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Archive for the ‘Pavement Maintenance’ Category

Asphalt Crack Sealing :: Parking Lot Sealcoating :: Professional Sealer

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

If you own a business or are a business manager, you knoe nothing looks worse than a worn down, cracked parking lot. It immediately gives your customers/clients the wrong first impression. And you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

Asphalt cracks form very slowly, sneaking up on you until that tiny crack becomes a major problem. Asphalt cracks slowly elongate and widen during weather changes such as freezing and thawing or intense periods of heat.

Dealing with Asphalt Cracks

Monitoring your parking lot carefully and catching these tiny cracks early enough will allow you to patch the problem before it gets any worse.

Asphalt crack sealing is the solution! But in order to get that professional look, you should use a professional asphalt contractor, like PTG Enterprises. They will be able to properly apply your sealcoat, ensuring your parking surface remains crack free for as long as possible.

What is 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).

How often should you sealcoat your parking lot?

A newly laid asphalt parking lot should be sealed within the first 12 months. Because of the ever-increasing costs of asphalt, many business owners now seal every other year, but the widely accepted time frame is every two years.

If you have any further questions about Asphalt Cracks Sealing, Sealcoating, or have a Sealcoating Project that you need completed, then 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 pavement projects and have the experience you need.

“There are many different sealcoating options available to property managers and owners today than there were when I started in the Industry,” said PTG Enterprises owner Patrick T. Gillen III. “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 Patrick T. Gillen III and the rest of the asphalt experts at PTG Enterprises 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!

Is Thicker Sealer Better? :: Sealcoating Tips from My Pavement Guy

Friday, April 27th, 2012

The decision to sealcoat an asphalt surface is an easy one. After all, the cost of sealcoating is only pennies a square yard versus repairs and rehabilitation, which can be as much as twenty times higher. What does confuse many business owners and property managers is the amount of sealer needed.

The more the merrier, right? Well, no.

Bigger is not always better. And the same goes for thickness…especially when talking about sealcoating. When it comes to the application of sealer, thicker is definitely not better. Sealer is not meant to be applied in thick patches.

Disadvantages of Thick Sealer

  • Thick coats don’t cure evenly
  • They are prone to tracking and can lead to surface cracks
  • A thicker coat takes longer to cure, which can lead to degradation
  • Thicker coats will reduce the life of your sealcoating

A thick sealcoating will not provide your parking lot with more protection. It actually has the opposite effect. Sealer manufacturers set specific mix designs for their product; when these specifications are not adhered to, the product will not perform as intended.

One of the easiest ways to tell if a parking lot has been over-sealed is if the lot has no texture. An asphalt parking lot should never look smooth, the texture of the below asphalt should be visible.

Avoid the typical more is better thinking —with sealer, thicker is not better!

If you have any further questions about Sealcoating or have a Sealcoating Project that you need completed, then 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 pavement projects and have the experience you need.

“There are many different sealcoating options available to property managers and owners today than there were when I started in the Industry,” said PTG Enterprises owner Patrick T. Gillen III. “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 Patrick T. Gillen III and the rest of the asphalt experts at PTG Enterprises 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!

Using Fiber Reinforcements in Concrete :: Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Friday, April 20th, 2012

The idea of using fibers as reinforcement in concrete is not a new concept. In fact, it has been around since ancient times. Just check out the below concrete fiber reinforcement timeline:

  • Straw was used in mud bricks.
  • Horsehair was used in mortar.
  • In the early 19oos, asbestos fibers were used in concrete.
  • In the 1950s composite materials revolutionized the concept of fiber-reinforced concrete.
  • In the 1960s steel, glass, and polypropylene fibers replaced asbestos.

Common Benefits of Fiber Reinforced Concrete

  • Fibers are used to control cracking due to both plastic shrinkage and drying shrinkage.
  • Fibers reduce the permeability of concrete.
  • Fibers reduce bleeding of water.
  • Certain fibers provide impact, abrasion and shatter resistance in concrete.

Benefits of Particular Concrete Fibers

Polypropylene and Nylon Fibers

  • Improve mix cohesion, improving pumpability over long distances.
  • Improve freeze-thaw resistance.
  • Improve resistance to explosive spalling in case of a severe fire.
  • Improve impact resistance.
  • Increase resistance to plastic shrinkage during curing.

Steel Reinforcement Fibers

  • Improve structural strength.
  • Reduce steel reinforcement requirements.
  • Improve ductility.
  • Reduce crack widths and control the crack widths tightly thus improve durability.
  • Improve impact & abrasion resistance.
  • Improve freeze-thaw resistance.
  • In certain specific circumstances, steel fiber can entirely replace traditional steel reinforcement bar in reinforced concrete.

