Sealcoating Asphalt Driveway: Best Practices

Quality sealcoating products help boost an asphalt driveway’s curb appeal. Yet sealers are not merely for aesthetics as they also protect the surface from harmful elements like heat, rainwater, and snow. To perform as expected, sealcoating products must first be applied properly—a process that entails the following steps:

Make the necessary driveway repairs.

Sealers barely have any effect on uneven surfaces. For this reason, it is important to fix existing cracks and holes first before applying sealant. Paving experts typically use a patching compound for small cracks and dents similar to the putty used for windows. For bigger holes, it’s best to use cold blacktop patch. Patches are left to dry completely for a few days before sealing commences.

Apply sealer during nice weather.

Expert paving operatives wait until the weather is cooperative before they begin any sealcoating project. Even the slightest precipitation can defeat the purpose of applying sealant. Some experts recommend that the best time for sealcoating is between the months of May and September, especially when applying the acrylic-based variety.

DIY sealcoating is possible, but if you want minimal business disruptions, it’s best to call on professional asphalt driveway specialists who can carry out the job in an efficient manner. This way, you can minimize disruptions to business operations.

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Common Enemies of Asphalt Pavement

Many business owners prefer asphalt to concrete pavement for various reasons. Among other things, asphalt is more economical yet just as durable as concrete when used only for lightweight vehicle parking. In addition, asphalt looks more appealing than concrete while the smoothness of its surface keeps friction to a minimum. Yet like concrete, asphalt has its weaknesses that, if addressed properly, can be surmounted.

Heavy Loads

Most asphalt pavements are designed for vehicles no larger than a mini-truck. A large truck will leave tracks on the asphalt, so allowing such a heavy load to sit on the pavement for a long period may create a few centimeters of depression. Even heavy dumpsters have to be parked well away from an asphalt pavement or on a concrete padding to prevent the same consequence.

Sunlight

Unfortunately, asphalt is susceptible to sunburn. It can easily lose its dark color due to extended exposure to sunshine. The heat from the sun can also hasten the oxidation of asphalt’s oil component, weakening its ability to hold the rocks together. This leads to quick disintegration of aggregates, which causes the formation of potholes.

Surface Water

Water affects asphalt just as much as sunlight does. In particular, water loosens the bond between the asphalt and the aggregates, causing the pavement to slowly collapse and form cracks. To prevent this from happening, the entire asphalt pavement must be designed with proper drainage. In addition, all water formation in uneven areas across the pavement must be removed right away.

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When should you Call Paving Contractors?

Asphalt pavements are durable, but their integrity can be compromised if the proper installation and maintenance measures are not observed. Prompt professional repairs, however, can reduce further asphalt pavement distress. It is advisable to consult paving contactors in the following scenarios:

When you find potholes and other pavement flaws

Over time, pavements develop linear or transverse cracks because of natural corrosion and improper asphalt application. If left untreated, the cracks form a characteristic alligator pattern that eventually gives way to potholes. Aging pavement consequently needs patching and milling or total replacement, depending on the extent of defects.

When you catch a catch basin problem

Patches of the pavement may accumulate water and other fluids due to drainage or catch basin problems. Insufficient cleaning may cause sediments to build up in this drain system. Aside from drain upkeep, uneven surfaces or inappropriate slopes that also contribute to the problem need to be repaired by a paving contractor.

When your dumpster is causing damages

To keep pests from burrowing underneath the dumpster, a thick concrete pad must be put in place. If a concrete pad is not installed, or if the existing one shows severe wear and tear, your paving contractor can perform the necessary repairs.

A paving company can also advise you on the appropriate maintenance measures, like sealcoating, which extend the life of the pavement. Such expert advice can help preserve your asphalt-paved property and enable you to get the full value of the investment.

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How to Improve Your Store’s Curb Appeal

Are you redesigning your storefront? Make sure your retail shop’s exterior creates a great impression to attract more customers. Here are some tips on improving your store’s curb appeal:

Maintain an inviting building façade and entryway.

A dark, beat-up, or seemingly abandoned boutique may send potential customers scurrying away. Applying a fresh coat of paint on the building façade can do wonders. Replace or refurbish old and worn doors and windows. Be sure to install ample lighting fixtures.

Put up a visible, eye-catching signage.

