An asphalt parking lot requires regular maintenance. Doing so offers an attractive welcome mat for your business and can increase the value of your property. Regular asphalt maintenance also provides significant long-term benefits, such as extending the life expectancy, adding curb appeal, and providing a safe space for vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
The key to a clean & attractive asphalt parking lot is consistency!
Regardless of the shape or size of your asphalt parking lot, it requires the same maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape. Toste Construction is here to help you understand the four simple steps of asphalt maintenance.
1. Prep
Before beginning any type of work on your asphalt, you will want to block the area off that is going to have maintenance done. Be sure to communicate to any tenants, customers, or users of the parking lot that spaces will be limited. If your lot is large enough, you may consider only doing half at a time to provide uninterrupted service.
Any successful project, whether it be asphalt, roofing, or painting work, begins with proper preparation. For any asphalt maintenance, this means clearing the surface of debris, removing any loose asphalt, and stains are properly treated. Preparing the surface will ensure that the sealant can properly bond with the pavement when applied. Failing to properly prepare the surface could result in poor results from any work you have done.
2. Crack Filling & Pothole Repair
Once the parking lot has been prepped, the next step of asphalt maintenance is filling any cracks and repairing potholes. Cracks create a tripping hazard for pedestrian traffic and allow moisture to find its way into the asphalt. When water intrudes, it will eventually turn into potholes.
Regular maintenance can help prevent extensive damage. Having cracks filled and sealed will help prevent further cracking. Patching potholes now will also prevent further damage or even complete replacement of the parking lot. If you are unsure about the proper maintenance needs, contact your local asphalt contractor.
3. Sealcoating
Crack filling and pothole repair fixes precious damage. To help prevent future damage to your asphalt, sealcoating application is required at least every three years. Sealcoating includes adding a layer of sealant to the surface of your asphalt. It will help prevent moisture intrusion, damage from UV rays and chemicals while restoring the rich, dark color of asphalt.
A regularly scheduled sealcoating application can more than double the lifespan of an asphalt parking lot. It is also extremely cost effective to have the asphalt sealcoated versus replacing the asphalt as it is starts to fail. The earlier an asphalt sealer can be applied in the life cycle of asphalt the better.
4. Line Striping
Every parking lot requires line striping so that pedestrian and vehicle traffic safely navigate through the lot. After the sealcoating is applied, new lines will need to be painted on the surface. Line striping and traffic markings provide organized traffic flow and clearly defined parking areas. A clean parking lot with long lasting traffic paints add curb appeal to your property.
An effective parking striping layout consists of bright, durable line striping for stalls, arrows for entrances and exits, arrows for directional flow, handicap parking spaces, clearly marked fire lane areas, and more. Typically a professional is needed to paint the lines on a parking lot. If you just had your surface sealcoated, talk with your contractor on fresh line striping.
Lake Norman Asphalt Pros
If you are located in the greater Lake Norman area and in need of professional asphalt maintenance, contact Toste Construction today. Our team is here to help you establish a proper maintenance plan. Call our office to schedule a FREE estimate and ensure your parking lot is in great hands!
Toste Construction specializes in sealcoating and crack filling to ensure you and your customers have a smooth surface to drive on. We are your Mooresville asphalt and pavement maintenance company. Our services include asphalt sealcoating, striping, patching, pothole repair and crack filling for both residential and commercial projects throughout western North Carolina.