The ABC’s of Paved Driveways

An asphalt driveway is more than just the quickest route from the road to your garage. It’s a great place to show off your new car; ideal for basketball; and a safe place for the kids to play. Most of all, a well-built well-maintained asphalt driveway adds curb appeal to your house. It’s the first impression of your home that people see and it should look as good as possible. Asphalt driveways are economical, durable and long lasting. They are easy to maintain and make an excellent choice for homeowners wishing to lead a green, sustainable lifestyle.

So for driveways, lanes and small parking lots, how do you get the perfect asphalt pavement for your property? It’s as easy as ABC:

A: Good Design:

A well-designed driveway with proper maintenance will give virtually trouble free services for up to 20 years. Driveways are built from the ground up so you need to start with a good, solid base. What you see is not necessarily what you get when it comes to pavement. Just because it is smooth doesn’t mean it’s good. It is the thickness and the compaction of the pavement that defines quality. Good drainage is important. Since water drains off asphalt pavement, keeping it away from buildings and from the sub-grade is critical.

B: Good Materials:

While to the untrained eye, all asphalt pavements look alike, there is in fact a wide range of asphalt products, each with specific properties to meet specific conditions.

C: Good Construction:

Most driveway paving contractors are in business for the long term – providing durable, well-built driveways. While good contractors come in all shapes and sizes, they all share the same basic characteristics: well-maintained equipment, well-trained employees, and an interest in using only the best construction practices.

Tips for Home Owners

Most people know as much about asphalt pavement as they do about programming their VCR, which is to say not very much. And that’s to be expected. After all, how many roads or driveways does the average person build? So when it comes to getting a new driveway, how can an average homeowner make sure that the paving contractor does a good job? Here are a few suggestions.

Deal only with local, reputable contractors with references.
Get more than one quote and make sure that everyone is quoting on the same quantities and the same specifications. Take special care to make sure that the asphalt thickness quoted is compacted thickness. And remember that the lowest price is not always the best price.
Makes sure that your contract includes:

1. Starting and completion dates.
2. The contractor’s responsibility for workmanship.
3. The depth of crushed aggregate to be provided.
4. The number of inches of compacted asphalt.
5. The types of asphalt that will be used.
6. The dimensions of the pavement.
7. The warranty period and what it covers.

Check with utility companies to find out if there are any buried utilities before you start.
Check your property boundary before you begin. If you don’t, you may end up paving your neighbor’s lot.