Your signage represents your brand, so it should grab people’s attention for all the right reasons. Make sure the sign is readable even at a distance and is well lighted at night. Use logos or photo representations of what you sell if your name doesn’t make it obvious.

Arrange attractive window displays.

The products or samples displayed at your storefront should show the highlights or the overall theme of your inventory. Select your best offerings for the season. Aside from standard products, you can also put up posters of your promos and special offers.

Have a well-maintained parking lot.

A lot of customers get discouraged at the sight of a poorly kept parking lot. You might want to hire a paving company that can perform the necessary upkeep and ensure a safe and even parking surface. The line striping can also be updated to make the parking area appear more organized.

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The Importance of Parking Lot Maintenance

Most parking lot owners or operators likely have little worry about maintaining their properties for as long as customers keep pouring in. For them, all it takes is to a bit of cleaning and sweeping off dirt and dust. It’s probably only when they are hit with a premises liability lawsuit that they think to themselves, “I should have maintained my property better.”

A parking lot is a heavy traffic area that bears the weight of combined heavy and light vehicles on a daily basis, requiring utmost maintenance efforts. It’s also exposed to the elements, ranging from harmful UV rays to rainfall. A good way to combat negative effects due to those factors is to apply a sealcoat to the surface as a layer of protection.

A parking lot that’s not been regularly applied with a sealcoat is prone to potholes, cracks, and rough or uneven surfaces. These can prove to be a trip hazard, with any unfortunate person stepping on it, and then slipping and falling, thereby incurring injuries. This scenario, of course, is ripe for a premises liability lawsuit, which no property owner would ever want to have to deal with.

Facing a case like this is not only expensive, it can also tarnish a business reputation as well. To avoid such legal issues, maintenance should be on every property and parking lot owner’s mind. Simple efforts like filling in cracks and potholes can help, as well as sealcoating.

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Asphalt Paving: A Close Inspection

In both American and British English, there exists a figurative phrase “pave the way,” which actually dates as far back as the 1580s. “Pave the way” means to “make smooth.” This particular meaning still stands until today, but the word “paving” itself is now typically associated with roads, driveways, and parking lots.

Property owners have two main options to smoothen out any rough or uneven surface within their property: asphalt or concrete paving. Both of these bear similarities when it comes to their composition since the two are made using aggregate or crushed rock and sand. However, the binding agent in concrete paving is cement mixed with water, while it’s bitumen for asphalt paving.

Bitumen is something that many may have heard of but likely don’t have any idea of what it is. It is a highly viscous liquid that is derived from petroleum or oil deposits typically appearing as brown-black. The substance is known for its adhesive and waterproofing properties, which is why it is often used in roofing and construction applications.

Once laid out, asphalt paving can serve property owners for many years since it’s highly durable and weather-resistant. However, as with any type of paving, the key is to have a solid foundation. Thus, those who are planning an asphalt paving project are encouraged to first build a solid foundation layer.

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The Process of Consulting Paving Contractors

How does a consultation with paving contractors go? More importantly, how should it go? In trying to improve your property’s parking area, curbs, and driveways, you need to be particular with your problems, and the contractor needs to be specific with the services, as well.

Assessment

After that initial phone call, the contractor needs to comprehensively assess the areas concerned. You may have received complaints on some cracks or potholes in the pavement, or on hazardous, broken curbs and improper markings, etc. An expert should inspect the damages in order to recommend the plausible solutions.

Aside from repairing damages, you should also be keen about the routine maintenance of your pavements. For that, the contractor should assess the areas thoroughly before offering the appropriate upkeep measures and arriving at estimates or negotiations.

Available Solutions

The contractor should present all options for repairs and maintenance. For instance, some pavement damages can be patched or milled, while extensive deterioration may require total resurfacing. In these situations, you should be informed of the extent of the job and the implications to your business (e.g. whether you need to limit or stop operations temporarily).

Sweeping, sealcoating, and line striping are usually done for maintenance. Proactive paving contractors should detail the materials to be used and the benefits you can reap from them. Blacktop sealcoating, for instance, can extend the life of the asphalt and refurbish its uniform look. The professional company will also advise you regarding the project’s timeframe or routine schedule.

