Asphalt Paving and Sealcoat  Blog

Stimulus Funds will be Awarded to All States

Every state has committed at least half its highway stimulus funds so none will lose any of its allocation, the Obama administration said Thursday.

States had until June 29 to obligate the funds or risk losing half the leftover money. Only a month ago, some 14 states had yet to satisfy that goal. Hawaii was the last to meet the mark, hitting it on June 19.

Maine has secured 100% of its funds and 15 states have more than 80% of their money committed.

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Asphalt

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The advantages of concrete curbs and gutters on parking lots and roads

Many people do not understand the use and importance of concrete curbs and gutter sections along the edges of streets, parking lots, and other pavements. The advantages of using uniform designs and standard sections are listed below.

A curb, by definition, is something that restrains; an enclosing border or edging; a raised edge or margin; a wall; or as a verb, to strengthen or confine something. As most people think of curbs, they are raised strips of concrete along the edges of streets or parking lots. The benefits of curbs have been recognized since ancient times, and stone curbs were placed along the edges of traveled ways by early civilizations. Today's concrete curbs still provide many of the same benefits, and more.

Concrete curbs or combined curbs and gutters serve several important functions. Curbs collect water from crowned pavements and convey it to points of collection, thus reducing the amount of water that gets under the pavement. They outline the edges of pavements and provide easily definable borders between traveled and untraveled surfaces. They confine pavement structures, especially if the pavements are composed of layers of materials that must be compacted in-place. Curbs help contain low speed traffic within the edges of pavements.

Besides serving the purposes listed above, curbs provide several other advantages. The neat, straight lines of curbs add to the attractiveness of parking lots and streets, and the commonly used expression "curb appeal" implies that attractiveness of adjacent properties are also enhanced by sharp demarcations between streets and lawns.

Curbs strengthen pavements. The confining of flexible pavements by concrete curbs improves compaction during construction and helps maintain the integrity of edges under traffic. The added thickness given to edges of concrete pavements by integral curbs increase strength and stiffness, reduce deflections induced by traffic loads, and therefore extends pavement life.

Curbs reduce the amount of space or right-of-way required for a street by eliminating drainage swales and their flat side slopes; curbs also reduce the lengths of driveways built from streets to homes or businesses. In some jurisdictions where both curbed and uncurbed streets are allowed by subdivision ordinances, streets with curbed sections require less dedicated right-of-way than streets without curbs, for example 50 ft for local streets with curbs, or 60 ft for local streets without curbs. The elimination of drainage swales also reduces maintenance by eliminating the cleaning of ditches, the mowing of ditch banks, and the care of culverts and their end sections that carry water under driveways.

Light reflective surfaces of concrete curbs delineate pavement edges and improve visibility for drivers at night, thus promoting safety. Where there are no concrete curbs to outline the edges of roads and streets, it is now common practice to mark the pavement edges with stripes of white paint.

Curbs improve the efficiency of street sweepers by concentrating debris for easy, mechanical pickup, as opposed to having it scattered along shoulders and drainage swales where it must be picked up by hand.

Concrete curbs have the integrity to withstand the impacts of snowplows.

A comparison of pavement sections with curbs and without curbs is shown in the figure below, illustrating the advantages in land use provided by concrete curbs. It should be noted that most of the advantages listed above pertain only to concrete curbs or concrete curbs and gutters that extend down to the bottom of pavements. Adding asphalt curbs along the edges of asphalt pavements cannot provide the confinement to improve compaction or other long-term benefits.

Help! My Driveway Has Cracks

One of the most damaging things for any asphalt pavement is cracking. Cracks allow moisture to penetrate the pavement. In the winter this moisture can freeze causing a multitude of more serious problems. In the warmer months weeds or grass can take root in the cracks causing extensive damage. There is one thing for sure; a crack is a future pothole waiting to happen.

Of course professional crack repair using specialized hot applied materials is best but if the cracks are not too numerous or large often the homeowner can be the first line of defense against the inevitable damage caused by cracks in asphalt pavements.

First we need to mention that not all cracks are created equal. If you have what is referred to as "alligator" or "chicken wire" cracking (terms used because the cracks resemble alligator skin or chicken wire) sealing won't help. This is characterized by numerous cracks close together forming a block pattern resembling the terms above. If this condition has existed long enough the area may be sunken slightly. These areas are already potholes and need professional repair. While they may not look like a pothole; all it takes is for one block to come out, and the entire area will soon loosen and come apart leaving a pothole. These areas should be professional repaired before this happens to minimize the damaged area and avoid more costly repairs later.

We also need to mention that pavement "sealers" (if you seal your asphalt yourself) are not suitable for filling cracks. Sure, you can put enough pavement sealer in the cracks to make it appear they are filled, but pavement sealers are made for the surface, not for cracks, and will quickly crack themselves and leave the crack open to damage again.

