Paving Your Driveway or Parking Lot is Often the Last Consideration of Home Builders and Construction Contractors…
That Kind of Thinking Will Cost You Years of Headaches.
A well laid asphalt service should last for decades…if it’s done by a responsible professional. Laying asphalt may seem like an easy job, but just like everything else…love is in the details.
Soil and Drainage – The type of soil underneath your paved service is very important. If there is good drainage, 2" of well-compacted asphalt may be all that is necessary. Clay however, has little drainage and the soil may have to be dug out and replaced with a 12" base of compacted granular stone before laying the asphalt. Your soil composition plays a huge factor in the reliability of your driveway, parking lot, sidewalk and roadways.
Weather – The Ottawa region experiences some of Canada’s most varied and extreme weather. From the intense cold of our winters to the sweltering humidity of our summers, your asphalt sees it all. If your asphalt isn’t installed properly the weather will damage it. Ottawa’s freeze and thaw conditions can cause your asphalt surface to expand and contract many times over. This is how cracks develop in your asphalt. Many home builders claim this is an unavoidable circumstance brought on by Ottawa’s weather patterns. The truth is a reliable asphalt paver can give you a surface that lasts decades.
Cracking and Sealing – Health care professionals believe preventive medicine is the best way protect your health. The same philosophy applies to your asphalt. Cracks in your asphalt allow the infiltration of water, brine and debris into the sub-structure of the pavement, causing further deterioration and eventually collapse. Sealing the cracks in your asphalt is the best way to preserve the health of your paved surface. Unfortunately, sealing treatments haven’t been meeting their full potential because of poor sealant products and applications. If you’ve used a cheap sealants you’ll likely be re-sealing your surface in 2 -3 years. A good sealant should provide at least 5 years of service life without debonding.