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Preparing an Office Building’s Exterior for Sale

When an office building is going to be put up for sale, improving the exterior and overall curb appeal is important. Such commercial properties need to be staged and, in some cases, even renovated before having it listed and opened for potential buyers. Aesthetic appeal can certainly increase the property’s monetary value, lessen the work the buyer needs to do, and close the deal faster.

Here are the important areas to consider when improving the office building’s curb appeal, from top to bottom:

• Roof

Commercial properties with a roof in good condition are generally preferable for better insurance rates and minimal upkeep requirements. Consider replacing the roof altogether for major damages, or promptly fix minor repairs like broken shingles, tiles, or flashings.

• Building Exterior

The appearance of the building’s exterior walls, door, and windows are all vital to improving its overall façade. Have the walls power washed and repainted as necessary. Repair or replace the door and windows with sleek fixtures.

• Landscaping

Lively landscapes make the building look calming and refreshing, which would appeal to both workers and clients. Prune the landscaping plants and trees appropriately, and tidy up the lawn and surrounding spaces. Reinforce curbs and barriers to prevent damages to the landscape.

• Parking Spaces and Driveways

Well-maintained parking spaces and driveways provide convenience and security for the business employees and clients. Organize the parking and driving areas with a layout that maximizes space and clear traffic flow markings for safety.

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Factors that Cause Deterioration of Pavements

Parking lots in commercial establishments, like offices and retail stores, are exposed to heavy traffic on a daily basis. For this reason, property owners and managers have to keep an eye out on any sign of pavement deterioration like potholes and cracks which can obstruct daily operations. Sadly though, heavy traffic is not the only cause for pavements to deteriorate. Here are some other causes:

Extreme heat

Summer temperatures experienced in the East Coast states like New York and New Jersey may not be as bad as ones experienced in Western states like Nevada and Arkansas, but NJ property owners still have a lot to worry about when it comes to extreme heat. Triple-digit temperatures can cause asphalt paving to buckle, making them unpassable and unsafe for vehicles.

Extreme cold

If extreme heat is not good for pavements, so is extreme cold. Here, when the mercury dips low, a frost heave occurs which allows water to get under the pavement. When the water turns to ice, the pavement expands and thus tends to blow up, leading to cracks.

Improper maintenance

At times, the weather doesn’t pose any problems at all, but pavements still deteriorate. Possibly the biggest reason? Improper maintenance. To prevent pavement damage due to improper maintenance, property owners should draw up regular cleaning and sealcoating plans with the help of professional paving contractors.

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When is NJ Asphalt Paving Maintenance Necessary?

Asphalt pavement maintenance is a challenge for commercial establishments with parking lots and outdoor driveways. Aside from keeping these surfaces clean, these asphalt pavements need to be routinely checked and reinforced for the convenience and safety of the numerous employees and customers that use them. That said, when is NJ asphalt paving maintenance necessary?

Before knowing when it's appropriate to perform maintenance, you have to understand why asphalt pavements deteriorate. These surfaces are often exposed to chemicals such as oil and gasoline that leak from vehicles. Traffic, heat from the sun, moisture from wet weather conditions, cleaning methods, and other factors also attack the asphalt pavement. These are the agents that weaken the binders in the asphalt and lead to the deterioration of the pavement.

When the wear and tear factors take their toll, the asphalt paving can erode, crack, incur uneven color, and become less smooth. Loose stones, sand, and gravel, essential to asphalt, can also scatter and cause uncomfortable driving and even accidental injuries to passersby. Rougher roads are also known to decrease fuel efficiency and tarnish the mechanical parts and tires of vehicles faster.

The most cost-effective way to preserve the quality and extend the life of asphalt pavements is by preventive maintenance. Sealcoating should be applied every two to three years or more often, as dictated by the volume of traffic and load that the pavement encounters. This avoids costlier repairs and even costlier consequences of pavement deterioration.

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What Gives Your Asphalt Parking Space a Hard Time?

Like other materials, asphalt has its weaknesses. So when you choose asphalt for your parking space, you have to know what can damage your asphalt. Reducing the effects of these elements to your parking space will save you from additional maintenance cost. Here are some of asphalt parking spaces’ greatest enemies.

