Blog
Posts Tagged ‘pavement’
Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
You have paid to have your parking lot re-paved with asphalt. So everything is perfect, right? Well, not quite. Replacing or repairing your asphalt parking lot is just the first step in the process.
It can take up to 12 months for liquid asphalt to fully cure. Until this time is up, you should use caution and avoid the following situations:
• When driving on your new asphalt, be conscious that your car should remain in motion as you turn the steering wheel. Turning your wheel while the car is stopped will cause your tires to skid across and grab your new asphalt, causing the surface to scar.
• You should also avoid parking in the same spot every day, as it could cause depressions where the tires sit.
• Anything parked on the pavement with kickstands or trailer jacks can sink into the asphalt. Make sure the surface is protected with a board to displace the weight.
• Gasoline, oil, transmission and power steering fluids can all penetrate into asphalt, softening it and causing structural damage.
Once the asphalt has been sealcoated a few times, the chances of penetration will be diminished.
Sealcoating is a widely used and accepted preventative measure that helps safeguard your parking lot against the harsh effects of gas, oil, salt, weather conditions and oxidation. This coating will significantly reduce the impact of these harsh effects. When applied properly, a sealcoat cures on your parking lot leaving a fresh black finish. There are many ways that sealer may be applied and material mixes may vary as well.
There are several different options available 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. The different types of sealer include:
1. Asphalt Based Sealer
This is the most common type of sealer. This is a tried and true method that has been around forever and is the most economical option. Asphalt based sealer is made from tar emulsion and clay and is applied at approximately 40% – 43% solids. Once applied to the parking lot it cures to a hardened, almost petrified state, and prevents water, oils, etc. from penetrating into the asphalt and deteriorating it. This type of material is best used for two reasons. If the lot has been sealed with coal tar in the past, there are advantages to staying with the same material. Secondly, asphalt based sealer is the least expensive material of the three. The material dries to a flat black and the client can expect a life cycle of 24-48 months depending on the current condition of pavement, volume of traffic and weather.
2. Polymer Modified Asphalt Sealer
Relatively new, this is an asphalt emulsion material that has distinct and ideal applications. It is blended with polymers and special surfactants for superior adhesion, flexibility and durability. Unlike conventional sealer, Polymer Modified Sealer is applied at 58-62% solids. The higher solids count produces several tangible advantages: it will last longer than standard sealers, and it dries faster with exceptional skid resistance in both wet and dry conditions.
3. Rejuvenator Sealer
This is a petroleum based penetrating material designed to absorb into the asphalt. It is best used when the asphalt has never been sealed. Pavement Rejuvenator/Sealer is applied in a one coat application. As pavement ages, essential oils are lost as they volatilize from the pavement leading to cracks and pavement failure. Rejuvenator penetrates the asphalt, restores essential oils, rejuvenates the asphaltic binder and repairs damage within the asphalt matrix.
Regardless of the material that is chosen, the property manager or owner can expect instant curb appeal. A fresh sealcoat will restore a fresh-black color to your lot and fresh paint will make it look new again.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: asphalt, Asphalt Based Sealer, asphalt parking lot, Asphalt Sealer, cost of sealcoating, curb appeal, Curing, driving on your new asphalt, fresh sealcoat, liquid asphalt, My Pavement Guy, new asphalt, Parking lot, pavement, pavement failure, Pavement Rejuvenator, Polymer Modified Asphalt Sealer, Polymer Modified Sealer, preventative measure, PTG Enterprises, re-paved, Rejuvenator Sealer, repairing your asphalt, repairing your asphalt parking lot, safeguard your parking lot, sealcoat, sealcoated, Sealcoating, Sealer, structural damage, type of sealer
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Asphalt, Curing, and Sealcoating
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
Have you noticed white or rust colored stains on your newly sealed parking lot or driveway? Before you go chastising your pavement professional, you should get the facts.
This article from AsphaltAdvisor.com can help. It outlines some of the main, natural culprits behind these sealcoat stains.
It is common to see white and rust colored stains on freshly sealed asphalt. This is not some defect in the sealer or caused by an error during sealing, but actually comes from a natural compound found in water, gravel and dirt.
