Blacktop and Asphalt Facts

does it affect a new blacktop driveway to use a de-icer on it?

Deicing salts do very little damage, if any, to asphalt.

Does it make a difference if you install an asphalt driveway in the winter months as opposed to the warmer weather?

Catherine,
It makes an enormous difference. Some professionals may disagree with me, but I would not install an asphalt drive if the air temperature was below 50F. The asphalt cement in the mix can solidify too quickly and the final surface might not be as smooth as possible allowing water to penetrate into the asphalt.

Our contractor told us not to drive anything heavy on the binder coat for 2 wks. this seems excessive.

Catherine,
It is excellent advice. The contractor is right. Read many of my Asphalt columns to discover why. Look for my comments about the light-weight oils in the asphalt cement.

how thick should the average pave be?

Tony,
I am pretty sure I mention the number in some of my other columns about Asphalt and Blacktop. Go look and see if the number 2 pops up.

hi, does the size of the steam roller affect the quality?

Ever,
On large jobs Yes. On residential ones, not really. A weighted hand roller will work!

At my Condominium complex we are wanting to pave a 15x60 area so the kids can skateboard and play basketball. How shallow of a base do you think we can get away with ? We have VERY limited funds.

Meli,
I would not do less than 6 inches of crushed compacted gravel.

I see you say the asphalt should not be installed if the temp is less than 50 degrees, but what about rain and moisture? We need a new drive, but our ground is saturated.

Mark,
Wait until the ground is not saturated.

My driveway was paved with asphalt in Aug 07 and has never been sealed. The driveway is on a bit of a slope. The problem is that there is a stain which appears to be a white film in a run off pattern going down the middle of the driveway near the street. It is unsightly.

What can I do to get rid of this stain?

Christine,
Is it a spring that runs when wet leaving mineral salts? Have you tried scrubbing it with soap and water?

I just had a driveway redone. A tear out and a new install. The driveway looks like it was done two different times with two different material grades. to say the least i am not happy and want the installer to correct it. he says sealcoating will unify the colrs and seam. Is this true ,or his way of getting me off his back?

over the years i had applied thin coats of cement over my cement driveway.it has started to crack.should i scrape it all up before i call a contractor to do asphalt?

I just had a new asphalt driveway installed. The old driveway was removed. However, I am concerned. Is it normal for rainwater to seep slowly through the driveway, leaving virtually no puddles, or any visible runoff?

What is the maximum amount of time to wait before putting on a final coat? What can happen to the base coat of you wait too long?

I am in a new development where they put the base coat down and it has been 4 years and still no finish coat on the roads and driveways.

how long time it takes to use the finish asphalt layer
n.b we use heavy trucks & forklift.

I just had my driveway repaved today. How long before I can drive/walk on it? I forgot to ask.

My problem is in an existing blacktop driveway. I have a major low spot in the middle of a turnaround. Is it possible to have more blacktop put on a specific area and have it adhere to the existing blacktop. I am trying to avoid breaking it up and having to put in a drain.

We just got a new asphalt drive way today the contractor wants to put some kind of sealant on it to protect it from oil and water absorbtion before is has time to cure, it cost an extra 600 dollars is this worth the price?

I have puddles on my new asphalt driveway...the contractor said he would not leave any puddles.....
what can I do now and what can I ask to be done to correct this?

We just had our driveway topped. There is a couple of low spots that collect water puddles. Is there anything we can do to fill in those spots before we seal it

they sealed my driveway, but they were not very neat and got the stuff on my foundation and vinyl latice. How do i remove it without repainting my house.

What is your opinion on using a good clear primer on concrete so that you can have the concrete sprayed with asphalt sealer to give the black appearance of asphalt? and are there any benefits in doing this?

I live in western Connecticut. I have a moderate inclined 25 foot driveway with a drain in the center bottom.

I plan on digging up and repaving because large roots are impinging on the boarders.

How thick should the asphault be--I have a quote for 3 inches compacted and another, cheaper quote for 2 inches compacted

Our contractor is going to put a new coat of Asphalt (1.5 inch) on our old tarmac drive is it ok to do this?

You said don't have your contractor lay blacktop if the air temp is less than 50. But what about over the course of the next several days or at night? I am concern because my contractor was supposed to my blacktop at the end of Sept. and now its Oct 21 and its snowing.I live outside of Buffalo NY should I tell him to wait until spring or for a stretch of warm weather? Thanks

I have a hill drive. Which is better: single layer (3") or one 2" base plus 1" top? Is there a difference between 3/4" or 1/2" aggregate for the base? I assume the larger aggregate will provide stronger, longer lasting results.

I had my driveway blacktopped last
April and was told to get the sealant put on in the fall. It was done several days ago. I was told that the temperature should be over 50 degrees and the day it was done it was and also the following day (it was near 70 and sunny). I live in upstate NY so the nights are cold, in the 30's-40's. It rained the third day and it seems like the sealer has washed away in many areas. It is still not dry. I have called the contractor and he was supposed to come and look it over, didn't show and has not answered calls. What now? The temps are dropping and snow will be here soon.

Does overlay requires paver? Or it is just simply using handcasting were do?