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Archive for the ‘General Asphalt Advice’ Category

Concrete vs. Asphalt

Friday, June 6th, 2014

When it comes to pavement projects, there is an ongoing debate to which material is better to use; concrete or asphalt. To make the best decision for your project, ask yourself a few questions and then research to see which option would be best for you. Things to consider include:
1. Restrictions of material
2. Cost
3. Maintenance
4. Aesthetics
5. Climate

Concrete vs Asphalt

Asphalt

Let’s look at asphalt more closely. Asphalt typically lasts from 15 to 18 years, depending on maintenance and outstanding conditions. Asphalt tends to soften in high temperatures; however repairs can be made easily. As far as maintenance, asphalt needs resealing every 3 years minimum. Asphalt comes in mainly black and doesn’t have any finishing options with it, making customizing its look difficult. Asphalt can become damaged by oil and grease that drips onto the surface. Constant exposure to sunlight and moisture, such as rain, can cause asphalt to break down and eventually crack or ripple. Based on square feet, asphalt tends to be a little cheaper than concrete to install.

Concrete

Now to give concrete some face time. When concrete is laid correctly, it has a life of about 30 to 40 years. It is considered more durable than asphalt overall, but can still crack when exposed to cold temperatures. Repairs to concrete are difficult to make, but do not to be made very often. Concrete can come in a number of different colors and has various finishing options. If substances such as grease or oil should come in contact with concrete, simply rinse them off with no damage done. Based on square feet, concrete can be a tad more expensive to install than asphalt depending on how large of an area you are paving.

PTG Enterprises

When it comes time to making the decision, there is never a black and white answer when faced with either concrete or asphalt. Let the specialists at PTG Enterprises help you make the decision for your paving project. We are trained in handling both materials and will be able to aid in the decision making based on the parameters of your project.
If you have any questions about Concrete vs. Asphalt, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can also follow PTG Enterprises on Facebook and Twitter!

The Cost of Asphalt & How it Ties into the Maryland Asphalt Index

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

Have you ever wondered why the price of asphalt pavement seems to fluctuate? Well, it is because the Cost of Asphalt is dictated by what is known as the Asphalt Index. Each and every month, the Maryland Asphalt Association – an association dedicated to ensuring that Hot Mix Asphalt paving is the most cost-effective, high quality paving available – determines the Maryland asphalt index. For the month of May, the index is set at $558.75 / Short Ton.

Click Here for the most up to date asphalt index.

The indexed price will stay the same until the end of each month. Then is it subject to change based on the current price of liquid asphalt. It is this fluctuation that affects the price of asphalt for contractors and thus the price of your asphalt projects.

Maryland Asphalt Index

PTG Enterprises, Your Maryland Asphalt Contractor

PTG Enterprises has been in the asphalt paving business for more than a decade. In this time, we have come to a realization; it is easier to work with an educated client. This is why we take the time to publish blogs, like this one, to help you better understand our industry. When working with an educated property manager or business owner the entire process runs smoother. The client understands the scope of work, the timeframe, and the reasoning behind the price of the project.

So do yourself a favor the next time you have an asphalt paving project. Call PTG Enterprises, the asphalt contractor that cares about you, the customer.

If you have any further questions about our blog, “The Cost of Asphalt & How it Ties into the Maryland Asphalt Index,” please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Commercial Snow Removal in Baltimore

Friday, January 4th, 2013

January is here and we have already had our first snow sighting. This is great for the kids, but a headache for business owners, like you. Snowfall means a disruption to your normal business. And in today’s economy, you cannot afford to lose a day of income.

But here are a few things to keep in mind this winter season:

  1. Safety is Important: Ignoring snow removal could be more costly than paying a commercial snow removal company. For starters, ignoring snow removal means a disruption to your business, a disruption you most likely cannot afford as a small business owner. Secondly, if you ignore snow removal and a customer slips and injures themselves on your property, you could be in for some trouble. If this happens, you could be held liable. So don’t ignore snow removal.
  2. Professionals are Professionals for a Reason: We understand that commercial snow removal can be expensive, but trying to tackle the job yourself could be damaging to your asphalt parking lot, which could cost you even more money! It is probably best to leave this job to the professionals. They have the knowledge and equipment to get the job done right without damaging your parking lot.

Still, if damage does occur to your asphalt parking lot, don’t panic; pick up the phone and call PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement repair projects and have the experience you need.

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Now is the Time to line up your Spring Pavement Needs

Thursday, December 13th, 2012

As a business owner or homeowner, budgeting is the key to financial security. This holds true for everything from family vacations and home improvement projects in the residential world to employee salaries and facility maintenance in the commercial industry. Luckily, we at PTG Enterprises understand this need for constant planning. That is why we are happy to provide you with a proposal so that you can organize your spring property needs now.

Winter is the perfect time to line up your spring pavement needs!

Whether it is a parking lot, a cement sidewalk, a dumpster pad that needs removing and replacing, or perhaps seal coating and striping; PTG has you covered. Give us a call or go to our website to request a proposal today!