- Mineral Salts can dry on the surface as a result of water run-off. They can also be pumped up through soil and gravel to the asphalt surface. White residue will often show up where there are cracks.
- Calcium Carbonate is also common in soil and gravel and can leave a white residue.
- Rusty red orange and brown are other common colors of residue left from rusty cars and plant byproducts.
Stains can happen at anytime, but are simply more noticeable on freshly sealed asphalt, due to the contrast. Don’t fret; these stains will naturally wash away with time.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: Calcium Carbonate, colored stains, driveway, freshly sealed, Freshly Sealed Asphalt, mineral salts, My Pavement Guy, newly sealed, newly sealed parking lot, Parking lot, pavement, pavement professional, plant byproducts, PTG Enterprises, rust colored stains, Rusty cars, sealcoat, sealcoat stains, Sealed Asphalt, sealed parking lot, Sealer, Sealing, stain, stains, White Stains, White Stains on Freshly Sealed Asphalt
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on White Stains on Freshly Sealed Asphalt
Thursday, August 11th, 2011
Is your driveway in rough shape? Will repairs do the trick? Does it need to be resurfaced? Should you have it redone professionally? These are all questions that homeowners ask themselves when faced with a dilapidated driveway. Ultimately the best thing to do is the contact a professional like My Pavement Guy, but there are some things you can consider on your own.
According to this article on EzineArticles there are some important things to think about before consulting your contractor:
Maintenance is good medicine, but it’s not foolproof
Asphalt driveways don’t remain smooth and black forever. You can take steps to maintain your driveway by sealing and protecting it, but often the effects of heat, ultra-violet rays, and substances such as salt, oil, gas and grease take their toll. And if those don’t get you, then cracking and water penetration eventually will.
Your driveway may be corroded, worn out, or have cracks, which could all warrant a resurfacing job if the condition is severe enough. As a general guide, if repairs are needed on more than 25 percent of the surface, it is more cost-effective to do a hot mix asphalt resurfacing job over the entire driveway.
Say no to cracks!
Asphalt pavement is hard and brittle, and as a result, cracks will develop over time. Ranging from hairline to an inch wide or more, cracks are your driveway’s worst enemy because they let water in. In colder climates, freeze-thaw cycles can be very destructive, and can wreak havoc on your driveway if water penetrates the cracks, then expands as it turns to ice. And even in warmer climates, water penetration can cause serious damage. The larger the crack, the more serious the problem, and the sooner it needs to be fixed. Cracks that are left un-repaired will lead to serious deterioration of the pavement and even to the base layers, requiring complete replacement of the driveway – sooner rather than later in colder climates.
Can it be fixed or do you need a new driveway?
Whether you’ll need to rip out your existing driveway and install a new one, or if you can get away with resurfacing – or even some patchwork and crack-filling – depends largely on the condition of the base layers, or foundation. However, if cracking covers 3/4 of the driveway, the surface is too far gone to repair. The root of the problems may come from lower down, and a complete overhaul should be considered.
If your driveway has been resurfaced several times with hot mix asphalt and keeps deteriorating prematurely, it is likely a problem with the foundation, and you should consider installing a whole new driveway. Likewise, if there are areas that have depressions or mounds, they should be completely reconstructed from the base. If you have several of these areas, a new driveway might make sense.
For any of your asphalt needs or if you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: asphalt, Asphalt cracks, Asphalt driveway, Asphalt installation, Asphalt Maintenance, asphalt maryland, Asphalt Pavement, Asphalt repair, Cost, distress, driveway, driveway repair, expand, fill cracks, liquid asphalt, Maintenance, maryland, My Pavement Guy, pave, pavement, Pavement cracks, Pavement installation, Pavement Maintenance, Pavement Maryland, pavement repair, paving, paving contractor, paving maryland, paving project, Preventative maintenance, PTG Enterprises, re-striping pavement, repave, repaving
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on How to Repair Your Old Asphalt Driveway
Friday, August 5th, 2011
Remember the old adage, less is more? It applies to sealcoat as well, as this article from PaveManPro.com explains. Sealcoating is not meant to be applied in thick patches. So let’s look at some of the disadvantages of thick sealcoating. They include:
• 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
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.