Steel and Polmeric Fiber Blend

Construction companies tend to blend steel fibers and polypropylene fibers, utilizing the benefits of both products, including:

  • Structural improvements provided by steel fibers.
  • Resistance to explosive spalling provided by polymeric fibers .
  • Resistance to plastic shrinkage provided by polymeric fibers.

Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC)

ECC is a sub-category of fiber reinforced concrete boasting several impressive benefits, including:

  • 500 times more resistance to cracking than traditional concrete.
  • 40 percent lighter than traditional concrete.
  • Sustain strain-hardening up to several percent strain, resulting in a material ductility of at least two orders of magnitude higher when compared to normal concrete or standard fiber-reinforced concrete.
  • Unique cracking behavior, including a crack width to below 100 µm.

If you have any further questions about Fiber Reinforced Concrete or have a project that you need completed, then 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 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!

Sealcoating: Is 50 Degrees Really Warm Enough?

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Most (if not all) sealcoat manufacturers recommend a minimum application temperature of 50 degrees. And I know what you are thinking; “is 50 degrees really warm enough?” Well, yes and no.

50 degrees should be the minimum temperature you BEGIN sealing at. And this is only acceptable when you have at least 3 hours of sunshine and the temperature will stay above the 50-degree mark during the application process. Otherwise, you risk complications.

Remember, 50 degrees is a MARGINAL starting point only. If you have any doubt about the weather or temperature before you begin sealcoating, be safe and do not begin the application process!

To ensure that your sealcoat project is performed correctly, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises.

Asphalt parking lot maintenance is important. But of all the precautions you can take to ensure your parking surface lasts for a long time, sealcoating is perhaps the most important. So do the right thing for your parking lot and have it sealcoated every 2-7 years, or as needed. This will protect your asphalt surface and greatly minimize the need for constant maintenance and repairs.

If you have any further questions about Sealcoating or have a Sealcoating Project that you need completed, then 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 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!

The Great Debate: Asphalt vs. Concrete

Friday, April 6th, 2012

Which is better, asphalt or concrete? That is the question that people have been asking for years upon years upon years. And to this day, we have no definitive answer.

Yet, while there is no all-encompassing answer, both asphalt and concrete have their advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of project being undertaken. So before you make a pavement decision, you need to ask yourself the following set of questions:

•      Which pavement better for my specific project?

•      Which pavement will be the most cost-effective? The American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) and NAPA encourage contractors to look at the long-term costs of maintenance and rehabilitation and not upfront costs.

•      Which pavement will last longer?

•      Which pavement will require the least amount of maintenance costs? 25% of roads in cities across the United States must be either rehabilitated or completely replaced in the next two years.

•      Do I want to fully replace, or rehabilitate?

“There are three main factors to consider: initial cost, time to first rehabilitation, and cost of total reconstruction or major rehabilitation at the 40- to 50-year mark,” said Dave Newcomb, P.E., PhD, vice president of research and technology with the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA).

Benefits of Concrete

New construction: Concrete may be a good way to minimize future inconvenience when building new roads or expanding existing roads.

Around Underground Utilities: When separating sewer and drainage pipes (no more combined sewers), the public works department must dig out the roadway, which could present a good opportunity to go in and place longer-life pavements.

Benefits of Asphalt

Perpetual Asphalt: Asphalt also can be specified as a long-term solution. While some pavements must be completely removed and reconstructed, perpetual pavements can last indefinitely, with the only rehabilitation being milling of the surface followed by asphalt overlay. Perpetual pavement is designed to resist structural fatigue distress for at least 50 years.

Asphalt Overlay: An asphalt overlay, which can be placed on either an asphalt or concrete roadway, is fast and cost-effective to construct. The result provides a smooth, safe, durable, quiet surface for many years.

Still, there is no clear cut winner.

“If we get communities to base roadway design on total life of pavement and total capacity, concrete and asphalt are comparable in many ways,” said Scott Haislip, director of streets and roads with the ACPA.

If you have any further questions about the Differences Between Asphalt and Concrete, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

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!

Sources:

Asphalt versus concrete

New ADA Standards Make Pavement Contractors Indispensable

Friday, March 16th, 2012

Last week, we told you about Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III – the new ADA standards that guarantee persons with disabilities are provided accommodations and access equal to, or similar to, the general public into commercial facilities and areas of public accommodation. And last week, we told you how these new standards would affect business owners across the nation. Well, what about pavement contractors?