We’ll meet with you and perform a site visit to ensure we’re familiar with every aspect of the project. You will then receive a thorough, detailed estimate and proposal written in an easy to understand format.

Why PTG Enterprises?

When your asphalt or pavement is beginning to show signs of wear and tear, you need an expert. You need PTG Enterprises! Our crews are the best available and they use only the best materials and equipment around.

We have been in the asphalt paving, concrete, and masonry business for more than a decade and we’ve worked with homeowners, property managers, architects, and business owners, just like you.

You can contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can also check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

What Causes Asphalt Pavement Deterioration?

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

Asphalt pavement is both durable and resilient. And it has to be. Asphalt pavement takes a beating on a daily basis. Between regular traffic and Mother Nature, your pavement needs to be strong. However, over time, even the toughest asphalt will start to deteriorate.

What Causes Asphalt Pavement Deterioration?

There are actually a few likely causes of pavement deterioration, including:

  1. Natural Wear and Tear: Over time, the materials that make up asphalt begin to deteriorate. The liquid asphalt binder, the glue that holds the pavement together, begins to lose its natural elasticity and starts to break down. During this process, the asphalt also loses its natural resistance to water, making the pavement even more susceptible to rain, snow, freezing and thawing, and more. Once this happens, cracking and other forms of deterioration are not far behind.
  2. Failures in Construction: Improperly installed asphalt can be a large reason for the deterioration of your pavement. Failures in construction can include: improperly compacted base, over or under compaction of the asphalt, improper temperature during application, poor drainage, and so much more.

Types of Asphalt Deterioration

  1. 1. Cracking: Cracking comes in many different forms, from alligatoring and edge cracks to slippage, reflection, and more.
  2. 2. Disintegration: This type of deterioration includes potholes, raveling, and the like.
  3. 3. Distortion: The result of improper pavement construction and the deterioration of the underlying base, distortion includes channels or ruts, corrugations and shoving, grade depressions, upheaval, and utility cut depressions.

When asphalt is installed properly and well maintained, it can last for 25 years or more! So trust your asphalt to a contractor with a proven track record of success, a contractor like Patrick Gillen of PTG Enterprises.

PTG Enterprises: Your Baltimore Asphalt Contractor

The asphalt experts at PTG Enterprises have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

When you hire PTG, you can be rest assured that you will receive the best customer service in the industry. PTG provides prompt proposals, competitive bids, and top notch management to every aspect of the project from beginning to end. We will show up as scheduled, perform the project as contracted, and leave you with a smile on your face!

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

The Benefits of Sealcoating explained by your Baltimore Asphalt Contractor

Wednesday, November 21st, 2012

Asphalt will deteriorate over time. Luckily, there are several steps you can take to ensure that your asphalt parking lot or other asphalt surface looks great for as long as possible, from preventative asphalt maintenance to timely asphalt repair to sealcoating. But of all the precautions you can take to ensure your parking surface lasts for a long time, sealcoating is perhaps the most important.

The Benefits of Sealcoating

  1. Slow Oxidation: Overexposure to oxygen hardens asphalt binders, causing the asphalt to crack. Sealcoating provides a protective barrier for your parking lot.
  2. Slow Water Penetration: the cracking caused by oxidation allows water to penetrate deep into the asphalt, further weakening the entire parking surface. Sealcoats fill surface voids, limiting water penetration and prolonging pavement life.
  3. Shield Ultraviolet Rays: UV rays break the lines between carbon bonds and your asphalt. Sealcoating prevents UV rays from further damaging the asphalt pavement.
  4. Easy to Clean: Sealcoating makes your asphalt surface easy to clean, reducing the depth to which oil or gas can penetrate.
  5. Cost Effective: The cost of sealcoating is only pennies a square yard versus repairs and rehabilitation which can be as much as twenty times higher.
  6. Aesthetic Appeal: Sealcoating gives asphalt a beautiful finish.

PTG Enterprises: Your Baltimore Sealcoating Contractor

There are many more options available to property managers and owners today than there was when I started in the Industry. This works to the advantage of the property and to the pavement. Now, depending on the current condition of the asphalt, I have the ability to recommend several different options depending on the condition of the lot, previous maintenance schedules and budgets.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

More Asphalt Maintenance Options from your Baltimore Asphalt Contractor

Friday, November 16th, 2012

When it comes to running a successful business, image is everything. And believe it or not, your parking lot plays a big role in your customer or client’s perception of your business. After all, the parking lot is the first experience that many clients will have with your company. And remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

So don’t let your asphalt parking lot give your clients the wrong idea about your business. Contact PTG Enterprises, your Baltimore asphalt contractor, and ask how we can rehabilitate your parking lot.

