How to Get More Mileage From Your Asphalt Parking Lot
If you own or manage a property with an asphalt parking lot, you probably want to avoid the expense of rebuilding your pavement prematurely. Professional parking lot maintenance can help you get the most extended life possible for your pavement. On average, a correctly installed asphalt parking lot should last between 15 and 20 years, but its life can be reduced by as much as 50% if the pavement is not correctly maintained.
What Maintenance Procedures Are the Most Critical for Asphalt Pavements?
Some maintenance procedures are mainly protective, others are primarily aesthetic, and some methods provide both aesthetic and protective benefits. Also, specific techniques can simultaneously make your parking lot safer and more attractive. There are a few procedures that you can perform yourself, but there are others that you should only trust a reliable asphalt contractor to complete. The necessary methods involve cleanliness, repairs, sealcoating, and painted or thermoplastic line striping.
Why Should I Worry About Keeping My Asphalt Parking Lot Clean?
Trash, dirt, and leaked vehicle fluids impact your parking lot’s visual appeal, but they can also damage your pavement. Debris can trap moisture next to your pavement, leaving stains or promoting deterioration. Sand and gravel can wear away your sealcoating and scour the pavement. Diesel, oil, gasoline, and other fluids leaked by the cars and trucks using your asphalt parking lot can leave soft spots in your pavement that can quickly become potholes.
Why Is It Important to Repair an Asphalt Pavement Quickly?
Any break in the surface of your asphalt pavement can allow water and vehicle fluids to enter. Water can percolate down to the foundation that supports your pavement and the traffic that it bears, leading to an eroded base that can be costly to repair. Vehicle fluids can soften every layer of your asphalt pavement by destroying the binder that holds everything together. Repairs can include asphalt crackfilling, pothole repairs, and the removal and replacement of areas suffering from alligator cracking.
What Should I Know About Sealcoating an Asphalt Parking Lot?
It is imperative to sealcoat parking lot pavements, especially in the Las Vegas area. The ultraviolet radiation that the sun emits will dry out asphalt pavement, leaving it brittle and more likely to develop cracks. These UV rays will also rob the pavement of its dark color, fading it to gray or dingy brown. Sealcoating blocks UV rays, and it restores asphalt pavement to its original color. Although vehicle fluids will eat through sealcoating eventually, sealcoating slows their progress so that you have more time to remove leaked fluids before they can reach your pavement. However, sealcoating is not a one-time treatment. Most local contractors recommend that customers sealcoat parking lot pavements every 18 to 24 months, but your schedule will depend on your parking lot’s traffic and its overall condition. When sealcoating, it is imperative that the pavement be extremely clean and that all repairs have been performed before the sealant is applied.
Why Should I Maintain the Striping and Markings in My Parking Lot?
A well-designed parking lot should feature visible pavement markings and striping to guide pedestrians and drivers safely through your lot. Traffic signs can also help you maintain order by reducing distractions and confusion. Sealcoating will obscure painted markings, so many people choose to have their lots repainted when they have them sealed. However, you may need to have your striping reapplied between sealings. The rule of thumb is that you need to have pavement markings and stripes repainted once they have lost more than 25% of their original visibility.
Trust Affordable Striping & Sealing for High-Quality Asphalt Maintenance
Since 2006, Affordable has been helping customers throughout the Vegas area take care of their asphalt parking lots. Our asphalt maintenance services include layout and design, sealcoating, asphalt crack filling, traffic signs, and bumper block installations. We have a reputation for delivering exceptional work at affordable prices. We offer free quotes, so request yours by completing the online form or calling 702-222-9009.
