If you just bought a commercial property for your shop and the parking lot has been neglected, call an asphalt paving contractor for help. Your parking lot needs to be in good shape so there are no trip hazards. Plus, an attractive lot makes a better impression than a lot that has cracked and faded asphalt. Here are recommendations an asphalt paving contractor might make.
Make Repairs And Add A Sealcoat
If your parking lot has small cracks and holes, the asphalt contractor might suggest making repairs to the asphalt and then sealcoating it. This may not be the right choice if there is more severe damage, but when damage is minor, repairs may be possible.
Cracks and holes can be filled with an asphalt filler or hot asphalt. The contractor might use an infrared machine to heat up the asphalt around the damaged area so it can be raked, spread, and compacted to repair the damage. The repaired places will be darker and more noticeable, so the contractor may suggest sealcoating to restore the black color to your parking lot.
Plus, the coating will protect the asphalt from further deterioration. A coating is thin, so repairs might be slightly noticeable. However, this option improves the appearance of your lot and adds protection at a lower cost than resurfacing.
Resurface Your Lot With New Asphalt
If you prefer the look of a new parking lot, or if the damage is more severe, the asphalt paving contractor might suggest resurfacing. This puts down a new layer of asphalt so your lot looks new again. This is less expensive than getting a new parking lot, and a resurfaced lot should last for many years.
The success of this type of asphalt repair depends on the base under the asphalt. The base has to be in excellent shape or repaired before this is a good option. Resurfacing starts with making the necessary repairs to the base and old asphalt if they're needed. A few inches of the old asphalt are removed, and that takes away some of the damage too.
Then a few inches of new asphalt are applied to the same depth as the asphalt that was removed. This keeps your lot the same height against sidewalks and curbs. Since there's a new layer of asphalt on top of the lot, your parking lot looks new and attractive.
Replace The Parking Lot
The third option is to remove the old asphalt down to the base, build up a new base, and pour all new asphalt. Putting in a new parking lot is the most expensive option, but you'll have a new lot that looks attractive and should last for many years. If you keep up with sealcoating, your lot can maintain its dark color and slow down the aging process so fewer repairs are needed.
Contact a local asphalt paving service to learn more.
Construction workers and contractors do many different kinds of work, but most of that work is related to building. Some contractors build buildings directly. Others have more supplemental roles, such as installing the plumbing. Those supplemental roles are just as important. After all, what is a building without plumbing or heat?
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