Patrick Paving has over 35 years experience in residential asphalt paving and excavation. His team has experience with jobs both large and small. Installing residential asphalt is most definitely not a do it yourself job. Call or contact us today to setup an appointment for a free estimate.
Why should you pave your residential driveway?
Your driveway creates a first impression about your home and lifestyle.
An appealing driveway provides a focal point for the public and visitors approaching your home. And a good-looking driveway and one with “curb appeal,” adds value to your home.
If you are looking to sell you home, buyers may even prejudge the upkeep and condition of the house based upon the condition of the driveway:
“The condition of the driveway sets the tone for the condition of the home. If you have a driveway that’s in poor repair, buyers may immediately assume the rest of the house needs work as well.” real estate agent Amanda Miller told The New York Times.
And a paved driveway can be more than functional. It can also provide an appealing design feature.
What to look for in an Residential Asphalt Paving Contractor
It is essential to find an residential asphalt paving contractor and this may be harder said than done.
- Beware of Dishonest Paving Contractors
- Unfortunately for the honest paving contractor, this profession has a reputation for scams and conmen. This is why Patrick Paving like to educate the residential customer when giving an estimate.
Watch out for:
- Contractors who find you, rather than you finding them.
- Contractors who say they are leftover asphalt from another job and will cut you a good deal.
- Contractors who seem to be moving through the area, rather than local, permanent contractors.
- These contractors usually park their equipment in parking lots and shopping malls.
How to find an asphalt paving contractor
- Remember all Pennsylvania Contractors must have a license from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Patrick Paving and Excavation, Inc. is registered in Pennsylvania as a home improvement contractor.
- Local reputation is one of the best ways to find a contractor.
WHAT is HOT-MIX ASPHALT PAVING
- Hot asphalt is the real stuff, this product is want you need for a complete driveway that you won’t have to replace for 20-30 years.
- Asphalt is similar to what you see road crews using on roads.
- Asphalt is an aggregate of stone and sand, along with liquefied slurry of asphalt.
- Asphalt is heated to over 300 degrees Fahrenheit to make it liquefy. Asphalt contractors have to work with the product very fast before it solidifies.
BEFORE LAYING DOWN ASPHALT YOU NEED TO PREPARE THE BASE. THE BASE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
Asphalt should never be laid on top of soil without a stone base.
Installing asphalt paving over a existing driveway is also known as a overlay.
If you’re existing driveway is in good condition and is not severely cracked or crumbling, a overlay can be added onto of your existing driveway.
One consideration with a overlay is the height of your existing asphalt, garages, fences, etc. In most cases these areas can be milled out or saw cut out before the overlay is applied allowing the overlay to not become to high.
RIP OUT EXISTING DRIVEWAY TO INSTALL A NEW
- Excavation of the old material will be preformed first
- Stone base should be 6 inches to 8 inches in depth
- Additional excavation may be necessary to allow for the 9 inches to 11 inches of product that will be put in place.
- Stone base will be rolled by a machine
- Stone base should be solid before asphalt can applied
- Asphalt material is now ready to be laid at 3 inches or more thick
CONDITIONS MUST BE RIGHT TO LAY ASPHALT
Hot mix asphalt is sensitive to temperate and moisture. Warmer temperatures are better because they give the contractor more time to work with the asphalt before it hardens.
Temperature should be at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit in order to lay 1.5″ of asphalt. If the contractor is using more asphalt 2 inches or more he can work with a greater range of temperatures, down to 40 degrees is possible. Wind will shrink the window of time as will moisture. In fact, too much moisture and the job may be delayed.
NEW DRIVEWAY
Now that you have a nice, new driveway, you will want to occasionally apply a water base sealer to prevent water from working into the surface pores.
Crack sealer should be applied even to the smallest cracks before the sealcoat. This will help prevent the cracks from becoming larger.