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.
So trust your next sealcoating to an experienced pavement expert, like PTG Enterprises. If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: asphalt, asphalt parking lot, Cracks, cure, degradation, Less is more, longer to cure, Lot, mix designs, more protection, My Pavement Guy, over-sealed, Parking lot, patches, pavement, perform as intended, product, protection, provide your parking lot with more protection, PTG Enterprises, reduce the life of your sealcoating, sealcoat, Sealcoating, Sealer, Sealer manufacturers, specifications, surface cracks, texture, the life of your sealcoating, thick patches, thick sealcoating, Thicker is Not Always Better, tracking
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Thicker is Not Always Better
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
Your pavement will eventually fail. It doesn’t matter how well you maintain your paved surface, it will eventually deteriorate and crack. However, how you deal with those cracks will determine how long your pavement will last. Sealing and/or filling cracks in existing pavement is the single the most effective procedure that can be performed to extend pavement’s lifecycle. This will prevent water and other foreign materials – sand, dirt, et.c – from seeping down into the asphalt where it can cause major distress and failures by weakening the base and sub-base.
This article from PaveManPro.com explains how filling or sealing pavement cracks is the most cost effective way to extend the life of your asphalt pavement.
Crack filling and crack sealing, while similar in nature, offer very different benefits.
Crack filling is less costly and will require less initial investment, but this solution may only be a temporary fix. Once the crack begins to move or expand, the crack filling material will lose its effectiveness and the crack will need to be re-filled. For this reason, crack filling is more effective in milder climates with less temperature change.
Crack filling materials include liquid asphalt, asphalt emulsions and cutbacks.
Crack sealing is a more costly option, but provides a longer life expectancy than crack filling – lasting 8 years or more. Crack sealing – which utilizes a flexible, specially prepared hot pour rubberized sealant – is considered a permanent treatment and is the only effective treatment for active cracks that contract and expand between seasons.
Crack sealing materials include asphalt rubber, rubberized asphalt, low-modulus rubberized asphalt and self-leveling silicone.
So explain your situation and budget to your pavement specialist and come up with a solution that meets your needs and your budget. If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: asphalt, asphalt emulsions, Asphalt Pavement, asphalt rubber, Base, Benefits, Budget, contract, cost effective, Costly, Crack, Crack filling, Crack filling material, Crack sealing, Crack sealing materials, Crack Sealing versus Crack Filling, Cracks, cutbacks, Deteriorate, Dirt, distress, Effective, effective treatment, expand, extend pavement's lifecycle, extend the life of your asphalt, extend the life of your asphalt pavement, Fail, Failures, Filling, Filling cracks, Flexible, Foreing Materials, Hot pour, hot pour rubberized sealant, how long your pavement will last, Investment, Less costly, life expectancy, Lifecycle, liquid asphalt, longer life expectancy, low-modulus rubberized asphalt, Maintain, Maintain your paved surface, My Pavement Guy, Paved surface, pavement, pavement specialist, pavement will eventually fail, permanent, permanent treatment, PTG Enterprises, Re-filled, rubberized asphalt, Rubberized sealant, Sand, sealant, Sealing, sealing pavement cracks, self-leveling silicone, Sub-base, Temporary, Temporary fix, Water, Weakening, Weakening the base
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Crack Sealing versus Crack Filling
Thursday, July 21st, 2011
Even the most durable paved surfaces, like asphalt pavement, are susceptible to deterioration, distress, and cracking. However, knowing what causes these problems can help you prolong the life of your asphalt. This article from PaveManPro.com can help. It outlines the major causes of pavement deterioration.
Overtime, the materials that make up asphalt begin to break down and become more easily affected by the elements: rain, sunlight, snow, etc. Furthermore, the liquid binder that holds the asphalt together begins to lose its natural resistance to water, allowing liquid to seep into the pavement. Once this happens, the surface can quickly be affected.
Yet, while pavement will naturally breakdown over time, there are a few outside factors – poor construction or human error – that may speed up this process, causing premature deterioration.
