Friday, March 21, 2014

Design Pavements Through An Asphalt Company Maryland Area

By Jaclyn Hurley


A properly installed asphaltic driveway and parking lot creates a good impression in your home and business. If you want to install quality driveways or parking lots, you can consult asphalt company Maryland area. The life expectancy of asphalt pavements is determined by the kind of materials used, and the skills applied. If well constructed, asphaltic pavements can have a life expectancy of about 25 years or even more.

If you have to stand above your competitors, you need to consult the best contractors in building your pavements. With properly installed pavements, you ensure they last for long. The asphaltic pavements can have a life expectancy of more than 25 years if they are constructed using the right standards and practices as well as quality materials. Such investments can help enhance the image of your business or home.

The foundation of asphaltic structures like driveways and parking lot is made of gravel stones. The stones are made to provide stability within the structure and prevent premature failure. If the base cannot support heavy weights like vehicles, the structure is likely to come down crumbling. Additionally, if the base is unstable, there may be uneven movements that can lead to depression and upheavals.

An asphalt material is composed of sand, rock particles or aggregate stones, and the asphalt cement that holds the materials together. This kind of cement material is flexible and durable. With a new asphalt material, it has greater flexibility and it expands and contracts evenly without undergoing a lot of structural stress.

The flexibility allows the material to withstand the changes in temperatures as well as the heavy weights. When it is hot, asphalts expand and when cold they contract meaning that they can move evenly. This minimizes the chances of cracking. However, since the material is constantly drying, it reaches a point where it hardens and becomes brittle.

Naturally, asphaltic material cures and dries slowly with time. In fact, it undergoes an oxidation process in the rest of its life. As the molecules seek for an equilibrium state, they shuffle and rearrange themselves. This process of oxidation happens in lifetime until it is complete, and this is when the life of the material ends.

Before sealing, the new asphaltic material has to cure and dry out the excess oils. Applying sealing products in an uncured material will not adhere well to the surface. If the surface is sealed too quickly, the hydrocarbon oils will make the materials to be too flexible. Applying a sealant product on driveways before the blacktop cures makes the material to be too flexible. This means that it will show greater marks over time.

Putting at least two coats of sealing product on blacktop can help preserve its quality. The sealants act as membranes and prevent damage of your pavements. With a primed contractor, you can repair any damage that occurs on your parking lots and driveways. Asphalt suffers from defects such as cracks and potholes. Whereas some cracks may be sealed using crack sealers, others may require methods such as patching and overlays.




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