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Posts Tagged ‘sealant’

The Difference between Asphalt Rejuvenator, Coal Tar Sealer and Asphalt Emulation

Friday, July 11th, 2014

Think of all of the wear and tear your asphalt installation goes through in a given year. Thousands upon thousands of cars may drive on it; it may endure many different types of severe weather; even sun exposure can contribute to the degradation of asphalt. For this reason, it is important to be proactive about maintaining your asphalt properly. You have three main choices when it comes to asphalt maintenance: asphalt rejuvenator, coal tar sealer, and asphalt emulation. PTG Enterprises’ paving experts can help you decide which option is right for you.

Asphalt Rejuvenator
According to Senior Civil Engineer of Houston, Adil Godiwalla, asphalt rejuvenators “play a major preventative maintenance role as demonstrated by its ability to improve pavement durability, extend it life, and reduce maintenance cost.” An asphalt rejuvenator works by replacing lost bitumens in the asphalt, which both reestablishes the strength and durability of the existing asphalt while adding a new element to it.

Coal Tar Sealer
A coal tar sealer is applied after the initial asphalt application and can be used as the asphalt ages to repair crack, splitting, and other imperfections in the surface. Coal tar sealer can prevent liquids, such as oil and gasoline, from leaking under the asphalt pavement layer and causing damage to its base.

Asphalt Emulation
Asphalt emulation sealer is a relatively affordable option for your asphalt sealing needs. Asphalt emulsion is the process of mixing asphalt with water and other polymers to create an effective sealant. While asphalt emulation can be used to seal the top layer of asphalt, it is often used to bind two layers of asphalt together in order to create a durable, hardy surface.

Selecting the right treatment for your asphalt pavement installation depends on a variety of factors. Let the experts at PTG Enterprises guide you in your search for asphalt rejuvenators, coal tar sealers, and asphalt emulsions.

Pavement Contractor Baltimore

The paving experts at PTG Enterprises have managed hundreds of pavement projects throughout Baltimore, Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia. You can expect a fair proposal, professionalism, and quality work.

If you have any questions about Asphalt Rejuvenator, Cold Tar Sealer, or Asphalt Emulation, please contact PTG Enterprises today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! Unlike those other asphalt contractors, we care about you and your business. In fact, when you hire PTG, you’ll work with owner Patrick Gillen from start to finish, from the initial site visit and pre-construction meeting to the final walk-through.

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Sources:
Certapro
Pavement Council
Pavement Interactive

Crack Sealing versus Crack Filling

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

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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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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!