For common cracks there are many products available in home & hardware stores. We can't possibly know all the "brands" so look for one that contains rubber, the more the better. These products are usually packaged in gallon containers or caulking gun tubes although the tubes are sometimes far more expensive if you have very many cracks to fill. Reading the labels to find the best ingredients may be difficult but in general, if the store has more than one grade of product this is not the time to choose the "bargain" brand.

Now get ready for some serious work.
First the cracks must be prepared and cleaned. This means all vegetation must be removed. Sometimes this will require several treatments of a weed & grass killer (be sure it contains no petroleum products). You want to be 100% sure any vegetation is dead all the way to the roots or it will re-appear through the sealed crack. Then you may need to use some type scraper like a putty knife or screwdriver to be sure to get all the vegetation & roots possible out of the cracks.

Now the cracks need to be cleaned. If you have a leaf blower you may be able to scrape any dirt, gravel, or other debris loose then blow the cracks clean. A pressure washer may be used if care is taken to not leave any muddy residue on the sides of the crack walls and not to "blast" water underneath the surrounding pavement. If water is used the crack must be allowed to dry thoroughly before proceeding. Getting the cracks clean & free of debris is a most important step to achieve good results.

Now we can begin filling the cracks. Pick a warm sunny day with no rain forecast for 36-48 hours. Double check to be sure the cracks are still clean & dry. Most products come in packages with a spout of some kind. Apply the filler just until it is flush with the surface. You may want to keep a putty knife or old spatula handy in case you get a bit too much so you can smooth out the excess.

Once you have completed filling the cracks wait to walk or drive on the area for at least several hours depending on the weather to give the filler time to begin drying.

You may also find that as the filler dries it shrinks somewhat, leaving the filler below the pavement surface. If this happens you need to go over the cracks again to be sure the finished product is level with the pavement surface.

If your driveway has cracks make this a priority on your "to do" list. It is an investment that will pay for itself many times over by saving more extensive maintenance and repairs and by helping your pavement last as long as possible.

Perhaps after reading all this you have concluded that filling cracks is not as easy as it might seem; especially if you have a lot to do. If you are not physically able or don't have the time, contact a professional contractor. They not only have the manpower, but a professional contractor will have specialized equipment to more effectively prepare the cracks and a higher quality product to produce a better, longer-lasting, finished result.

 

We invite you to search for through our website, or call us if you have any questions. We provide free estimates with no obligation and guarantee our work. 

Asphalt Cracking - repairable with sealant or fill

Cracks that form in the pavement surface can allow many harmful substances - including water, salts and engine oils - into the base and subgrade, effectively leading to the failure of the pavement surface. There are many types of cracking and many causes for these differing problems. In many cases, cracks develop because of the expansion or contraction of the base or subgrade or because of voids that form between the layers or courses of pavement. These cracks can form randomly or in the following specific forms. In all cases, if repaired while still within ¼" to ½", these cracks are easily repaired and maintained.

Transverse cracking
Transverse cracking, or cracks that occur across the pavement surface about perpendicular to the parking lot
center, are often caused by the asphalt expansion and contraction due to temperature changes and or this
movement due to asphalt aging. Initially, these cracks will be relatively equally spaced depending on traffic but
will eventually become more prevalent in the parking lot or roadway. In some cases, as these cracks become
more prevalent, block cracking forms where the Transverse cracks develop into squares throughout the
pavement. Also, these cracks may extend either entirely or partially across the pavement area or roadway.
Transverse cracks begin as "hairline" cracks - or cracks up to ¼" wide - but will widen to ½" or wider with age
and lack of proper repair. Because these cracks are allowing water into the pavement base and subgrade, lack of
proper repair or maintenance will lead to more cracks developing parallel to the original transverse cracking. If
not properly repaired, these transverse cracks will be appear with greater prevalence and the cracks will become
wider; eventually, the cracks will be so prevalent that entire areas will be broken or "alligatored" leading to a more serious, cutting and patching repair.

 

 

This crack has formed across the
entire walkway. Eventually, as
moisture and other substances seep in
to the base, more cracks will form and
lead to pavement failure. 

Longitudinal cracking
Longitudinal cracking, or cracks that form down the center of the pavement surface or
roadway, usually develop due to the deterioration of longitudinal joints formed by
separate passes of an asphalt paving machine. When the parking lot is constructed, the
paving machine must make separate passes which form two lanes of asphalt; joints
develop between these two lanes because this is usually the least dense areas of
pavement and is not properly compacted. These cracks are fundamentally the same as
Transverse cracks, despite their difference in orientation, and also allow water, salts,
engine oils and other harmful substances into the base and subgrade. These
substances lead to more cracks in the pavement and eventual pavement failure around
the original Longitudinal cracks. Usually Longitudinal cracks follow the same type of size
development as Transverse cracks: starting as hairline or about ¼" cracks then
developing to larger, more serious problems; eventually, without proper repair and
maintenance, Longitudinal cracks will become more prevalent and areas, leading to
cutting and patching necessity. Block cracks also form from Longitudinal cracks.

