Methods For Cracked Parking Lot Asphalt Paving Repair
If your parking lot has a lot of cracks in it, talk to a paving contractor about your options. As long as the asphalt is on a solid base and there aren't serious problems with drainage, the contractor can probably repair the cracks and save you from having to put in a new lot. Here's an overview of how a cracked parking lot asphalt paving repair can be done.
The Condition Of The Cracks Is Assessed
The width of the cracks matters when it comes to asphalt crack repair. The longevity of the repair method is also considered since a parking lot gets a lot of traffic and you will want the repair material to last as long as possible. Weather conditions come into play too since repairing cracks in cold weather can be challenging. It may even be necessary to use a temporary repair method until the weather warms up.
Small Cracks Can Be Filled
A filler might be used on small cracks. The filler is a flexible material that moves with the asphalt. The top is usually sealed to keep the filler in. Filler isn't usually the longest-lasting repair method, so a contractor might want to resurface the lot if there are a lot of small cracks.
Resurfacing might also involve milling away the surface of the asphalt to get rid of some of the cracks and then pouring new asphalt over the parking lot. This not only fills cracks, but it can also give the parking lot a new surface so it looks new.
Large Cracks Can Be Patched
Wide cracks and holes can often be patched up by cleaning out the cracks and then pouring hot asphalt over them. The asphalt fills the holes or cracks and then it's compacted to make the surface of the parking lot smooth. This might be a good repair option since the patch covers as large an area as needed and makes repairs go fast.
Infrared Patching Works In Cold Weather
Infrared patching can work in different kinds of weather. With this, the paving contractor heats up the damaged area of the asphalt so the asphalt gets soft. Then patch material is blended in and compacted. This makes it possible to patch asphalt in colder weather so holes and big cracks can be filled right away before they become a liability. However, this type of repair may not be suitable for all parking lots, and if the lot is in poor shape, the repairs might still be done as a temporary repair.
Alligator Cracks May Need To Be Removed
Cracks that look like an alligator's back are usually signs of damage to the base under the cracks. When that's the case, the alligator cracks need to be dug up and removed. When the asphalt is gone, the base can be repaired and compacted. Then hot asphalt can be patched in the area and compacted. Alligator cracks may be confined to a single area of your lot where there is a drainage issue, and by removing and patching the area, you can avoid putting in an entirely new lot.
This cracked parking lot asphalt paving repair is more involved than simple crack filling. When cracks and holes aren't repaired right away, the risk of alligator cracks increases. That's why you should have cracks in your parking lot repaired as soon as you can.
