Having your new building's parking lot paved is a large expenditure, so it is vital that you get the best results for your money. To this end, there are certain things that you can do to ensure that your new parking lot will look wonderful and last for many years to come.

Follow these tips to guarantee your parking lot installation project goes off without a hitch:

Have the Parking Lot Paved on a Dry, Warm Day

You may not realize that installing asphalt pavement requires both a warm and a dry day. If it is too cold outside, then your parking lot's asphalt will not properly cure and dry. The same is true if it is too humid or raining; the excess moisture will prevent proper drying and curing.

When asphalt does not cure properly, it becomes brittle as it ages. Brittle asphalt will be prone to develop cracks and potholes as vehicles drive over it.

To ensure that your new parking lot will cure and dry correctly, never have asphalt installed when the weather is cold or wet. It just isn't worth the risk.

Never Drive On Freshly Installed Asphalt Pavement

When your company's asphalt contractor finishes installing your parking lot, then they will go over its surface with a large steamroller. The steamroller will leave the surface of the pavement very flat and uniform. To keep this nice flat surface, you should insist that no one drives on the pavement for a couple of days post-installation in order to give the asphalt time to correctly cure and dry. 

While passenger cars generally will not damage new asphalt because they are fairly light, heavy trucks and SUVs can cause ruts in the parking lot's surface. These ruts lead to water collection spots that can then cause the asphalt to degrade. Degraded asphalt will crack and form potholes as the years go by and traffic drives over the surface of the parking lot.

Be Cautious of Asphalt Contractors Who Contact You

Finally, the asphalt industry has scamming contractors just like any other industry. Many of these contractors use substandard asphalt products and disappear if you have any problems that you need them to come back and remediate. For this reason, you should avoid any contractor who contacts you about installing your new parking lot. When you are ready to select an asphalt contractor, you should get multiple quotes from reputable companies in your local area. 

For professional asphalt services, contact a company such as Asphalt Industries LLC.

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