  1. Asphalt Patching: A common asphalt repair technique, patching is used to commonly correct potholes and large cracks. Patching consists of filling the affected areas with hot or cold asphalt mix.
  2. Asphalt Replacement: When damage is more severe, removal and replacement may be your best option. This procedure involves the removal and replacement of the deteriorated area.
  3. Asphalt Resurfacing: In more severe cases, overlaying, also known as resurfacing, involves the complete re-paving of your asphalt surface.
  4. And more!

What asphalt maintenance procedure makes the most sense for you? Well, the only way to truly know is to contact PTG Enterprises. We will meet with you and perform a site visit to inspect your asphalt surface. We will determine the best course of action and provide you with a thorough, detailed estimate and proposal written in an easy to understand format.

Then, if you decide to hire PTG, we will show up as scheduled, perform the project as contracted, and leave you, the client, feeling satisfied!

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Parking Lot Maintenance from your Baltimore Asphalt Contractor

Friday, November 9th, 2012

Maintaining your parking lot is not an option. It is a necessity. And if you are worried about money, consider how much money you will save when your well-maintained parking lot lasts 10-15 years longer than an unmaintained lot.

On average, a parking lot which undergoes no regular maintenance will last 10-15 years. A parking lot that is regularly maintained, however, can last 20-25 years. Now ask yourself which scenario makes more sense for you, your business, and your budget.

Asphalt may seem tough and durable, but add up the effects of traffic and the elements, and you’ll see how quickly commercial asphalt can wear down. The trick is to be proactive.

PTG Enterprises: Your Baltimore, Maryland Asphalt Contractor

PTG Enterprises has paved thousands of miles of asphalt lots, and our crews work quickly and professionally. Our asphalt experts can handle all of your asphalt needs, from small repairs and patches to sealcoating and new asphalt installation.

  • Asphalt Repairs: Addressing cracking and potholes early, while they are small, is much more cost effective than letting your pavement slowly degrade.
  • Sealcoating: Sealcoating is a preventative measure that helps safeguard a parking lot against the harsh effects of gas, oil, salt, weather conditions and oxidation. When applied properly, a sealcoat cures on your parking lot leaving a fresh black finish (protective layer).

When PTG arrives, we’ll prepare the site and get right to work, executing each phase of the asphalt project with an attention to detail that other paving contractors don’t possess. We adhere to a strict timetable to ensure the job gets done quickly, without negatively impacting you. And when PTG is done, we clean up, as well.

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Hurricane Sandy and Concrete and Asphalt Repair in Baltimore, Maryland

Friday, November 2nd, 2012

Hurricane Sandy brought with her high winds, torrential downpours, flooding, and devastation. As a result, countless roadways, parking lots, sidewalks, and more were damaged up and down the east coast.

Was your business one of the unfortunate victims of Hurricane Sandy? If so, it is important to act quickly. For starters, you do not want to inconvenience your customers or employees. Secondly, delaying repairs could allow cracks, potholes, and more to worsen, making repairs harder and ultimately more expensive. Luckily, PTG Enterprises is here to help!

Our services include:

  • Asphalt Paving and Repair: The asphalt experts at PTG are able to patch small asphalt issues or complete entire parking lot renovations!
  • Concrete Paving and Repair: Regardless of the size or scope of the concrete project, PTG can make it happen! PTG has the experience and the knowledge to analyze and diagnose any problem and offer the correct fix at a reasonable price.
  • And Much More!

The PTG Experience

When you hire PTG, you can be rest assured that you will receive the best customer service in the industry. PTG provides prompt proposals, competitive bids, and top notch management to every aspect of the project from beginning to end. We will show up as scheduled, perform the project as contracted, and leave you with a smile on your face!

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Last Minute Pavement Projects before Winter :: Baltimore Asphalt Contractor

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

As a business owner or building manager, you are quickly running out of time to finish those lingering pavement projects before winter. Whether it is a pesky pothole, broken sidewalk, or cracking asphalt parking lot, it is important to address these issues before Old Man Winter makes them worse.

PTG Enterprises can help!

When your parking lot, or pavements, are beginning to show signs of wear and tear, you need an expert. PTG Enterprises has been in the asphalt paving, concrete, and masonry business for more than a decade.

  • Asphalt Projects: Asphalt may seem tough and durable, but add up the effects of traffic and the elements, and you’ll see how quickly commercial asphalt can wear down.
  • Concrete Projects: When concrete becomes cracked and broken, it not only detracts from the overall look of a property, it can become a safety hazard.
  • Masonry Projects: We’re also experts at masonry jobs, whether it’s repairing retaining walls, architectural elements, dumpster corrals or storm drains, PTG Enterprises knows how to handle it. Our professional crews rebuild retaining walls that are broken or weakened by hydrostatic pressure, normal wear, and erosion.
  • And more!

When you contact PTG, we’ll meet with you and perform a site visit to ensure we’re familiar with every aspect of the project. You’ll receive a thorough, detailed estimate and proposal written in an easy to understand format. The next step is simple: we show up as scheduled, perform the project as contracted, and leave you, the client, feeling satisfied!

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!