7 Things To consider Before Paving Your Driveways

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Asphalt paving is a popular choice for parking lots, roads and driveways in Melbourne. Why? It is due to the fact that they are highly durable and affordable paving option for residential and commercial property owners in Melbourne. A properly laid and maintained driveway can not only enhance the curb appeal of your property but also increases its resale value.

Asphalt paving is too easy to maintain and requires only regular sealing and crack treatment to make sure that it last longer and look good as when installed. If you are looking for proven ways to extend the life of your driveways, click here. But before you jump onto the project, there are certain things that you need to know to ensure that you get the maximum return on your investment.

Why Is Asphalt The Best Paving Option For Your Driveways?

Some of the most coveted advantages of asphalt paving are that it offers aesthetics, durability and noise reduction. Additionally, asphalt paving is relatively easy and inexpensive to lay and repair. Let’s take a look at various major advantages of asphalt paving:

  • Affordable
  • Strength
  • Proper Mix
  • Longevity
  • Less Maintenance
  • Recyclable

Whether you’re a building a new parking lot or simply upgrading an existing driveway in Melbourne, there are few things that you need to consider while preparing for your upcoming asphalt paving project.

7 Factors That You Need To Consider While Paving Your Driveways:

  1. Water Control

Water is the worst enemy of asphalt. Prolonged water exposure can shorten the lifespan of your parking lot. To avoid the moisture related issues, it’s best to commence your project during the summer when the rain is least. Ensure to design the driveways in Melbourne that has gentle slopes to allow the water to run off the surface avoiding standing water or pooling. Also, consider installing a drainage system.

  1. Site Preparation

The first step to supporting an asphalt pavement structure is – a solid subgrade foundation consisting of gravel or sand. Weak subgrades with poor drainage can reduce the pavement life expectancy by causing the distresses to occur earlier than expected.  Ensure that the base material is not only solid enough to support the pavement but also flexible enough to withstand the harsh Melbourne climate. Cracks and sinking basically occur due to the expansion of asphalt during the summer and contracting in the fall. A solid base will lessen these effects when the weather gets worst.

Also, a high-quality subgrade provides extra strength, drainage and resistant to frost damage.

  1. Anticipating Traffic Loading or Vehicle Weight

Don’t forget to take into consideration the type of vehicles you are expecting to roll across your parking lot and driveways. If it’s a residential property, asphalt layers thick enough to handle small cars are recommended. While for commercial driveways which handle large commercial vehicles, trucks and buses, it’s advisable to paving a thicker layer of asphalt that can withstand the weight of the heavy vehicles.

Traffic loading is crucial to the pavement design and asphalt longevity.

  1. Asphalt Mixture

Asphalt paving is available in a broad range of combinations of aggregates, liquids and other materials. This is done in order to achieve flexibility in varied applications. For instance, while paving driveways in Melbourne the asphalt mixture needs to be fine graded. This helps in preventing moisture from penetrating within the surface and providing much smoother and better-looking driveways.

  1. Maintenance Expectations

Durability and life-span will be affected by how well the driveways are maintained. Ensuring proper drainage beneath the driveway and filling gaps by conducting timely asphalt repair can prevent much of the potential damage. Seal coat the asphalt paving to keep your driveways and parking areas out of rainwater. Even if damage occurs, you need to conduct asphalt repair only for the particular area, saving you time and money.

Having preventing maintenance schedule allows dealing with small asphalt repair issues before they turn into bigger issues.

  1. Location

The temperature and other climate conditions of your locality can affect the life expectancy of your asphalt driveways in Melbourne. For instance, home in the wet area needs to pay extra attention to drainage around their driveway, while property in areas with fluctuating temperatures may encounter the expansion and contraction throughout the year. Work with your asphalt paving contractor to determine the appropriate material and layout.

  1. Driveway Edging

The best way to prevent your driveway asphalt from crumbling is – “Driveway Edging”. When positioned side-to-side along the driveway perimeter, they add a touch of distinction by protecting the vulnerable edges from eroding or being split apart by shoot of grass. One of the most popular choices to edge the driveways is brick edging. It not only protects your asphalt from crumbling but also increases the aesthetic appeal of your property.

In A Nutshell:

When properly laid and maintained the asphalt driveways can last up to 30 years and even longer. However, the product quality and workmanship need to be of the highest standard to ensure the longevity of the asphalt. Another proven way to ensure the longevity of the asphalt is driveway edging.

Although some people consider asphalt paving as a DIY Project, this is not the best choice. They are not equipped with the specialised skills, equipment and knowledge to properly lay asphalt. Hiring a professional contractor can help you choose the right type of asphalt and lay your driveways in a most professional and durable way.

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