The factors leading to asphalt deterioration include:
• Insufficient or improperly compacted base below the asphalt
• Over or under compaction of asphalt
• Improper temperature of asphalt when applied
• Poor drainage
• Water – over time and especially without proper maintenance water penetrates the asphalt, washes out the base underneath it, causing it to crack, break down and collapse.
• Sunlight – Oxidation breaks down and dries out the once flexible liquid asphalt that holds the aggregate together. This causes raveling and shrinking cracks, which allow water to penetrate beneath the surface.
• Chemical/ petroleum exposure – the introduction of chemicals to asphalt, including gas and oil, can soften the asphalt and cause it to break down more rapidly.
When asphalt pavement is constructed and maintained properly it wears out slowly and can last up to 25 years or more. Proper maintenance is key to protecting it from the external factors that wear it out.
If you notice your driveway, parking lot, or any pavement displaying any signs of deterioration, it is probably time to call a professional to patch your asphalt and prevent further damage. Do not put this off and let small cracks become big problems. It is far better to pay for a little patching now than to have to pay for a total re-paving down the road.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: affected by the elements, aggregate t, asphalt, Asphalt Pavement, break down a, Causes, Chemical, Cracking, Cracks, Damage, deterioration, distress, driveway, Durable, external factors, factors, flexible liquid asphalt, human error, Improper temperature of asphalt, improperly compacted base, Insuffieciently compacted base, liquid binder, maintained properly, Maintenance, Major causes, major causes of pavement deterioration, Materials, materials that make up asphalt, My Pavement Guy, Over compaction of asphalt, Oxidation, Parking lot, patch your asphalt, patching, Paved, paved surfaces, pavement, pavement deterioration, pavement will naturally breakdown over time, Petroleum Exposure, poor construction, Poor drainage, premature deterioration, Prevent further damage, Problems, Professional, proper maintenance, PTG Enterprises, Rain, Raveling, Re-paving, resistance to water, Road, Shrinking cracks, signs of deterioration, Snow, sunlight, The Deterioration of Asphalt Pavement and its Causes, under compaction of asphalt, Water, what causes these problems
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on The Deterioration of Asphalt Pavement and its Causes
Thursday, July 14th, 2011
It is a well-known fact that water and asphalt do not mix. Harsh weather can cause asphalt to become distressed, crack, and eventually fail. This article from PaveManPro.com outlines the 13 ways in which weather adversely affects your pavement.
1. Alligator Cracking: Alligator cracking is a load associated structural failure. The failure can be due to weakness in the surface, base or sub grade; a surface or base that is too thin; poor drainage or the combination of all three. It often starts in the wheel path as longitudinal cracking and ends up as alligator cracking after severe distress.
2. Block Cracking: Block cracks look like large interconnected rectangles (roughly). Block cracking is not load-associated, but generally caused by shrinkage of the asphalt pavement due to an inability of asphalt binder to expand and contract with temperature cycles. This can be because the mix was mixed and placed too dry; Fine aggregate mix with low penetration asphalt & absorptive aggregates; poor choice of asphalt binder in the mix design; or aging dried out asphalt.
3. Longitudinal (Linear) Cracking: Longitudinal cracking are cracks that are parallel to the pavements centerline or laydown direction. These can be a result of both pavement fatigue, reflective cracking, and/or poor joint construction. Joints are generally the least dense areas of a pavement.
4. Transverse Cracking: Transverse cracks are single cracks perpendicular to the pavement’s centerline or laydown direction. Transverse cracks can be caused by reflective cracks from an underlying layer, daily temperature cycles, and poor construction due to improper operation of the paver.
5. Edge Cracks: Edge Cracks travel along the inside edge of a pavement surface within one or two feet. The most common cause for this type of crack is poor drainage conditions and lack of support at the pavement edge. As a result underlying base materials settle and become weakened. Heavy vegetation along the pavement edge and heavy traffic can also be the instigator of edge cracking.
6. Joint Reflection Cracks: These are cracks in a flexible pavement overlay of a rigid pavement (i.e., asphalt over concrete). They occur directly over the underlying rigid pavement joints. Joint reflection cracking does not include reflection cracks that occur away from an underlying joint or from any other type of base (e.g., cement or lime stabilized).