Heavy Load

Horizontal structures like parking spaces are designed to deal with stationary and moving loads. However, there’s a set maximum tolerance for each type of pavement, particularly an asphalt-based one like your parking space. If your business involves regularly dumping huge amounts of waste products, provide a space away from the parking lot for the dumpster. Heavy dumpsters are known to leave obvious dents on asphalt pavements.

Radiation

When it's about radiation, the first thing that normally comes to mind is nuclear fallout. The truth is radiation is everywhere, namely sunlight, which can be dangerous to the health of your asphalt parking space. Sunlight can drain the oil holding asphalt particles together, causing them to slowly disintegrate. To prevent this, many trusted pavement companies apply a certain type of coating on the asphalt surface.

Crude Oil

While asphalt contains oil, this isn’t referring to crude oil. Many vehicles parking on your parking lot may leave spills of crude oil derivatives on the asphalt surface. These products can cause asphalt molecules to disintegrate and, in the long run, become as coarse as typical soil. 

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Prolong the Life of Your Parking Space

Having a large parking lot means more customers can stop by your store to buy your products and services. With stricter parking regulations in almost all cities, many motorists are always on the move to find a place where their vehicles can rest unharmed while they are dining or buying goods and supplies. This is why improving the quality of your business’s parking space is a good investment that may yield a quick return on investment.

However, space is not enough to make sure that your parking lot will remain an efficient source of income for many years. Sooner or later, it will have potholes and cracks that need to be fixed in order to make the lot safe for vehicles again. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent horrendous changes in your pavement and secure your bottom line.

The best parking lots have asphalt overlays. While asphalt performs well in harsh weather conditions, it isn’t as tough as concrete when resisting friction. Asphalt needs a shield or coating to, at least, prevent the weight of tires and debris from directly pressing it. Trusted pavement companies use special sealcoating products to laminate asphalt parking spaces.

Although the sealant provides a tough shield against debris and pressure, it’s susceptible to moisture and water like everything else. If soaked with water for a long time, the shield will dissolve until the asphalt is exposed. The parking space needs a well-designed drainage system to keep water exposure to a minimum all the time. 

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Today's Roads are Going Green with Recycled Asphalt

There's no denying that most of America's roadworks and highways today consist of some form of asphalt concrete, and will continue to do so for many more years. However, recent construction innovations now make it possible for non-biodegradable asphalt to be recycled. Upon calculating the country's roadworks expenses for 2011, the government saved approximately $2 billion of taxpayer money by incorporating reclaimed asphalt into those projects.

Specifically, about a million tons of reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS) and 66 million tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) from old roads and torn-down roofs were used in 2011's road construction season. Working with RAS and RAP require less energy, and the two materials are also good sources of liquid asphalt by themselves. Additionally, RAS and RAP don't require asphalt binders, thus saving the government about 21 million barrels of the substance.

Recycled asphalt may soon be used for building parking lots and other pavements. By incorporating so-called “warm-mix” technologies during construction work, harmful emissions like carbon monoxide can also be reduced. This trend of using recycled materials is expected to continue in 2013, now that plastic composites and other reclaimed materials (i.e. concrete) are now enjoying widespread use in major cities like New York and Pittsburgh.

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Avoid Legal Woes with Pothole Patching for Parking Lots

If you manage a building with its own parking lot, proper maintenance is extremely crucial because in time, the parking lot's surface will develop potholes. Potholes form as small cracks on road surfaces that are usually caused by exposure to heat as well as heavy vehicular traffic. Rainwater that seeps through the cracks freezes during cold weather then expands, causing bigger holes to appear on the pavement. These unattractive potholes can affect the image of your establishment and pose safety hazards.

Potholes not only affect your property's curb appeal but can also land you in hot water. While most motorists just drive past potholes, pedestrians can slip and fall and thus find sufficient grounds to file personal injury cases against you. You may end up paying hefty settlement fees for medical treatment as well as damages for emotional distress. Aside from the the actual settlement, you'll have to pay lawyer's the fees as well.

To avoid costly litigation, be sure to regularly inspect your parking lot's pavement for any signs of damage. You might want to get in touch with companies that specialize in parking lot maintenance, particularly pothole patching. Through proper parking lot maintenance, you can run your business in peace and avoid lawsuits.

