Paving

What Is Hot Asphalt?

It's a mixture of aggregate (stone and sand of various sizes) and liquid asphalt cement mixed together under exacting conditions at a Hot Mix facility. It has many unique properties of interest to you, such as being available for use immediately after the pavement is placed and rolled, with no curing time required. Not only is it durable, long lasting and easy to maintain, the flexibility of the pavement enables it to easily conform to varying terrain features; and, being flexible, it resists ground movements (freeze-thaw actions) that could affect rigid pavements.

There are many varieties of asphalt mixtures, each formulated for a specific purpose. Some provide a smoother and more uniformly textured surface than do others and may be more desirable, particularly if you also intend to use a portion of your driveway as a play area (such as a basketball court, etc..). Consult your asphalt contractor for recommendations based on your own unique needs.

Full-Depth Hot Asphalt Driveways

Full-Depth Hot Mix driveways are totally constructed of Hot Mix from your subgrade up, rather than having a stone base with an asphalt layer on top. Full-Depth driveways have the added advantages of being more resistant to freeze-thaw actions and poor drainage problems by keeping water out of the driveway base and providing greater uniform pavement strength.

What Are Your Driveway Needs?

Before you start asking around for bids on building your driveway, you have to answer a few questions in your own mind first so that all contractors will be bidding on the same job. Otherwise, you may get a wide range of price quotations that could be confusing as to what you are getting.

One of the questions you have to answer is what type of vehicles will be using your driveway? Heavier vehicles such as trucks require heavier pavement construction.

Calling In A Contractor To Bid

A driveway contractor can be found through several sources:

• Look in the yellow pages of your telephone directory (a typical heading might be "Asphalt and Asphalt Products" or "Paving Contractors"
• Check with some of your friends or neighbors who may have had similar work done recently
• Ask some of your local builders or others in the construction industry who can make recommendations
• Check with the Better Business Bureau for a list of BBB members in this type of industry
• Call two or three contractors for bids, so that you have a range of prices to choose from
• When the contractor or their representative comes by, go over the entire job with them so that you both know exactly what is to be done and who will do it, then ask for the specific items in writing

A good contractor will do some probing to see what your soil conditions are. If your driveway is an overlay job - the placing of a new surface on an already constructed asphalt or concrete base - the contractor will only have to check out any bad spots that have developed in the old pavement and their causes before putting down the overlay.

When a new driveway is being built, it is important that correct drainage be figured, that any low or soft spots be corrected, and that a soil sterilizer be applied to prevent grass or weeds from germinating and growing up through the pavement at a later date.

Saving Tip: If you can get several neighbors to have their driveways paved at the same time you are going to have yours done, you can save money because the contractor can spread the cost of moving and setting up over more than just one job.

Overlaying A Present Driveway

If you already have a driveway constructed of asphalt or concrete and it's in bad shape, an overlay (the putting down of a new surface) of Hot Mix Asphalt will make your driveway like new again.

Prior to the overlay, it is important that all holes and trouble spots be patched and compacted correctly; otherwise your troubles may carry through to the new surface. Additional thickness may be required depending on the thickness and condition of the existing driveway.

If your driveway has a gate, check to see that the overlay will not affect the opening and closing of the gate. If it is not affected, get a clear understanding of who is responsible for re-hanging the gate. Similarly, if there are surface boxes (water, valve, etc) or drainage gratings in your driveway, check if the contract includes re-leveling of them.

Beware Of The "Bargain" Driveway

One fine day you could get a telephone call with the voice at the other end announcing they will be in your neighborhood within the next day or so and have a special "advertising" or "demonstration" job they would like to do on your driveway at a "terrific savings" to you; or, a pleasant chap may stop at your door in a beat-up pickup truck and tell you he is doing a number of jobs in the neighborhood and can therefore offer you a "savings" on your driveway also.

Before You Sign Any Contracts or Hand Over Any Money

• Contractors rarely offer a bid unless asked to do so
• Ask contractors for references of any job that you can check
• See if you can locate the paver or their firms in the phone directory (if they're not listed, they may be just passing through your town or using a telephone answering service)
• Ask for bank references

This information is general in nature and is not intended as a reliability report on any company, product, or service.