7. Slippage Cracks: Slippage cracks are crescent-shaped cracks or tears in the surface layer(s) of asphalt where the new material has slipped over the underlying course. This problem is caused by a lack of bonding between layers. This is often because a tack coat was not used to develop a bond between the asphalt layers or because a prime coat was not used to bond the asphalt to the underlying stone base course. The lack of bond can be also caused by dirt, oil, or other contaminants preventing adhesion between the layers.
8. Pot Holes: Small, bowl-shaped depressions in the pavement surface that penetrate all the way through the asphalt layer down to the base course. They generally have sharp edges and vertical sides near the top of the hole. Potholes are the result of moisture infiltration and usually the end result of untreated alligator cracking. As alligator cracking becomes severe, the interconnected cracks create small chunks of pavement, which can be dislodged as vehicles drive over them. The remaining hole after the pavement chunk is dislodged is called a pothole.
9. Depressions (bird baths): Depressions are localized pavement surface areas with slightly lower elevations than the surrounding pavement. Depressions are very noticeable after a rain when they fill with water.
10. Rutting: Ruts in asphalt pavements are channelized depressions in the wheel-tracks. Rutting results from consolidation or lateral movement of any of the pavement layers or the subgrade under traffic. It is caused by insufficient pavement thickness; lack of compaction of the asphalt, stone base or soil; weak asphalt mixes; or moisture infiltration.
11. Shoving: Shoving is the formation of ripples across a pavement. This characteristic shape is why this type of distress is sometimes called wash-boarding. Shoving occurs at locations having severe horizontal stresses, such as intersections. It is typically caused by: excess asphalt; too much fine aggregate; rounded aggregate; too soft an asphalt; or a weak granular base.
12. Upheaval: Upheaval is a localized upward movement in a pavement due to swelling of the subgrade. This can be due to expansive soils that swell due to moisture or frost heave (ice under the pavement).
13. Raveling (very porous asphalt): Raveling is the on-going separation of aggregate particles in a pavement from the surface downward or from the edges inward. Usually, the fine aggregate wears away first and then leaves little “pock marks” on the pavement surface. As the erosion continues, larger and larger particles are broken free and the pavement soon has the rough and jagged appearance typical of surface erosion. There are many reasons why raveling can occur, but one common cause is placing asphalt too late in the season. This is because the mixture usually lacks warm weather traffic which reduces pavement surface voids, further densification, and kneading of the asphalt mat. For this reason raveling is more common in the more northern regions(snow belt).
If you notice your pavement displaying any of the above problems, it is probably time to call a professional to patch your asphalt and prevent further damage. Do not put this off and let small cracks become big problems. It is far better to pay for a little patching now than to have to pay for a total re-paving down the road.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: Aggregate, Alligator cracking, asphalt, Asphalt binder, Asphalt Pavement, Base, bird baths, Block Cracking, Block cracks, contract, Crack, Cracking, Cracks, Depressions, distress, Distressed, Drainage, Edge Cracks, Erosion, expand, Fail, Harsh weather, Heavy Traffic, Identifying Pavement Defects, interconnected cracks, Jagged, Joint Reflection Cracks, Linear Cracking, longitudinal cracking, Moisture, My Pavement Guy, pavement, Pavement Defects, Pavement Joints, Pock Marks, porous asphalt, Pot Holes, PTG Enterprises, Rain, Raveling, Rough, Ruts, Rutting, severe distress, Shoving, Shrinkage, Slippage Cracks, Snow, Structural failure, Sub grade, Surface, Temperature, Traffic, Transverse Cracking, Upheaval, Water, Weather
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Identifying Pavement Defects
Wednesday, July 6th, 2011
Even the best pavement will crack and deteriorate after time. But there are ways in which you can extend the life of your pavement. One of these ways, as this article from PaveManPro.com explains, is Pavement Sealer.
Asphalt hardening is an oxidation process and is a function of its exposure to air on the surface and within the pavement. If circulation of air through the interconnected void spaces in the pavement can be prevented or reduced, the rate of hardening of the asphalt will be slowed and the life of the pavement extended. Pavement sealers are used to do just that – close the surface pores to lengthen the life of the pavement.