All signs point to the ADA standards as a bonus for the pavement maintenance industry. When business owners are faced with the challenge of complying with these new standards (a full list can be found at http://www.ada.gov/), whom do you think they will call?

Pavement Contractors!

These new ADA standards create a network of accessibility that leads from one requirement to the next with each stage having specific requirements that must be met. And like any government regulation, the new ADA Standards are complex and can, at times, be difficult to decipher. But this just means that pavement contractors will become increasingly indispensable to business owners everywhere as the nation strives to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III.

If you have any further questions about compliabnce with these new ADA standards, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

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!

Sources:

New ADA Standards Take Effect in 2012. How will the line striping contractor be affected?

How ADA Updates Can Make You Indispensible To Your Customer

Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Next Thursday, March 15, 2012, compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III becomes mandatory. Title III guarantees persons with disabilities are provided accommodations and access equal to, or similar to, the general public into commercial facilities and areas of public accommodation.

The 2010 updates are enforceable under civil rights law. This means that a person is able to file lawsuit if he/she has “reasonable grounds” for believing that discrimination is about to occur, rather than filing a grievance after the fact. A civil law suit can be filed with penalties of up to $100,000 imposed per offense.

To help facilitate the transition process, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is allowing a one-year “grace period” for businesses to prepare for the changes.

2010 ADA Guidelines

  1. Facilities that provide goods or services directly to the public: These facilities will be required to remove architectural barriers in existing buildings, and must make sure that newly built or altered facilities are constructed to be accessible. 
  2. Facilities that do not provide goods/services directly to the public: These facilities are only subject to new construction and alteration requirements.
  3. Small businesses with very limited parking (four or fewer spaces): These businesses must have one accessible parking space; though no new signage is required.
  4. Medium-Large Businesses: Non-van accessible parking stalls need to be 8’ wide with a 60″ aisle. For van-accessible parking, the van parking stall should be 11’, with a 60″ access isle. Plus, disabled parking signs are required on all accessible parking spaces, and should be easily visible, a minimum of 60″ off the ground.

However, specific ADA regulations will vary depending on location.

For additional information on the new ADA standards, please visit http://www.ada.gov/.

If you have any further questions, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

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!

Sources:

New ADA Standards Take Effect in 2012. How will the line striping contractor be affected?

An Overview of the Different Types of Asphalt

Friday, February 10th, 2012

Asphalt is the most versatile pavement material, with mixes designed to handle any size load (from passenger cars to heavy trucks), absorb noise, reduce splash and spray during rainstorms, and even to help treat rainwater. The different types of asphalt pavement include:

Warm-Mix Asphalt: This is the generic name of the technology that allows producers of hot-mix asphalt to lower the temperatures at which the material is mixed and placed on the road. This afford asphalt contractors many benefits, including:

•      Increasing safety for asphalt workers

•      Cutting fuel consumption

•      Decreasing the production of greenhouse gases

•      Better compaction of pavements

•      Extending the paving season

•      And the potential to be able to recycle at higher rates

Quiet Pavement: Today’s busy world is filled with more noise than one typically cares to deal with. But quiet pavement actually reduces the noise experienced both inside and outside homes and businesses. Resurfacing a noisy road with stone-matrix asphalt (SMA) or open-graded friction course (OGFC) mix can reduce noise by 3 to 5 dB(A) or more (the same as doubling the distance between you and the noise source).

Porous Asphalt: These pavement surfaces allow rainwater to drain through the asphalt into a stone recharge bed and then into the soil, eliminating potentially harmful standing water.

Perpetual Pavement: This advanced, multi-layer paving design process (along with routine asphalt maintenance) extends the useful life of a roadway.

Whether on the road, in a parking lot, or at an airport, asphalt pavements add up to the best value for your pavement needs, with the lowest life cycle cost and the highest residual value. 

If you have any further questions, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

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!

Sources:

Types of Asphalt Pavement

Asphalt Cleaning Tips: How to Remove Oil Stains from Parking Lots

Friday, January 13th, 2012

A clean parking lot says a lot about your business. It says you care about the little things. It gives your customers/clients that extra sense of calm knowing that you will take care of them the same way you take care of your parking lot.

Seems crazy, doesn’t it. Well, it is not far from the truth.

Like the cover of a book, the exterior of your building and your parking lot are what your customers base their first opinions on. I know, I know…don’t judge a book by its cover. Well, guess what? People still do. That is just the way it is. And you only get to make one first impression, so it is important to make it a good one. After all, who wants to lose business because their parking lot is a mess? So if you find an oil stain on your parking surface, act quickly.

