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Posts Tagged ‘surface cracks’

Asphalt Pavement Deterioration: Maryland DC, & Virginia Asphalt Contractor

Friday, September 14th, 2012

Asphalt is used everywhere, from roads and parking lots to runways and more. And why not? Asphalt boasts several benefits, including:

  • Asphalt has excellent waterproofing properties.
  • Asphalt has excellent binding (or cementing) properties to hold the aggregates in the pavement.
  • Asphalt pavement has a long life & resurfacing is quick.
  • Asphalt is America’s most recycled material.
  • Asphalt is the most sustainable and environmentally-friendly pavement on the market.
  • And more!

Still, asphalt has a few major deficiencies as well. Asphalt has very poor resistance to weathering and is easily attacked by chemicals, gasoline, oils, and deicing salts. All of these elements work together to break down the asphalt, degrading the asphaltic oils from the surface as chemicals dissolve them away. And with the loss of asphalt cement, the aggregates in the top layer begin unraveling and develop the first sign of pavement deterioration; the appearance of minor surface cracks.

Over time, cracking will become more prevalent. And if not repaired, these cracks will allow water to penetrate sub-base and base layers, causing them to lose their ability to effectively bear traffic loads. Eventually, this will cause the asphalt pavement to fail.

To prevent further erosion of your asphalt pavement, or to fix a problem so it does not get any worse before winter, call PTG Enterprises for a property evaluation. You can expect a fair proposal, professionalism and quality work.  A good contractor is hard to find!

Discover the difference with PTG Enterprises!

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.

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Thicker is Not Always Better

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

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