Pavement sealers come in two basic formulas: Refined Tar-Based Sealer and Asphalt Based Emulsions.
Refined Tar-Based Sealer
Refined tar is a by-product of the distillation of crude coal tar. Refined tar differs from crude coal tar in that during the distillation process, the lighter end oils are removed from the refined tar. Refined tar based sealer is resistant to attack from petroleum based products. This property makes it ideally suited for parking lots or other locations where concentrations of oil and grease leaks are common. Refined tar-based sealer is also highly resistant to ultraviolet light bleaching. It is stable, homogeneous, easy to apply, and has been handled safely by professionals and do-it-yourselfers for decades. Refined tar based sealer has traditionally been used at gas stations, truck and bus terminals, airport aprons and taxiways as well as on residential driveways and commercial parking lots.
Asphalt based emulsions
Asphalt-based emulsions have many of the same beneficial properties as refined tar- based emulsions, but they are less resistant to corrosion by petroleum-based products, ultraviolet bleaching, and salts. An asphalt emulsion is a mixture of liquid asphalt and water. Manufacturers add special chemicals and pigments to the asphalt emulsions to improve performance but they remain susceptible to the damage caused by petroleum products.
Pavement sealers allow homeowners and businesses to maintain their asphalt effectively and economically. Research has shown that when asphalt pavement is maintained properly, the owner can extend the life of their pavement and delay costly reconstruction.
If you have any questions or if you think asphalt pavement might be right for your next project, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: Airport Aprons, asphalt, Asphalt Based Emulsions, Asphalt Hardening, Asphalt Pavement, Beneficial, Benefits of Preventative Maintenance Pavement Sealers, Bus Terminals, Businesses, Chemicals, Commercial, Crack, Deteriorate, Driveways, Economically, Effectively, Extend Life, Extend the life of your pavement, Gas Stations, Homeowners, Improve Performance, Maintain, My Pavement Guy, Oxidation, Oxidation Process, parking lots, pavement, Pavement Sealers, petroleum based products, Pores, Preventative maintenance, Process, Professionals, PTG Enterprises, Refined, Refined Tar-Based Sealer, Residential, Resistant to Corrosion, Sealer, Surface, Surface Pores, Tar, Taxiways
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Benefits of Preventative Maintenance Pavement Sealers
Friday, June 24th, 2011
It’s a hole in the road. How hard can it be to fill a hole, right? Well, you might be surprised. Pothole repair is tough work and requires a trained crew and some specialty equipment. This article from PaveManPro.com explains the lengthy repair process.
How to repair a pothole:
1. With a pavement saw or pneumatic hammer, cut the outline of the patch, extending at least 0.3 m (I ft.) outside of the distressed area. The outline should be square or rectangular with two of the sides at right angles to the direction of traffic.
2. Excavate as much pavement as necessary to reach firm support. If a patch is to be an integral part of the pavement, its foundation must be as strong or stronger than that of the original roadway. This may mean that some of the sub-grade will also have to be removed. The faces of the excavation should be straight and vertical.
3. Trim and compact the sub-grade.
4. Apply a tack coat to the vertical faces of the excavation.
5. Backfill with the asphalt mixture. Using a shovel or skid steer loader place the mixture directly from the truck into the prepared excavation. The maximum lift thickness largely depends upon the type of asphalt mixture and the available compaction equipment. Asphalt concrete can and should be placed in deep lifts, since the greater heat retention of the thicker layers facilitates compaction. From a compaction standpoint, patches using asphalt concrete can be backfilled in one lift. However, when placing a patch that is deeper than 3 cm (5 in.) it is often useful to leave the first lift 2.5 to 5 cm (I to 2 in.) below the finished grade, making it easier to judge the total quantity of mixture required for the patch.
On the other hand, patches constructed with mixtures containing emulsified or cutback asphalt must be placed in layers thin enough to permit evaporation of the diluents that make the mixture workable.
