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Posts Tagged ‘Driveway maintenance’

Concrete vs. Asphalt

Friday, June 16th, 2017
caulking

Before selecting the materials of your driveway, it is important to know the differences between concrete and asphalt.

Concrete and asphalt are both great materials for parking lots, driveways, and more. If you are

interested in potentially changing the parking lot at your property to concrete or asphalt, here’s

what you need to know. Today we will be discussing the core differences between concrete and

asphalt. (more…)

Why Does Asphalt Crack?

Friday, June 9th, 2017
Asphalt Defects

There are many reasons that your asphalt may be cracking — and it’s always best to keep some maintenance tips in mind.

Asphalt is a sticky, black and highly glutinous liquid, or semi-solid form of petroleum. Its primary use is for the construction of driveways and road and occasionally used to seal flat roofs, where it is used as the glue or binder mixed with combined particles to produce asphalt concrete. The most common occurrence of cracked asphalt happens when water seeps into the pavement through open cracks, and potholes occur. When the water freezes, expansion occurs thus widening the crack further. During warm weather, the iced water melts away leaving the cracks with open voids. A pothole emerges when the surrounding walls fall into the void. (more…)

What Makes a Great Asphalt Driveway?

Friday, March 24th, 2017
asphalt driveway

Asphalt driveways are excellent choices; stylistically, they match almost any homestyle and landscape. They’re long-lasting, durable, and are easy to care for. However, not every asphalt driveway is created equal.

Asphalt driveways are excellent choices; stylistically, they match almost any homestyle and landscape.  They’re long-lasting, durable, and are easy to care for.  However, not every asphalt driveway is created equal.  Some are better than others, and it all has to do with construction and quality.  When you invest in an asphalt driveway, you want to make sure it’s the best driveway you can have.  To find out if your driveway is top-notch, read on for the best qualities of an asphalt driveway.


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A Father’s Day Driveway

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

It is so hard to find your father a descent present. After all, all you dad really wants for Father’s Day is some peace and quiet and a little relaxation. But how do you give him that?

In a recent poll done by Harris Interactive, 80% of fathers admitted they wanted gifts related to home improvement. So instead of buying dad another tie or some socks, get him something he really wants, a new driveway. Let your father relax as you have your driveway professionally re-paved.

And who better to do the work than PTG Enterprises, a company that has completed well over 2,000 driveway projects. They will deploy an entire team of professionals to quickly install your brand new driveway.

The paving machine, paired with an experienced operator and a trained crew, will make paving look easy – it’s not. Assuming fabric was not in the scope of work, than the paving team will have a man designated to either spray or spot apply tack coat material. Another ground personnel will be responsible for controlling the movement of trucks. It’s crucially important that the trucks stay in order and the next one up is always ready to go. The hotter the asphalt, the easier it is to work with, hence the longer a truck sits, the cooler the asphalt gets. The asphalt is dumped from the truck to the paver where two men control each side. One man is responsible to make sure the joint lines up with the previous paving pull and the other side is responsible for determining thickness, grade, pitch and fall. Accompanying the paver are usually two ground personnel known as “Lute men”. They take direction from the paving foreman and will spread / rake high and low spots out of areas that were just paved but need minor adjustments. Finally, there is the roller man. He is responsible for the compaction of the freshly laid asphalt. Usually this person will work the roller and also plate tampers and hand tampers in the tight areas where pavers cannot go.

So give your dad something he really wants this Father’s Day – a new, professionally installed driveway and some relaxation. If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises by calling 410-636-8777 or click here

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Beautifying Your Driveway

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

If you are going to put up the money to install a brand new driveway, or if you are just unhappy with the way your current driveway looks, why not try to add a few accents to make your driveway really standout? It is a lot easier than you may think. As this article from eHow.com explains, there are several ways you can turn that boring driveway into the perfect an eye-catching addition to any front yard.

