Advanced Pavement Technologies | Asphalt Paving, Rejuvenating, Resurfacing, Sealcoating, Lining & Striping

The time will come – but with the right maintenance routine throughout its life cycle that can be 20+ years away – when the old pavement needs to be totally milled out and repaved. The keys for a successful replacement that keeps paying you dividends are these:

1. Inspect the old surface to identify issues with the original foundation. After the surface is totally milled and cleaned out, examine the foundation and fix the problems before you repave; an investment here will pay dividends in the long run. A pavement expert can tell by the nature of the issue on the surface what the problems are with the foundation, so be sure at your annual inspection you get this input while the damage is limited and easier to fix.

2. Use a fabric interlay before adding the new pavement; do what you can afford, but at least consider the most trafficked and vulnerable areas. Again, this will extend the life of the investment you are about to make.
3. Add enough new pavement depth to achieve a 2” compacted depth. (Make sure your contractor installs all the pavement quoted on the bid. You have the right to see the bill of lading for the asphalt purchased for your property.)

4. Start the appropriate maintenance routine right away – by applying rejuvenant to strengthen the pavement, or getting on a regular applications of seal coating. This protects your investment and extends its life by shielding it from sun, water, and wear. (Read about rejuvenations vs. seal coating on this web site.)

5. Sweep regularly to keep sand and other debris from breaking down the surface, to let in water, etc.

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Even if the entire parking lot has not reached the end of its life, some areas may have such a heavy network of deep cracks that it’s not advisable for economic or aesthetic reasons to just patch the cracks before applying a sealant. When this happens, the worn areas need to be sawed, milled in place and cleaned out.

Even if the foundation is solid, use a fabric interlay below the patch to prevent new cracks from appearing again. Then key the new asphalt with the old one so that the transition is smooth.

Source: Pavement, February 2007, p10.

According to industry studies and experience, a consistent maintenance program can help a parking lot last 30 years or more. Postponed or inconsistent maintenance can reduce your lot to poor or failing condition in as few as 10 years. You can enjoy a 4:1 or 3:1 return on timely maintenance that extends pavement life and avoids more expensive repairs or rebuilds.

If the original base for the lot was well done and is still solid and stable, you can add an overlay of two or more inches compacted asphalt to smooth everything out and make it look new. There are three keys to making this type of overlay a real extension of the useful life of the lot, and not just a temporary cosmetic fix:

1. Make sure that the network of cracks is not too dense or too deep. If they are, use the patching method described above first.

2. Over the most heavily trafficked areas or sections where cracks have already begun, install a fabric interlay (APT uses Petromat®.) This prevents cracks from reflecting up through the overlay at the rate of about 1/2 in. of overlay per year.

3.Install at least 2 in. of new compacted asphalt, making sure that the edges are properly keyed with the old surface. How well these edges bond with the old surface determines how long the new surface will look good and keep from unraveling from the edge.

Do you have the right contractor? Here are five things to consider when you are evaluating credentials.

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