Frequent Ask Questions

1 ) Why should I seal my pavement?
2 ) Benefits of Asphalt for Driveways and Parking Lots?
3 ) How soon after paving can I use my new driveway?
4 ) Is it okay to park my car on the new driveway?
5 ) What causes scarring on my driveway?
6 ) What can I do if my driveway develops holes or starts to crack?
7 ) How do I maintain my new asphalt surface?
8 ) How often should I seal my pavement?
9 ) When is the best time to seal my pavement?
10 ) I’ve heard that my pavement shouldn’t be sealed. Does the pavement need to breathe?
11 ) What to do if someone knocks on your front door and says, "We have a load of asphalt that was left over from paving nearby, and we can pave your driveway at a bargain rate if you'll pay cash."

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Why should I seal my pavement?
The application of a quality pavement sealer by a qualified contractor will extend the service life and reduce maintenance costs of asphalt pavements. Sealing protects pavements from the destructive effects of water, sunlight, oxidation, gasoline, motor oils and many other chemical and solvents. In addition, it provides a distinctive new-looking surface that is skid resistant and easy to clean.
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Benefits of Asphalt for Driveways and Parking Lots?
When choosing to pave a new driveway, replace your driveway, or patch an existing asphalt driveway, consider the following benefits of using asphalt:

1.) Asphalt is strong and very durable so it lasts for many years with minimal maintenance.
2.) Asphalt is made to withstand freezing and thawing.
3.) Asphalt is unaffected by salt so no worries in the winter!
4.) Asphalt is the most cost effective material available for driveways.
5.) A black asphalt driveway will melt ice and snow from the sun.

Asphalt is also the material of choice for parking lots for the same reasons as listed above, and also because it withstands much heavier loads than concrete.
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How soon after paving can I use my new driveway?
You may walk on it immediately but keep automobile traffic off your new driveway for at least three (3) full days (longer in hot weather).
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Is it okay to park my car on the new driveway?
During the first six months to a year, your driveway is still curing. Take the following precautions during that time to keep your driveway looking great:

1.Try not to park exactly in the same place every day.
2.Don't turn your steering wheel back and forth if your car isn't moving.
3.If you must use a car ramp or jack stand to work on your car, place some plywood under the ramp or jack to help distribute the weight.
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What causes scarring on my driveway?
Driving too fast essentially… Turning around in tight places, pulling in too quickly and "peeling" out can scar your new driveway. Rule of thumb: take it easy.
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What can I do if my driveway develops holes or starts to crack?
First, it is best to avoid those things that cause cracks and holes in your new driveway. Gasoline, oil, anti-freeze, power steering and transmission fluid spills and leaks will dilute the liquid asphalt component leaving a hole. If you cannot avoid these things and a hole develops, fill it with cold patch.

Small, hairline cracks may develop in your driveway during the winter. This is due to the expansion and contraction of the ground during that time. Fill these cracks with crack filler or sealer available at your local building supply store or call us to have it done professionally.

To preserve and protect your new driveway, always seal it after it has been paved. Leaving asphalt unprotected it becomes rough, dries out, and essentially loses its life very rapidly. The result is overall deteriorization, ridges, and upheaval causes by frost and freezing.

Sealing also protects your asphalt driveway from the effects of gasoline, lube oil, grease, road salts, and anti-freeze leaking from vehicles, rendering it impervious to these harmful elements. Plus it fills hairline cracks that may result during the winter.

But sealing your new driveway too soon may cause damage! Having your driveway sealed professionally along with regularly scheduled maintenance will preserve and protect your new driveway for many years to come.
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How do I maintain my new asphalt surface?
Preventative maintenance including crack filling and sealcoating should be completed on an as-needed basis.
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How often should I seal my pavement?
Generally, every 2 to 4 years. There are several factors that affect how quickly the coating wears off. Delaying spring cleanup of winter sand will wear the sealer off faster than normal. The amount of traffic that a pavement receives is another factor. Most importantly though, is the product used. As outlined above, there are different grade products, the better the product, the longer the job will last.
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When is the best time to seal my pavement?
On brand new pavement, a minimum of 30 days of curing must take place before applying sealer. As all sealer is temperature-sensitive, applying when temperatures are at least 50 degrees (F) and rising is best. In this area of the country, generally mid-May through mid- October is the sealcoating season.
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I’ve heard that my pavement shouldn’t be sealed. Does the pavement need to breathe?
For the same reason wood is painted, asphalt should be sealed. Without protection, the elements of rain, sun and snow will penetrate, oxidize and deteriorate asphalt. When your pavement is new, it is flexible. That is one of the reasons asphalt is used in cold weather climates--it has the ability to flex when the ground freezes. Over time, an unprotected surface becomes more brittle due to the harmful effects of nature, and when it has lost its flexibility, it cracks. Once cracking begins, water can penetrate to the base, leading to wider deterioration of the pavement surface. Water penetration is the number one reason for pavement failure.

By properly sealing your pavement, you can significantly slow down the aging process, and at a fraction of the cost of re-paving.
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What to do if someone knocks on your front door and says, "We have a load of asphalt that was left over from paving nearby, and we can pave your driveway at a bargain rate if you'll pay cash."
Asphalt that is "left over" from another job will be too cool to make a good pavement for your home. As with any business transaction, you want to know who you're dealing with before proceeding, so making a deal on the spot does not make sense. Checking references can save you money in the long run.
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