This crack has formed at the center of a parking lot's drive
lane, at the joint of the separate passes of a paving
machine. Smaller cracks have developed around the
original crack. 

 

Asphalt Deterioration & Raveling

Deterioration is any break-down in the pavement surface allowing more serious problems, such as raveling, to
occur. The chemical structure of asphalt inherently allows many destructive elements - such as weather
elements (rain, snow); salts; oils; and other materials - to break it down. As these destructive elements break
down the pavement surface, much of the original benefits are lost (i.e., weather proofing) and the color visually
changes from rich, black to brownish grey. This deterioration, if left unattended, inevitably leads to more serious problems such as raveling and/or cracking.

Raveling is loss of pavement material from the surface downward and is caused by the loss of asphalt binder
(deterioration), ultraviolet exposure, traffic frequency, weather conditions, asphalt mix design, and compaction of
the asphalt during construction. As the asphalt binder in the pavement wears away, the appearance starts to turn
grayish from the fresh, black look of new asphalt. Also, as the binder wears away, aggregate particles begin to
break away. This begins with fine aggregate particles breaking away and, consequently, exposing the coarse
aggregate.

As the raveling begins to become more prevalent, the dislodged particles lead to a severely rough surface and
pitted areas forming where aggregate particles have been completely removed. 

Deterioration - Oil spots

These areas of serious oil spots have led to deterioration and corrosion of the pavement surface and will eventually lead to pavement failure in these areas.

Raveling

The fine aggregate particles have worn away and coarse
aggregate particles are becoming exposed.

Remedy
To avoid the ill effects of deterioration, sealcoat provides a protective ayer for the pavement that is not vulnerable to the destructive lements such as weather conditions and ultraviolet rays.
Furthermore, the sealcoat provides a uniform surface for  areas where he asphalt binder has worn away completely.
The procedure includes:
1. The area is power cleaned and oil stains are chemically treated.
2. Coats of coal tar emulsion (exceeding Government
specification RP-355E) with a latex additive and four to six pounds of silica sand for improved durability. Application
coverage rate is 0.3 gallons per square yard.

Asphalt Potholes - they're everywhere

Potholes, bowl shaped openings that usually have raveled edges and can be up to 10 inches deep, are created
when moisture seeps into the pavement and contracts or expands, weakening the pavement; as traffic drives over
these weakened areas, it eventually crumbles and breaks away. Potholes often develop from badly cracked, or
alligatored, areas of pavement. If not repaired early on, these potholes will expand and could eventually affect the
pavement foundation.

Liability Issues
Potholes create serious liability issues in parking lot and roadway areas not only because of the potential damage
to vehicles but also because of the potential trip hazard to tenants, customers, employees and pedestrians.
Furthermore, repairing potholes before liability issues arise can avoid fraudulent and unreasonable injury
settlements. Potholes can form during any season and should be repaired immediately before worsening or
causing serious injury or other damage.

Remedy
The potholes formation means that moisture and air voids have already formed under the pavement surface,
allowing the pavement to weaken and become crumbled. This means that cutting and patching will be necessary
to repair the pothole area and the surrounding broken pavement by:
1. Cutting the area square beyond the damaged area - to ensure underlying problems that have not yet
surfaced are also corrected - with a jack hammer.
2. The broken asphalt is then excavated and the base is compact as necessary to prepare for new asphalt.
3. At least 1.5" of asphalt binder and 1.5" of asphalt topcoat are installed and compacted.
4. Edges are emulsified and sanded for proper bonding.

NOTE: Jack hammering is predominantly used because of the toothed effect on the pavement, where the newly installed sphalt fits with old asphalt in the most effective way. Saw cutting is also available upon request.

Which Paving Contractor to use?

Honestly it is a JUNGLE OUT THERE. Which contractor do you use for asphalt repairs? Which one for sealcoating? How about fixing cracks and patching potholes? What about a contractor that does all of it? Is there a solution for a one stop shop? There has to be a way to see the difference?

 
The good news is that you can get everything done with one company. You don't have to do the crack seals yourself and then call in a contractor. You can call the specialist of all your paving needs.

1. EXPERTISE: First class products, applied with the finest workmanship and backed by our two-year warranty.

2. EXPERIENCE: 25+ years of properly equipped, professional talent to serve you.

3. CEO's GUARANTEE: Our goal is that every project we complete is marked by 100% customer satisfaction. 

So when it comes to chosing a paving contractor, call someone who does asphalt repairs, new paving, ADA upgrades, striping, sealcoating, you name it...From A To Z, Alaniz has a solution for you.

How to Sealcoat a driveway

How to Repair an Asphalt Driveway