Asphalt paving work is one of the most common forms of surfacing. If you're planning to pave a location, it's important to get the most for your efforts and money. You can do these three things, fortunately, to improve your project's likelihood of success.
Prepare the Ground
It is possible to pave relatively unprepared ground, but the results are about what you'd expect. The more preparation you put into the ground, the better the results will be when you have an asphalt paving company come to surface the site. Conversely, if you treat it like a country road, it's going to be as rough as one.
Foremost, you should try to grade the land as much as possible. Even a light grading will make the surface more even and ensure there won't be weird dips and heaves in the asphalt. Grading will also ensure that you achieve a desirable slope if the surface is on a hill or other slope.
Secondly, you should address potential drainage issues. This may be as simple as adding a small shoulder to each side of the grade to encourage water to run off. However, you may also need to add a drain system, grates, and culverts to provide some direction to the water.
Thirdly, you may need to deal with soil issues. If the soil is too loose, for example, you might need to compact it. In extreme cases, landowners may have to replace the soil with better materials to achieve reasonable compaction and drainage. You may also need to install a gravel or concrete base.
Design the Traffic Flow
Even if you're doing asphalt paving for something like a driveway, traffic flow matters. Vehicles need to get around the area safely. Likewise, if you're dealing with something like a parking lot, poor traffic flow design can cause drivers to stick to certain areas. In turn, this can lead to greater wear and tear. Whenever possible, try to smooth the flow of traffic so people aren't beating up one part of the surface.
Understand the Materials
Asphalt paving materials represent a class of surfacing solutions. Some are denser or looser, and there are reasons to use each type. For example, folks in a region that gets lots of rain might use a specific mixture that allows surfaces to drain quickly. A contractor might use a completely different material if they need to pave in a cold and dry environment. Always explain your requirements to the team at the asphalt paving company so they can match the materials to your needs.
Contact an asphalt paving company to learn more.
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