Asphalt driveways are a popular choice among residential property owners due to their affordability, durability, and straightforward repair process. However, installing it with proper training and tools may prove challenging. Find the best Asphalt Paving Memphis.
Reputable local construction firms will have all of the equipment and experience needed to get your driveway asphalt paving job completed quickly and efficiently. Here are a few things you should keep in mind before embarking on a DIY driveway asphalt paving project:
Table of Contents
Preparation
Asphalt driveways can make great first impressions, but to ensure their long-term viability, they need to be constructed carefully. Experienced paving contractors specialize in creating solid bases for pavement that will withstand vehicular traffic, weather changes, and other challenges – beginning with an aggregate base typically two or three inches thick.
Based on your soil composition, this foundation may require adding crushed rock for extra strength or using a porous mixture to decrease frost damage in cold climates. A contractor will then grade, moisture condition, and compact the aggregate base before a final inspection is performed.
Once the sub-base layer has been laid and compacted, it is time to add a binder. The binder is a mixture of oil and aggregate components which helps hold asphalt together.
Before applying new surface asphalt, it’s essential that both the asphalt and sub-base layers have had sufficient time to fully cure, which typically takes 24-48 hours.
If your new driveway will connect to existing roadways, parking lots, or sidewalks, smooth transitions between them are of utmost importance. This is achieved using butt joints and graded transitions; this enables pedestrians to move between areas quickly. Furthermore, this prevents unsightly gaps from appearing between old and new surfaces, though DIY asphalt repair kits may prove helpful here, as doing it yourself may prove to be too challenging and risky a task to undertake successfully.
Laying
Laying driveway asphalt can be an arduous and time-consuming task that requires the expertise of a professional. Predosing is the initial step of asphalt laying; this involves weighing all aggregate components used in creating an asphalt mixture. Based on their specific recipe, preheating or drying may then occur to maintain weight before they’re sifted and stored in silos for storage.
Step Two of Paving Your Surface involves creating the Base Rock, which serves as the basis of your new surface. Depending on the composition of the soil beneath, various types of base rocks may be necessary; clay-rich soils might require up to 8″ of crushed rock as a frost barrier that protects it against freeze/thaw damage during cold climate climates.
After creating the base, your paver will perform a “proof roll” test to verify whether or not the sub-base can support asphalt. If not, geogrid or undercutting must be implemented to restore it to help asphalt.
Once the sub-base has been laid and any soft spots have been addressed, your paving contractor will install a layer of binding material made up of aggregate and oil to help bind together and create more muscular pavement layers. Next comes the asphalt concrete layers – those jet-black layers you see around town!
Compaction
Sub-base preparation is an integral component of asphalt paving and plays a significant role in its longevity. It acts as the supporting layer, protecting pavement against erosion and weather conditions while working as a frost barrier in cold climates to limit damage due to freezing/thawing cycles.
An asphalt mix consists of coarse aggregate material combined with binding agents such as oil or sand. Coarser materials with rougher surfaces combine more readily, creating a uniform surface than smoother varieties. Selecting the appropriate mix ensures your driveway meets both vehicle traffic needs and durability requirements.
Once your sub-base has been laid, it must be compacted to ensure it can support your new pavement. Your paver will use a roller for this step; furthermore, they may conduct a proof roll test; if an inch or more flexes occur during this test, then your sub-base may not be strong enough to support asphalt pavement.
Once all the excavation, grading, and sub-base elements are in place, the next step should be laying asphalt concrete layers. We all recognize asphalt concrete’s jet-black appearance when envisioning driveways, roadways, or parking lots; its material makes up highway top layers; it comes with both binder and surface courses to complete its composition.
Final Touches
Once your old driveway surface has been stripped away and sub-grade and geotextile fabric are installed, the time has come to lay asphalt. The first lift of paver material used is called binder course – a weight-bearing layer made up of larger aggregate sizes that should be spread using commercial paving machines before being compacted using double-drum vibratory rollers to achieve tight, uniform appearances.
The second layer is the wearing course, consisting of smaller aggregates installed over the binder course and made thicker by a porous mix that allows rainwater to pass through to an underlying stone bed and drains away quickly, according to Family Handyman. It provides a more appealing and longer-term option while helping maintain the integrity of asphalt driveways over time, according to this source.
When choosing an asphalt paving contractor for your driveway project, please take into account their reputation, equipment, and experience. Request references from previous customers as well as read online reviews before making your choice – this will help ensure the task is completed efficiently and correctly.
Professional asphalt paving services provide an economical and low-maintenance option while providing an attractive finish that increases curb appeal.
Read also: Asphalt Paving Systems
