Whether it’s a parking lot in a business setting or a home driveway, the first thing visitors notice when arriving at a property is their parking surface. Parking surfaces should be smooth, sturdy, and properly colored so that it looks and feels brand new. To achieve this for years to come, it’s important to keep up a steady maintenance routine for your surface, as well as making sure its original installation was professionally and well performed. Maybe your surface isn’t the quality you’d like it to be – but why? Here are 5 of the most common reasons people need to repave too soon.
5 Most Common Reasons People Need to Repave Early
1. Drainage Issues
This issue stems from the original installation of your surface. Your paving contractor should’ve planned an appropriate water management system to prevent flooding or excessive water pooling. Drainage issues can erode the soil beneath your pavement, creating an unstable surface that is prone to cracking, potholes, and caving.
2. Cracking
If your parking lot or driveway is ridden with cracks, it’s evidence of years of wear and tear from vehicle traffic. This will eventually decrease the integrity of the surface, hence the excessive cracking. While crack sealing would fix this issue, it’s not permanent. Additionally, crack fills tend to visually “stick out” on the surface. A repave project lasts for years to come, with no obvious evidence of the repair.
3. Incorrect Thickness
Once again, this issue comes from improper installation. The durability and lifespan of your driveway or parking lot has a lot to do with its thickness – the thicker the better. Residential driveways should be around 3 inches thick, whereas the ideal thickness of a parking lot depends on the soil beneath it and the intended vehicle loads.
4. Inadequate Base
When installing a new surface, one of the most important factors is the gravel base level. This services as the entire foundation that holds up the asphalt or concrete – without an adequate subbase, your surface is prone to buckling under the weight of vehicles. This issue calls for an entire reinstallation and repave job.
5. Improper Integration
When a partial repave happens, there’s usually a transition between the new pavement and the old pavement. When carried out improperly, this transition will be rough, uneven, and bumpy to drive on. If this is the case for your surface, you need another repave – this time performed by a trusted paving contractor. As a result, your new and old pavements should integrate smoothly as one.
Call Wright Construction for Quality Repaving
If your driveway or parking lot has fallen victim to any of the following, rely on Wright Construction today. With experienced, licensed, and insured pavers, we get the job done right the very first time. To receive a free quote or to schedule your next repaving project, call us now.