When it comes to asphalt paving, hard skills like line striping and crack repair are important. But you also need creative hacks to solve problems that may pop up along the way.
Potholes and dips in your pavement are not just unsightly, they’re dangerous for pedestrians and vehicles. Here are a few quick hacks to help you prevent these issues:
1. Sealing the Cracks
Asphalt is a durable material, but like any surface it needs maintenance to stay in good condition. Cracks are the first sign of problems and can lead to potholes if left unattended. Filling and sealing these cracks will extend the life of your parking lot or driveway.
It takes far fewer dollars to fix a good pavement that has been properly maintained than it does to reconstruct a bad one, and addressing these small cracks before they get bigger is the best way to prevent further damage. Keeping your asphalt looking great also gives patrons a positive impression of the business and keeps them safe as they navigate it.
Cracks in your asphalt can be caused by many factors. The freeze and thaw cycle, which stresses the asphalt, is a common cause. Unstable sub-grades are another culprit, as are underlying issues such as soil erosion.
Whenever possible, you should perform crack repair as soon as you see them. This will help keep them from getting worse and will stop water from penetrating the sub-grade, which can cause further damage.
To do this, you’ll need some asphalt crack filler and some tools, such as a caulking gun or a trowel with a putty knife, to smooth the sealant into place. Then you’ll need a heat lance or a wire brush to clean the area, making sure that you’re getting all of the crack and any weeds or grass. You’ll want to time your cleaning so that it’s done before you start crack sealing to avoid debris blowing into cleaned cracks.
Before you start working on repairing the cracks, check the weather and make sure that there’s no rain in the forecast for several days. This will allow the crack filler to cure properly and prevent the problem from spreading.
There are a few different ways to crack seal your asphalt, including overbanding or using a reservoir system. These techniques help ensure that the crack is fully sealed and improve adhesion and sealant life. However, the simplest configuration is a flush fill, which allows for a full seal without any of the extra steps.
2. Filling the Potholes
Potholes are the bane of every property manager’s existence. These deep craters in asphalt can cause damage to vehicles, and even pose a hazard for pedestrians. They also weaken the structural integrity of paved surfaces. These divots form from a complex dance between water and temperature. When moisture sneaks into unsealed asphalt, and then meets constantly-changing temperatures, the materials go through a freeze and thaw cycle that ultimately wears away at the surface. The weight of passing vehicles also adds to the process, eventually fracturing the pavement and creating a hole that requires immediate repair.
While repairing potholes is not an easy task, there are some tricks you can use to speed up the process and ensure a long-lasting solution. For example, heating the area will eliminate any excess moisture and help soften the area so that fresh asphalt can be placed. It will also help prevent the new patch from breaking apart later on. Additionally, using a hot box with an infrared heater can cut your patching time by up to 30%, resulting in greater efficiency and less waste material.
In addition to removing any loose debris from the pothole, it is important to reshape the surface as much as possible, making sure it is symmetrical and level. This will create a smoother driving experience and make the repair last longer. It is also crucial to compact the patching material to prevent it from settling, especially when driving over it. This can be done with a pothole tamper, or an asphalt plate compactor, which is significantly more effective than hand tamping alone.
Once the surface is reshaped, it’s important to fill the pothole with an appropriate amount of cold-patch asphalt. This can be accomplished by raking and shoveling the material into the hole, and then spreading it out with a lute or a shovel. After placing the patch, it’s a good idea to spray the pothole with water, especially if it is a wet repair like Aquaphalt 6.0 Asphalt Patch, which needs to be water-activated to set properly. Then, use a pothole tamper or asphalt roller to firmly compact the material into place. Using an asphalt plate compactor can increase the effectiveness of this step, and it will also save you time and effort by eliminating the need for manual labor.
3. Repairing Deep Gouges
As asphalt is used and ages, it naturally wears down and develops areas of damage that need to be repaired. Surface patching, crack filling and scheduled sealcoating are good preventative maintenance techniques to use on an ongoing basis. But there are times when more involved repair methods will be needed. This is when it becomes a good idea to consult with local asphalt professionals and see what sort of professional asphalt repair job might be required.
The first step in asphalt repair is to remove any debris or dirt that is present in the cracks. This can be done by hand or using a pressure washer. Next, weed killer should be applied to any areas of the pavement where weeds are growing. This will ensure that the weeds are killed so that they do not grow back in the cracks once the repairs are made.
Another type of asphalt damage that requires repair is known as raveling. Raveling occurs when asphalt particles break off and are dislodged from the pavement. This creates an uneven surface that can cause trip hazards and leads to the accumulation of loose debris and standing water. A permanent solution for this problem involves the removal of the damaged area, replacement of the poor sub-grade and application of a full-depth asphalt patch.
Finally, any areas that are sunken in the pavement should be filled with an asphalt product called cold patch. This is a much less expensive option than replacing the entire piece of pavement and it will still allow for a long-term, durable repair. It is best to call in the professionals to take care of any serious issues like depressions that are caused by structural failure of the asphalt, a bad sub-grade or repeated heavy traffic.
4. Repairing Dips and Divots
When performing asphalt repair, there are many different kinds of damage that your pavement may have to deal with. Whether you are dealing with potholes, cracks, dips or divots, there is a variety of ways to fix these problems and stop them from getting worse.
Potholes are the most common issue that you will find with your asphalt, and they can be a major trip hazard for people walking or driving on it. They are usually caused by structural failures in the asphalt and will get worse over time if they are not repaired. The best way to prevent potholes is to have your pavement professionally maintained with regular sealcoating, as well as removing weeds and debris that can build up in the holes.
Cracks can be a bit easier to tend to than potholes, but they are still a big problem for your asphalt. They can lead to further issues if left untreated, such as water seepage and freeze-thaw cycles. Cracks can also allow vegetation to take root and start to grow, which can further damage your asphalt surface.
Edge cracks are often the result of poor drainage, but they can also be caused by traffic congestion and soil movement beneath your asphalt surface. These types of cracks can be repaired with a quick fix by using crack filler to make sure that water doesn’t seep in.
Another common type of damage is a dip or divot, which can be a serious issue for your asphalt because it will collect standing water and cause erosion over time. These can be caused by plows, heavy equipment or even just vehicles driving over the area.
Divots and dips are easy to spot, but they can be difficult to fix on your own, especially when it comes to larger areas of your driveway or parking lot. If you have a large area of damaged asphalt, you can hire a professional to use infrared repair techniques to heat the surface up and fill the damage. This is a fast and effective solution that can be used to fix divots, gouges, ruts and more.