asphalt repair & maintenance: do it yourself vs hiring a contractor

Do -It-YourselfvsHiring a Contractor

Asphalt Repair & Maintenance:

2. Causes of Asphalt qqDamageOverview3. Asphalt Repair & qqMaintenance Tasks

4. Summary

1. Typical Pavement qqStructure

Liquid Asphalt/Binder

Image Credit: HAPI

Aggregate/Crushed Rock

Image Credit: State Testing

Asphalt Plant

Image Credit: HAPI

Asphalt Pavement aka

Asphalt Concrete

Image Credit: HAPI

Pavement Structure

Image Credit: HAPI

Pavement Structure

common causes of asphalt damagehere in Hawaii.5

There are

UV Rays1.

UV rays break down the binder that holds the rock, sand, & aggregates together.

Oxidation2.

OxidationThe interaction between oxygen molecules and all the different substances they may contact.

OxidationIn general, oxygen molecules cause asphalt molecules to bond tighter, creating a stiffer, more brittle pavement.

OXIDIZED ASPHALT IS GRAY

NEW ASPHALT IS BLACK

Water3.

Image Credit: yaybiscuits123

If water is allowed to penetrate into your base

through cracks, your asphalt becomes more prone to cracks and potholes.

Underground drainage issues can also cause damage to your

base course.

Traffic Load4.

Heavy vehicles like garbage trucks put enough stress on your asphalt to cause cracks.

Poor compaction can also cause loading issues.

Oil Stains5.

Oil stains eat away and softens your asphalt until the pavement cannot carry traffic load.

What to do?

Here’s 6 asphalt repair & maintenance options

and we’ll compare DIY options to hiring a pro.

Sealcoating1.

A sealcoat acts as a barrier to protect asphalt from

oxidation, UV rays, oils, water penetration, & salts.

Before sealing your asphalt, the surface must be prepped.

Debris must be removed from the surface.

Vegetation must also be removed from the asphalt.

Large areas that need prep can be a pain unless you have special equipment.

Applying the sealcoat yourself is manageable for small areas.

But imagine applying a

sealcoat to a large area.

Specialized equipment can make the job easier.

Crack Fill2.

Filling cracks in your asphalt will prevent water penetration.

There are two types of crack fill:

COLD & HOT.

Image Credit: Home Depot

Cold crack fill is relatively easy to apply and requires minimal equipment.

Image Credit: Home Depot

DIY is a possibility

depending on lineal feet.

Hot crack fill is more pliable than cold crack fill and will penetrate the crack better.

It also sets quicker– allowing vehicles to drive

over sooner.

However, hot crack fill must be heated to

300°F-400°F before being applied.

Hiring a contractor may be more convenient for larger scopes of work.

Pothole Repair3.

Repairing a pothole will prevent additional water from penetrating your asphalt.

Pothole patches will “plug” the hole.

But higher quality patches will also prevent water

penetration into the asphalt.

Pothole patches are DIY and provide temporary relief.

However, a pothole is a result of a base course failure.

Patches do not address the base course.

Image Credit: HAPI

A permanent solution would require hiring a contractor.

The contractor would melt/soften

the asphalt.

Then dig out the asphalt.

And replace with new asphalt.

And finally recompact.

Remove Oil Stains

4.

DIY oil stain removers “suck” up the oil from

the asphalt.

Apply, give time to dry, then scrub off.

However, drying time can vary from

5 to 8 hours.

And the longer oil stains go untreated, the more difficult they are to remove.

Hiring a contractor can expedite the process.

Using the same method as permanently repairing a pothole.

5.Traffic Load

DIY- Move dumpsters near your parking lot entrance to prevent garbage trucks from entering your parking lot.

Or you can hire a contractor to install a concrete pad near your

dumpster to carry the load of garbage trucks.

6.Striping & Marking

Using paint brushes and rollers might be easy enough if you

were touching up old lines.

Stencils are also useful for

DIYers.

But if you’re starting from scratch, that’s when hiring a contractor may be helpful.

Striping straight lines with a brush or roller can be difficult…

Striping straight lines with a brush or roller can be difficult…

…and may not look as professional.

Applying straight lines using a striping machine is easier than using a brush.

Also, you need to make sure you are following ADA parking lot guidelines.

For example, you need the appropriate amount of Accessible Parking Spaces.

And you need the correct signage.

In large scopes of work, hiring a contractor would be beneficial.

In summary:

DIY Hiring a Contractor

Sealcoating - Small driveways - Large projects

Crack Fill - Cold Crack Fill - Hot Crack Fill

Pothole Repair - Various Patches - Repair Base Course

Oil Stain Removal - Various Stain Removers - Repair Surface

Traffic Load - Move Garbage Containers - Install Concrete Pad

Striping & Marking - Touching up old lines - Restripe

Any questions?

Mahalo!

Mahalo!Feel free to contact me:

Cole MillareGP Maintenance Solutions808-275-5292CMillare@GPRoadwaySolutions.comBOOTH #336