asphalt repair & maintenance: do it yourself vs hiring a contractor
TRANSCRIPT
Do -It-YourselfvsHiring a Contractor
Asphalt Repair & Maintenance:
2. Causes of Asphalt qqDamageOverview3. Asphalt Repair & qqMaintenance Tasks
4. Summary
1. Typical Pavement qqStructure
Liquid Asphalt/Binder
Image Credit: HAPI
Aggregate/Crushed Rock
Image Credit: State Testing
Asphalt Plant
Image Credit: HAPI
Asphalt Pavement aka
Asphalt Concrete
Image Credit: HAPI
Pavement Structure
Image Credit: HAPI
Pavement Structure
common causes of asphalt damagehere in Hawaii.5
There are
UV Rays1.
UV rays break down the binder that holds the rock, sand, & aggregates together.
Oxidation2.
OxidationThe interaction between oxygen molecules and all the different substances they may contact.
OxidationIn general, oxygen molecules cause asphalt molecules to bond tighter, creating a stiffer, more brittle pavement.
OXIDIZED ASPHALT IS GRAY
NEW ASPHALT IS BLACK
Water3.
Image Credit: yaybiscuits123
If water is allowed to penetrate into your base
through cracks, your asphalt becomes more prone to cracks and potholes.
Underground drainage issues can also cause damage to your
base course.
Traffic Load4.
Heavy vehicles like garbage trucks put enough stress on your asphalt to cause cracks.
Poor compaction can also cause loading issues.
Oil Stains5.
Oil stains eat away and softens your asphalt until the pavement cannot carry traffic load.
What to do?
Here’s 6 asphalt repair & maintenance options
and we’ll compare DIY options to hiring a pro.
Sealcoating1.
A sealcoat acts as a barrier to protect asphalt from
oxidation, UV rays, oils, water penetration, & salts.
Before sealing your asphalt, the surface must be prepped.
Debris must be removed from the surface.
Vegetation must also be removed from the asphalt.
Large areas that need prep can be a pain unless you have special equipment.
Applying the sealcoat yourself is manageable for small areas.
But imagine applying a
sealcoat to a large area.
Specialized equipment can make the job easier.
Crack Fill2.
Filling cracks in your asphalt will prevent water penetration.
There are two types of crack fill:
COLD & HOT.
Image Credit: Home Depot
Cold crack fill is relatively easy to apply and requires minimal equipment.
Image Credit: Home Depot
DIY is a possibility
depending on lineal feet.
Hot crack fill is more pliable than cold crack fill and will penetrate the crack better.
It also sets quicker– allowing vehicles to drive
over sooner.
However, hot crack fill must be heated to
300°F-400°F before being applied.
Hiring a contractor may be more convenient for larger scopes of work.
Pothole Repair3.
Repairing a pothole will prevent additional water from penetrating your asphalt.
Pothole patches will “plug” the hole.
But higher quality patches will also prevent water
penetration into the asphalt.
Pothole patches are DIY and provide temporary relief.
However, a pothole is a result of a base course failure.
Patches do not address the base course.
Image Credit: HAPI
A permanent solution would require hiring a contractor.
The contractor would melt/soften
the asphalt.
Then dig out the asphalt.
And replace with new asphalt.
And finally recompact.
Remove Oil Stains
4.
DIY oil stain removers “suck” up the oil from
the asphalt.
Apply, give time to dry, then scrub off.
However, drying time can vary from
5 to 8 hours.
And the longer oil stains go untreated, the more difficult they are to remove.
Hiring a contractor can expedite the process.
Using the same method as permanently repairing a pothole.
5.Traffic Load
DIY- Move dumpsters near your parking lot entrance to prevent garbage trucks from entering your parking lot.
Or you can hire a contractor to install a concrete pad near your
dumpster to carry the load of garbage trucks.
6.Striping & Marking
Using paint brushes and rollers might be easy enough if you
were touching up old lines.
Stencils are also useful for
DIYers.
But if you’re starting from scratch, that’s when hiring a contractor may be helpful.
Striping straight lines with a brush or roller can be difficult…
Striping straight lines with a brush or roller can be difficult…
…and may not look as professional.
Applying straight lines using a striping machine is easier than using a brush.
Also, you need to make sure you are following ADA parking lot guidelines.
For example, you need the appropriate amount of Accessible Parking Spaces.
And you need the correct signage.
In large scopes of work, hiring a contractor would be beneficial.
In summary:
DIY Hiring a Contractor
Sealcoating - Small driveways - Large projects
Crack Fill - Cold Crack Fill - Hot Crack Fill
Pothole Repair - Various Patches - Repair Base Course
Oil Stain Removal - Various Stain Removers - Repair Surface
Traffic Load - Move Garbage Containers - Install Concrete Pad
Striping & Marking - Touching up old lines - Restripe
Any questions?
Mahalo!