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Rely on Reputable Paving Companies in NJ to Ensure Even Surfaces in Parking Lots

In New Jersey, motorists typically have to endure traffic jams along the NJ Turnpike and I-95 during rush hour. After work, some people pass the time by going to a cafe or a pub until the traffic jam has subsided. They use the parking lot services around the area and then head out to whatever bar or restaurant they have in mind, either alone or with colleagues.

Some parking lots, however, are so poorly maintained that they may pose safety risks. Uneven pavements can cause a driver who's simply getting out of his car to slip and fall, which can then result in costly lawyer's fees for whoever is in charge of the parking lot's upkeep and maintenance. Potholes, on the other hand, can deal a great deal of damage to cars, particularly since poor road conditions directly impact a car's suspension and steering components.

For this reason, companies that manage parking lots often hire the services of reliable paving companies in NJ to ensure that their premises are kept even and free of potholes. Concrete and asphalt are commonly used to pave parking lots. Of the two substances, asphalt is considered more ideal since it is less likely to crack under pressure, especially when blacktop seal coating is applied to it regularly.

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Finding a Place to Park Can be Like Finding Heaven on Earth

Anyone who lives and/or works in a densely populated city can cite a number of things that tick them off on a daily basis. Heavy traffic is one such source of annoyance, as well as having to share the road with some discourteous motorists. However, what can really frustrate city dwellers who happen to be motorists is the lack of parking space.

Sometimes, it may be tempting to just take public transportation than use your own car and waste time and gas trying to find somewhere you can park. If you do find an available parking slot, you'll have to act fast and reach it right away or else lose the space to another motorist. This can sometimes lead to an accident or a verbal tussle.

In addition, some parking lots may be filled with large potholes or badly cracked asphalt surfaces. While you may have found a suitable parking space, you may have to endure a short but nonetheless bumpy ride. When you have no other alternative, such a situation can be quite irritating.

Luckily, parking lot maintenance has become a lot easier and more convenient thanks to companies that provide asphalt paving services. With their help, motorists don't have to put up with poor-quality road work and be able to use pothole-free parking spaces.

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Asphalt Assault: Repairing Damaged Blacktop Surfaces

You'll commonly see asphalt on roads, pavements, airport runways, and even on parking lots. Lauded for its waterproof qualities, as well as its ease of application, asphalt—also referred to as blacktop—is the composite material of choice when it comes to modern road construction. Asphalt pavements consist of a subbase, an asphalt base, and an asphalt concrete surface guaranteed to withstand heavy vehicular loads and varying weather conditions.

Yet despite such tough qualities, asphalt can still take a beating and sustain severe damage. Asphalt concrete can crack with sufficient force. Heavy vehicles can put significant strain on asphalt, while repeated exposure to traffic and extreme temperature swings can eventually crack the surface of any asphalt pavement. Substandard road construction quality is another cause for concern.

To address these factors, asphalt surfaces need to be repaired immediately upon detecting signs of damage on the surface. In most cases, a layer of bitumen is poured over the cracks to seal them off and prevent moisture from causing further havoc. If a strip of pavement appears to be in very poor shape, nothing short of complete and proper reconstruction can fix it. Asphalt might be as tough as they say, but without proper treatment and maintenance, it can crack just like anything else.

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Black, Not Bruised: All About the Material Called Asphalt

Unless you've been living under a rock, you simply can't miss asphalt. The slick black substance comprises the very roads you drive on, as well as the shingles found on many homes. However, before it ended up beneath your feet and above your head, the ancients had quite different uses for asphalt.

In those days, asphalt went by another name: bitumen. The black pitch was commonly used to coat baskets and to waterproof ship hulls. The Sumerians even used the stuff as mortar to secure bricks in place. When refined and hardened, bitumen could be sculpted. Recent discoveries, meanwhile, point out that bitumen was wrongly thought to have been the stuff that the ancient Egyptians used to embalm their dead and during the mummification process.

Yet how exactly did a multipurpose product discovered in the ancient world end up as today's preferred road-building material? The answer lies in asphalt's unique characteristics. Aside from being exceptionally waterproof, asphalt is also incredibly durable and resistant to wear and tear so long as it is dried properly. It also holds up rather well against extreme temperatures. Indeed, asphalt has come a long way since ancient times and continues to benefit humanity in a number of different ways.

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