  1. If you have a long driveway, make it curved instead of a straight line. Installing curves in the driveway to follow the natural contours of your yard can also soften the appearance.
  2. Place stone or brick edging along the edge of the driveway. This will add the perfect accent to your driveway.
  3. Install flower beds along the edge of the driveway. This forms a natural boundary between the driveway and the lawn, and planting flowers can brighten the driveway with an array of colors.
  4. Plant trees along the edge of the driveway. This works better for longer driveways because you have more space to plant trees. One drawback is that it will be years before the trees are fully grown, but once grown the trees provide a shaded canopy over the driveway. Anytime you plant trees near pavement, place them far enough from the pavement that the root system will not grow underneath the pavement and dislodge it.
  5. Install lighting along the driveway. While this doesn’t do anything to soften the appearance of the driveway during the day, it can provide dramatic effects at night. The lighting can be as simple as a post light near the end of the driveway or as complex as lights placed in trees along the driveway that cast their glow down onto the driveway. Another option is to place path lights along the edge of the driveway. Using many lights can provide a runway effect; using a few path lights spaced far apart can mark the edge of the driveway without making you feel like you’re landing a 737 in front of your house.

Now that you know what to do, you can go liven up your front yard. If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises by calling 410-636-8777 or click here

How To Maintain An Asphalt Driveway

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

There are several factors working against your asphalt driveway – heat, sun, oils and everyday wear and tear – that will, over time, slowly deteriorate your parking surface. So if you don’t want your driveway to crumble around you, you need to constantly maintain your asphalt.

This article from eHow.com outlines 6 easy steps to keep your asphalt driveway looking like new.

1.   First, take good care of your driveway throughout the years. Keep grass clippings off of it by sweeping after every time you mow your lawn. The seeds in the clippings can find their way into tiny cracks in your asphalt and sprout grass. Not only is it an eyesore, it can make the cracks even larger. As soon as you see any weeds growing in a crack or hole in your driveway, spray it with weed killer so the crack doesn’t get larger. Also remember to clean up any substance from your asphalt driveway as soon as possible. If you have oil leaks or something of the like that is puddling in your driveway, take the time to clean it up with a little soap and water. These are all good steps in caring for your asphalt driveway.

2.   Once every 2-3 years you will want to reseal your driveway. This is what’s going to make the biggest difference in the appearance of your driveway. Resealing is actually just putting a very thin new layer of asphalt on top of the existing driveway. Visit your home and garden retailer of choice to find the products listed in the “items needed” section such as the crack filler, squeegee, and sealant.

3.   Plan to reseal on a warm day when it’s about 50 degrees or a bit warmer. Also plan to NOT use your driveway for 24-48 hours after application. Once you’ve moved all the cars off of the driveway, trim any grass at the edges of your driveway back. Now you’ll have to clean your driveway’s cracks and holes. You can use household cleaners, or, if you have a power washer, it’s much easier to use the power washer along with a driveway cleaner/degreaser you can find at places such as Lowe’s or Home Depot. Let the entire driveway dry thoroughly before moving on.

4.   Now, fill any cracks or holes you may currently have in your driveway with an asphalt crack filler. Follow the directions on the particular bottle you choose, some work differently than others. Allow the patch to dry for 24 hours (or whatever your product recommends).

5.   The next day, sweep the driveway. Now sweep again with someone else helping by washing the driveway alongside you with a hose. It’s very important for the driveway to be clean of all dirt and particles – even in the small cracks. Now use the power washer and driveway cleaner (or your choice of household cleaner) again, but this time all over the driveway. You may need to scrub severe oil stains with a brush. Let it dry.

6.   Apply the driveway sealer (usually comes in a 5 gallon bucket) in thin coats. Use the squeegee to apply in a thin layer. It’s better to do two very thin layers than one thick layer. Keep stirring the sealer in the bucket throughout the process. Remember to check your particular product for specific requirements (some need water misted on it, etc). Now block your driveway off and don’t touch it for 24-48 hours.

If this does not help, it may be time to consult a professional. If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises by calling410-636-8777 or click here today!