Did You Know?

Is it a good day to
GET PAVED?

WHAT IS YOUR SQUARE FOOTAGE PRICE?

The square footage price is determined by many factors including job location, square footage of project, existing sub grade and other on site work that may be required such as: culvert placement, permits to be pulled, excavating for drainage, etc. Asphalt is only as good as the sub grade underneath. We highly recommend starting with a good base prior to paving which requires more excavation and cost. A good base will extend the longevity of your asphalt. To avoid any confusion let us come and give you a free estimate!

DO I NEED TO PULL A PERMIT FOR MY DRIVEWAY?

A permit needs to be pulled for new or existing driveways that will tie into a paved state or county road. Your chosen paving contractor should take care of that for you.

WILL MY DRIVEWAY REQUIRE A CULVERT?

The designated county/state will determine if a culvert is required at your location. This depends on water drainage in the area. If a culvert is required, your chosen paving contractor will add this into the job.

HOW THICK SHOULD MY ASPHALT BE?

Residential Driveways - should have a 4 - 5 inch gravel base prior to paving. Asphalt is only as good as what is underneath it! The asphalt when rolled should be 2.5 inches thick.

Commercial Parking Lots - Parking lots and subdivision roads should have a minimum 6 inch gravel base due to heavy traffic & large machinery that will drive on it. The asphalt should be placed in 2 layers at 1.5 inches of asphalt per layer (referred to as 2 course) resulting in 3 inch thick asphalt. Asphalt is placed in 2 layers for this type of project for better compaction. Commercial jobs vary depending on what is required by management, state, etc.

WHEN CAN I DRIVE ON MY NEW ASPHALT?

We recommend staying off the driveway for 2 days for the curing process to finish and for the asphalt to get firm. It is also recommended to not park on the pavement for up to 2 weeks especially during hot temperatures. You can walk on the asphalt anytime and it will not hurt it!

Due to commercial paving projects having 2 layers of asphalt, they can be driven on within a day.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO INSTALL A NEW DRIVEWAY?

Usually we spend 2 - 3 days grading four or five driveways and then schedule to pave them all on the same day. Depending on the schedule, there could be 2 - 3 days between grading and paving. Weather of course is a factor that gets in the way sometimes also! If there is going to be a couple of days between grading and paving...you can still drive on your driveway to not cause an inconvenience.

WHAT TYPE OF ASPHALT DOES MY PROJECT REQUIRE?

We use a state certified 13A mix design.

HOW LONG WILL MY ASPHALT DRIVEWAY LAST?

A driveway should last for 15 - 20 years depending on the sub base, amount of traffic, maintenance and water damage. These factors effect the life expectancy of a driveway that are beyond a paving contractors control.

Parking lots and subdivision roads usually last the same length of time as a driveway but may require more maintenance due to much higher traffic.

HOW DO I MAINTAIN MY ASPHALT?

CRACK FILLING - If you notice cracks in your asphalt, the first preventative maintenance is to have it hot rubber crack filled. This is done to driveways and parking lots by cleaning the cracks and filling with a hot rubber substance to prevent water & dirt from deteriorating the rest of the asphalt. This process is also done prior to seal coating.

PATCHING - Low spots in the asphalt usually are the first areas of deterioration. These areas can be saw cut out and patched with new asphalt. Patching should also be done prior to sealcoating.

SEALCOATING - Your driveway should be sealcoated within a year of installation. It is recommended to wait atleast 60 - 90 days after installation to allow adequate cure time. Most driveways should be sealcoated every other year - depending on volume of traffic and weather. A typical parking lot usually does not require sealcoating for approximately 3 years after installation. Sealcoating also protects asphalt from oil and gas spills which can deteriorate the asphalt. Sealcoating is done more on driveways for appearance.

OVERLAYING - Overlays are generally done when the asphalt has deteriorated beyond fixing with crack filling, patching and sealcoating. We would then recommend paving a 1.5 inch cap on the existing asphalt. This type of maintenance only pertains to certain situations - otherwise - tearing out the existing asphalt and placing new asphalt is sometimes the best choice.

BANKING - Keeping the soil banked along the edges of the asphalt will keep the edges from cracking away. At the time of bid this option will be discussed and can be added to your bid if you would like our company to do it. We can always be hired to come back and maintain it also.

WHAT IS DONE TO PREVENT WEEDS FROM GROWING THRU MY ASPHALT?

Prior to grading, we spray weed killer where the driveway will be placed. This kills the organic growth. We purchase this weed killer "Bramatol" at our local co-op. If stubborn weeds do come up, spraying this weed killer or RoundUp will take care of it.

WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT DO I DO?

On HOT days do not steer your vehicle while not moving as the tires may leave a mark in the asphalt. If this does happen, the marks usually disappear & fill back in over time.
Put a piece of plywood under motorcycle kickstands, trailer hitches, lawn furniture and anything else that could sink into the asphalt.
Keep oils & gas off the driveway as these chemicals can eat thru the asphalt. Cat litter can be placed on the spill to absorb it then clean it off with a soap substance and water.
Tree roots will cause asphalt to crack. We do not recommend planting trees close to asphalt. We can pave near existing trees but do not guarantee against any cracks.
We try to be very careful to do a clean job when we are paving but sometimes asphalt does fall off the paver onto concrete approaches that tie into the asphalt. Over time the asphalt will wear off the concrete but if you want it off sooner you can use a product called muriatic acid that you can find at stores like Home Depot. This acid is used to clean brick, concrete and metal. It will attack varnish, fabrics, plastics, paints and most other materials so be careful of oversplash. The muriatic acid will have use instructions on the bottle.

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