This winter season came in like a lamb and is on track to go out like a lion.  With all the snow and ice that the Northeast has experienced, many businesses and residences alike have already noticed cracks, sink holes and potholes in their once pristine asphalt driveways and parking lots.

With spring soon approaching, now is the time to think about setting up an appointment with a company like Millenium Stoneworks who can provide expert repairs and maintenance on your existing paved surfaces, as well as new construction paving.  Millenium has been paving the way in New Jersey and Staten Island for 25 years, with customer satisfaction as a top priority.

If you are looking to have your driveway or parking lot repaired or repaved, no job is too big or too small for Millenium.  Our expertise and dedication to quality construction allows us to provide our customers with workmanship that is unsurpassed.  We know that delivering a long-lasting, functional and aesthetically-pleasing pavement takes skill, well-maintained equipment and high quality materials.

If you, on the other hand, are looking to perform the work yourself, make sure that your finished pavement will slope at least 1/4 inch per foot to ensure longevity and avoid drainage issues on newly paved surfaces.  If you are repaving a driveway and it is virtually level from top to bottom, install a crown in the driveway, allowing the middle to be slightly higher than the edges.  This will prohibit water from pooling on top of the driveway and weakening the foundation.

When starting a paving project from scratch, it’s important to make sure that the subgrade is strong enough and drains well enough to support the load you expect to carry.  Poorly drained and weak subgrade will eventually settle and will easily form depressions.  Make sure all topsoil is removed and that you are ready for the foundation.  A good foundation is the key to a crack-resistant surface and is standardly made of crushed gravel from 6’ to 10’ in depth. The amount of gravel needed depends on the strength of the subgrade and what types of vehicles you expect to be resting on the surface.  The heavier the vehicle, the sturdier the base should be.

Now you should be ready for the finishing layer. There are different types of asphalt paving materials.  The type needed will depend on the strength and finish you desire.  The larger the aggregate (rocks) in the mixture, the stronger the finished project will be; the smaller the aggregate, the smoother the finish will be.  To get both strength and a smooth finish, it may be recommended to use two layers of material with a tack coat in between to bond the two layers together.  The bottom layer with larger stones will promote strength while the top coat with smaller stones will create the smooth finish you want.

Once the asphalt is applied, you should allow ample time for the area to fully dry and cure before applying a sealer.  It is usually recommended to wait a year (at least 6 months including one summer season) and there is no need to re-seal your driveway each year.  Sealer is a coating similar to paint – you don’t want to add too many coats or it will start to crack and peel.  Sealer should last about two-five years on average, but you should reseal when you can clearly see that the old sealer has worn.

Your new surface is now ready for use.  Asphalt driveways typically last 10 to 30 years, depending on the quality of the construction, climate, usage and how well it has been maintained.  Parking lots and surfaces that see much heavier traffic will not last nearly as long.  The better care you take of your surface, however, the longer it will remain in service.

For more information about asphalt and paving services offered in Colts Neck, Holmdel, and Rumson NJ and Staten Island by Millenium Stone Works, call 732-519-1112 or 347-723-6990.