Sunday, 9 March 2014

Install Paved Driveways With Help Of Asphalt Company Maryland Area

By Jaclyn Hurley


Constructing asphalt driveways helps add character to your business or home. Customers want to see well-landscaped environment when they visit your business. With well-tilled gardens, clean lawns, and properly constructed and maintained parking lots and driveways, you can grab the attention of customers and visitors to your property. However, all this is determined by the kind of asphalt company Maryland area you deal with.

The asphaltic material is composed of rock particles or the aggregate stones, the asphalt cement, and sand. This mixture can last for an extended period when laid down properly. The right mixture and compaction has to be applied to get quality structure. Newly constructed asphalt will be flexible because it retains most of the lighter hydrocarbon oils, which form part of the DNA structure of the materials.

The foundation of asphaltic structures like driveways and parking lot is made of gravel stones. The stones are made to provide stability within the structure and prevent premature failure. If the base cannot support heavy weights like vehicles, the structure is likely to come down crumbling. Additionally, if the base is unstable, there may be uneven movements that can lead to depression and upheavals.

An asphalt material is composed of sand, rock particles or aggregate stones, and the asphalt cement that holds the materials together. This kind of cement material is flexible and durable. With a new asphalt material, it has greater flexibility and it expands and contracts evenly without undergoing a lot of structural stress.

The outer surface of asphaltic materials is vulnerable to effects of sunlight and water. The ultraviolet rays from sunlight increase the rate of oxidation meaning that the material dries up fast than intended. Usually, asphalt undergoes a natural oxidizing process that lasts its lifetime. This means that, if the process of oxidizing is accelerated, the material will age fast and fail prematurely.

Naturally, asphaltic material cures and dries slowly with time. In fact, it undergoes an oxidation process in the rest of its life. As the molecules seek for an equilibrium state, they shuffle and rearrange themselves. This process of oxidation happens in lifetime until it is complete, and this is when the life of the material ends.

Before sealing, the new asphaltic material has to cure and dry out the excess oils. Applying sealing products in an uncured material will not adhere well to the surface. If the surface is sealed too quickly, the hydrocarbon oils will make the materials to be too flexible. Applying a sealant product on driveways before the blacktop cures makes the material to be too flexible. This means that it will show greater marks over time.

You will need about 6 to 12 months before the new blacktop cures properly to allow for seal coating. If you apply a seal coat too quickly, the surface will be too flexible, and it may form highly visible marks over time. When paving the driveways, you need to put at least two coats of quality sealer and the process is repeated after every 2 to 5 years. If you take good care of your asphaltic pavement, it will definitely add character to your home or business.




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