6. Spread carefully to avoid segregation of the mixture. Avoid pulling the material from the center of the patch to the edges. If more material is needed at the edge, it should be deposited there, and the excess raked away. The amount of mixture used should be sufficient to ensure that the after compaction the patch surface will not be below that of the adjacent pavement. On the other hand, if too much material is used a hump will raise.
7. Compact each lift of the patch thoroughly. Use equipment that is suited for the size of the job. A vibratory plate compactor is excellent for small jobs, while a vibratory roller is likely to be more effective for larger areas. When compacting the final lift (which may be the only lift), overlap the first pass and return of the vibratory roller or plate compactor to no more than 5 cm (6 in.) on to the patch on one side. Then move to the opposite side and repeat the process. Once this is accomplished, proceed at right angles to the compacted edges, with each pass and return overlapping a few inches on to the uncompacted mix. If there is a grade, compaction should proceed from the low side to the high side to minimize possible shoving of the mix.
8. When adequate compaction equipment is used, the surface of the patch should be at the same elevation as the surrounding pavement. However, if hand tamping or other light compaction methods are used, the surface of the completed patch should be slightly higher than the adjacent pavement, since the patch is likely to be further compressed by traffic.
9. Check the vertical alignment and smoothness of the patch with a straightedge or string line.
So next time you complain about that pothole down the street not getting fixed or next time you think to yourself, “hey, I could do that in half the time,” remember that pothole repair is not a quick fix. Properly patching a pothole takes time, know-how, and a lot of energy.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: asphalt, Asphalt cracks, Asphalt driveway, Asphalt installation, Asphalt Maintenance, asphalt maryland, Asphalt repair, Asphalt repair Maryland, Bidding a Pavement Project, Contractor, crack fill, Cracking, distress, driveway, driveway pothole, driveway repair, driveway repair Maryland, failure, fill cracks, FUll-depth patching, Hiring a Contractor, How can you quickly fix a pothole in your driveway?, How do potholes happen, Maintenance, maryland, My Pavement Guy, Parking lot, patching, pave, pavement, Pavement Contractor, Pavement cracks, Pavement installation, Pavement Maintenance, Pavement Maryland, pavement repair, paving, paving contractor, paving maryland, paving project, Permanent fix, Pothole, Pothole driveway, Pothole quick fix, Pothole repair Maryland, Potholes and Repair, Preventative maintenance, PTG Enterprises, quick fix, Re-striping, re-striping asphalt, re-striping pavement, Repair, repave, repaving, reverse bidding, RFP, Sealcoating, Sigsn, Temporary fix, trouble area, troubled area, Wheel Stops
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Pothole Repair: It’s a Bigger Job Than You May Think
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
Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: adjust, asphalt crack filler, Asphalt driveway, Asphalt installation, Asphalt Maintenance, asphalt maryland, Asphalt repair, Beautifying Your Driveway, breaking, Brick driveway, cheaper to maintain, cold winters, Concrete installation, Concrete Maryland, conform, contract, Cost, crack filler, Cracking, driveway, Driveway installation, Driveway maintenance, Driveway maintenance tips, driveway repair, driveway sealer, Driveway tips, Driveways, Ease of Repair, expand, Father's Day, Father's Day Celebration, Father's Day Gift, Father's Day Gift Idea, Father's Day Gift Ideas, Father's Day Ideas, Father's Day Present, Father's Day Present Ideas, Father's Day Surprise, Father's DayIdeas, fill cracks, Fill holes, Flexible Material, Flower bed, Flower beds, Gifts for Father's Day, heat, Home, hot summers, House, How To Maintain An Asphalt Driveway, Improving the look of your driveway, initially cheaper, Landscaping your driveway, less cracking, liquid asphalt emulsions, looking like new, maryland, move, My Pavement Guy, no-brainer, oil leaks, oils, Parking lot maintenance, pavement, Pavement installation, Presents for Father's Day, PTG Enterprises, reseal your driveway, Residence, rigid concrete, seal your driveway, sealant, settle, solid cold patch, specific requirements, squeegee, Stone driveway, sun, sway your opinion, tar mixed with fine gravel, The Benefits of an Asphalt Driveway, wear and tear, Weather Resistance, What to do for Father's Day
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on A Father’s Day Driveway
