, contact an asphalt paving company near you.
Share29 June 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!