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Asphalt or Concrete Driveway Cracked or Sinking?Have you ever heard someone say that a house is only as good as the foundation that it is built on? Well thats not only true for houses but for asphalt driveways, parking lots, roads, and trails as well. If you are building anything you must always start with a good foundation. In this article we will go through what a foundation is, why you need it, what must be taken into consideration when designing your foundation, and consequences of not having a good foundation. The first thing that needs to be looked at when evaluating a job site for driveway paving or any other asphalt work is what the ground beneath the surface looks like and how much load can it support. This is important as it is not only going to be supporting the weight of your cars for years to come but it also must be able to support the weight of the paving equipment during the asphalt paving process. You also need to plan for avoiding any trees who's roots may grow into the surface in the future.
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One way to check if your surface that you will build your foundation on is ready is to take a heavy truck, such as a dump truck, and drive across the surface. If there are any spots where the wheels of the truck sink in that ground needs to be removed and replaced with crushed stone or asphalt filler. Repeat this process until all soft spots have been removed and the grading process can begin. The ground below the foundation should be graded and leveled so that it matches the final grade of the surface and does not change more than 1/2 inch over a span of ten feet. This will ensure that the thickness of the paved surface will be consistent over its entire area.
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Now that the ground that we will build the foundation on is prepared we are now ready to begin with the paving process.
Prior to arriving at the job site to start the paving process it needs to be determined if an aggregate (gravel) base will be used or if the surface will be paved with a full depth of asphalt. If an aggregate is used between the sub-grade and top level of asphalt it must be a minimum of four inches thick in order to support the loads that it will experience over time. This gravel layer between the asphalt surface and ground beneath evenly distributes the weight of the load that is being placed on it and allows for some movement between the layers which can prolong the life of your surface. Typically a two inch thick layer of asphalt will be placed on top of this gravel layer but thicker asphalt layers can be used if the surface will see heavy loads on a consistent basis.
Other ways to accommodate heavy loads on pavement is to use asphalt for the full depth of the paving process. If your sub-grade surface is good and can support the load a three inch layer of asphalt can be using in place the gravel and asphalt combination detailed above. This can be done so that the paving process moves quicker as only one layer needs to be placed and compacted. The single layer approach can only be used if the ground beneath the asphalt is in good to excellent condition. If the soil is a sandy or marshy surface a two layer approach will still need to be used. This can be done with all asphalt thought by using a layer with larger rock/aggregate for a base layer that is a minimum of two and half inches thick. A minimum of one a half inch thick layer of asphalt can then be placed on top. The top layer of the driveway or parking lot can then use a smaller aggregate which will allow for a smoother surface for cars to drive on and people to walk on.
If you already have a gravel driveway there is a chance that we will be able to use your existing driveway as a base for providing you with a paved driveway. This will save you thousands of dollars in site preparation and material costs. In order for us to do this we must verify that your current driveway has a minimum of four inches of gravel before we can begin the paving process. If you are thinking of upgrading from a gravel driveway to one that is asphalt give us a call today or fill out the contact for below and we will be in touch soon with how we can best accommodate your needs
To wrap up, a road, driveway, or parking lot is only as good as the foundation it is built on. This goes for any surface regardless if you are planning on installing a gravel, asphalt, or concrete driveway. Proper ground evaluation prior to the paving process starting is critical to the longevity of the surface. Anyone can make a driveway or parking lot look good for the first year, but as High Point Paving and Sealcoating we take pride in having surfaces that still look great and perform 15 and 20 years later. For questions or requests fill out the form below or call today and someone will be in touch soon.
Prior to arriving at the job site to start the paving process it needs to be determined if an aggregate (gravel) base will be used or if the surface will be paved with a full depth of asphalt. If an aggregate is used between the sub-grade and top level of asphalt it must be a minimum of four inches thick in order to support the loads that it will experience over time. This gravel layer between the asphalt surface and ground beneath evenly distributes the weight of the load that is being placed on it and allows for some movement between the layers which can prolong the life of your surface. Typically a two inch thick layer of asphalt will be placed on top of this gravel layer but thicker asphalt layers can be used if the surface will see heavy loads on a consistent basis.
Other ways to accommodate heavy loads on pavement is to use asphalt for the full depth of the paving process. If your sub-grade surface is good and can support the load a three inch layer of asphalt can be using in place the gravel and asphalt combination detailed above. This can be done so that the paving process moves quicker as only one layer needs to be placed and compacted. The single layer approach can only be used if the ground beneath the asphalt is in good to excellent condition. If the soil is a sandy or marshy surface a two layer approach will still need to be used. This can be done with all asphalt thought by using a layer with larger rock/aggregate for a base layer that is a minimum of two and half inches thick. A minimum of one a half inch thick layer of asphalt can then be placed on top. The top layer of the driveway or parking lot can then use a smaller aggregate which will allow for a smoother surface for cars to drive on and people to walk on.
If you already have a gravel driveway there is a chance that we will be able to use your existing driveway as a base for providing you with a paved driveway. This will save you thousands of dollars in site preparation and material costs. In order for us to do this we must verify that your current driveway has a minimum of four inches of gravel before we can begin the paving process. If you are thinking of upgrading from a gravel driveway to one that is asphalt give us a call today or fill out the contact for below and we will be in touch soon with how we can best accommodate your needs
To wrap up, a road, driveway, or parking lot is only as good as the foundation it is built on. This goes for any surface regardless if you are planning on installing a gravel, asphalt, or concrete driveway. Proper ground evaluation prior to the paving process starting is critical to the longevity of the surface. Anyone can make a driveway or parking lot look good for the first year, but as High Point Paving and Sealcoating we take pride in having surfaces that still look great and perform 15 and 20 years later. For questions or requests fill out the form below or call today and someone will be in touch soon.