Here are 10 unique ways to remove oil stains from asphalt surfaces:

1. Soap and Water: If you come across a fresh oil spot, emulsify it with a mixture of liquid soap and water. This will keep the oil from drying and staining the asphalt. The soap surrounds small droplets of grease and does not allow it to congeal into a solid.

This will not remove the oil all together, but it will make complete stain removal significantly easier.

2. Kitty Litter: First mop up any excess oil. Then cover the oil stain with a bag of kitty litter. Begin stomping on the kitty litter (this will help absorb the oil). Leave the kitty litter out overnight. Then come back the next morning and scoop up the kitty litter and dispose of the waste. Remember, the kitty litter now contains oil, making it a bihazardous material.

Kitty litter is effective method on wet areas, not on established oil stains.

3. Baking Soda: Baking soda is great for absorbing excess oil. Sprinkle baking soda onto the oil stain and scrub with a stiff brush. Allow the baking soda to sit for a half hour and then rinse it away with a hose.

Once again, this method is only effective with fresh oil spills.

4. Coca-Cola: No, not because getting rid of an oil stain works up a thirst! Coke can actually be used to remove oil stains. First, wipe up any excess oil. Next, pour a couple cans worth of coke onto an oil stain and allow the soda to sit overnight. Then clean the area with a clean cloth.

While this is not the MOST effective method to remove oil stains, it is economical. So why not give it a shot before moving on to more expensive solutions.

5. Steam Pressure Washing: The heat of the steam will liquefy the oil as the pressure whisks it away.

This is one of the most effective methods of removing oil stains!

6. Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP): This substance can be quite dangerous, so use caution.

First, make a paste using TSP and water. Then scrub the paste onto the oil stain with a scrub brush. Let the paste sit for thirty minutes to absorb the oil and then rinse it away.

7. Laundry Detergent: Sprinkle the powdered laundry detergent onto the stain, add water, scrub with a stiff brush and then let the solution sit for at least 30 minutes. Then, wipe the surface clean!

8. Commercial Degreasers: Commercial degreasers for asphalt surfaces work by breaking down the oil into a bio-degradable substance that is safe for the environment and your driveway.

9. Muriatic Acid: Muriatic acid should be a last resort as it will harm your skin and eyes. Wear protective eyewear and gloves when using this substance.

Mix a mild solution and allow it to sit for about a minute. Then rinse with a pressure washer.

10. Sealcoating: If you come across a stain that seem impossible to remove, asphalt sealer may be your best option. Cover your parking lot with a fresh seal coat and move on.

If you have any questions, then contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

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!

Sources:

10 Ways to Remove Oil Stains from an Asphalt Driveway

Maryland Sealcoating Service: The Benefits of Sealcoating Your Asphalt Parking Lot

Friday, January 6th, 2012

Asphalt parking lot maintenance is important. But of all the precautions you can take to ensure your parking surface lasts for a long time, sealcoating is perhaps the most important. If applied properly and at the right time, sealcoating provides the following benefits:

Slows Oxidation and Water Penetration: Over exposure to oxygen will harden asphalt binders, resulting in brittle pavement prone to cracking. And cracking allows water to seep into the asphalt sub base, further weakening the entire parking surface. This leads to more cracks, potholes, and eventual total parking lot failure.

Sealcoats fill surface voids, reducing exposure to oxygen and water and prolonging pavement life.

Protects Pavement Against Ultraviolet Rays: The sun’s rays can break the links between carbon bonds and your asphalt. Sealcoat prevent ultraviolet rays from further damaging the asphalt pavement.

Protects Against Spills: Gas and oil spills can soften asphalt, making it more susceptible to other damage. Sealcoating reduces the depth to which oil or gas can penetrate.

Easy to Clean Pavement: Sealcoating results in a smooth, even texture allowing for much easier cleaning.

Increased Pavement Flexibility: Sealcoating keeps your parking lot black. This attracts more heat from the sun, which, in turn, makes your parking surface more pliable and increasingly able it is to withstand traffic volume changes without cracking.

Beauty: Well, this one is a given.

Cost Effective: It is far less expensive to sealcoat your parking lot every few years than it would be to overlay or completely replace your parking surface.

If you have any questions, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement sealcoat projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

There are many different options available to property managers and owners today than there were 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. The cost of sealcoating is only pennies a square yard versus repairs and rehabilitation which can be as much as twenty times higher.

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!

Sources:

Asphalt Pavement Maintenance 101