The Asphalt Kingdom Blog

What's in an Asphalt Pavement?

To better understand asphalt and how weather can impact it, let's discuss what's in an asphalt pavement first.

1. Alligator cracking is one of the most common types of damage you see in asphalt

You've definitely seen them before on your own or on other people's asphalt. Extensive cracks on a driveway or parking lot that resemble the skin of an alligator or a crocodile.

Potholes. They don't just ruin parking lots and driveways. They are also a hazard to you, your family, or customers. Potholes can damage cars, injure someone, and are very costly to property owners if neglected. 

Potholes are the first sign there's something wrong with a driveway or parking lot, and you need to address this immediately. Planning to fix it on your own or have it fixed? Then check out this handy guide on how to fill a pothole the easy way.

Planning to have a driveway installed in your new home? Or have your old and damaged driveway demolished to give way to a new one? Are you torn between an asphalt driveway or a concrete one?

In this blog, we're going to discuss the pros and cons of asphalt and concrete as driveway materials so you can choose which one's the best for you. Let's get started.

Homeowners' associations, or HOAs, are a relatively new invention. The first homeowners' associations sprouted around the 1950s. But it wasn't until the 1960s and the '70s that the number of HOAs around the country skyrocketed.

Asphalt pavements generally last anywhere between 10 to 30 years when installed correctly. But rainwater, sunlight, motor oil, and heavy foot/vehicular traffic can drastically cut down your parking lot or driveway's lifespan. 

Parking lots. You might think they're one of the safest places on your property (cars are mostly stationary and people usually drive at lower speeds), but they're not.

According to the National Safety Council, parking lots are some of the riskiest areas for drivers and pedestrians alike. The main cause of accidents is distracted driving, but many mishaps can also be attributed to damaged and improperly maintained parking lots.

These accidents are costly not only for you and your patrons. Worse, they can also cause injuries or even deaths.

There's nothing much you can do with distracted driving, but pavement safety is something you can control and should be your priority. Here are four asphalt maintenance tasks you can do to prevent parking lot accidents.

As a business or property owner/manager, you always want to make sure that your premises are safe for your employees and your customers. So you ensure that your building follows the city's fire code, the elevators are always working, and that all tripping and fall hazards are eliminated.

Temperatures are dropping steadily, and you’ve probably put your crack repair and sealcoating equipment and supplies in storage by now. You've been stenciling and line striping indoors, but outdoor line striping is definitely out of the question because the ground is covered with snow.