Regardless of the type of pavement you need, you are probably going to ask your asphalt paving contractor for an estimate and the asphalt paving expectancy. There are many factors that can influence the life of an asphalt pavement. These include how much traffic it will receive, the type of vehicles it supports, and whether it is an overlay or a new construction. The quality of the installation also matters, and so does the maintenance that your pavement receives throughout its life. Assuming your new pavement or overlay is correctly installed and properly maintained, you can refer to the following information to find a rough estimate.
What Is the Estimated Life of Asphalt Paving for the Following Types of Pavements?
Even within the same category, there can be significant variations in usage and care between pavements. Therefore, paving contractors typically state the estimated life of an asphalt pavement as a range.
- Asphalt paving overlays usually have a life of 10 to 15 years when installed on a parking lot or busy thoroughfare. An overlay on a residential driveway can last between 12 and 15 years, and the life can be 20 years or more in some cases.
- New residential driveways typically have a usual life of 20 to 25 years. However, many well-maintained driveways have lasted more than 30 years before requiring an overlay.
- The asphalt paving life expectancy for highways and interstates usually need to be resurfaced after 10 or 15 years. This is because they must support a high number of both passenger vehicles and heavyweight trucks.
- Residential streets that support primarily passenger vehicles have an average life of 15 to 20 years.
- The asphalt paving life expectancy for parking lots that only support an average number of passenger vehicles typically have a life of 20 to 25 years. Mixed-use lots that support heavyweight trucks as well as passenger vehicles normally last between 15 and 20 years.
What Are Some Tips for Maximizing the Life of Paving?
The first step is to choose a reputable asphalt paving company to install your pavement or overlay. There is a direct correlation between the life of an asphalt pavement and the quality of its installation. After installation, you can help ensure the life of your pavement by taking the following steps.
- Sealcoating is an effective and economical way to protect your asphalt pavement from damage. You should have your contractor apply sealcoating as soon as the asphalt is sufficiently cured. Depending on whether it is an overlay or a new pavement, the thickness of the asphalt, the weather, and other factors, curing can take anywhere from two months to nine months. You will need additional applications every two to four years, depending on the schedule that your asphalt maintenance contractor recommended.
- Keep your pavement clean, especially while you are waiting for your initial sealcoating. Clean up any fluids that vehicles have dripped on your pavement, and remove piles of trash or dead vegetation.
- Do not overload your pavement. Deny access to heavier or more numerous vehicles than your pavement was designed to support.
- Conduct regular inspections of your pavement to identify any problems before they worsen. If cracks or potholes develop, have your contractor repair them immediately.
- Have your contractor inspect your catch basins, gutters, and drains annually to ensure that they are channeling runoff as they should. If there is a drainage problem, ask your contractor to correct the issue promptly.
Lay-N-Spray offers asphalt paving in Waycross, parking lot maintenance, asphalt sealcoating, parking lot striping, asphalt crack repairs, concrete installation, asphalt repairs, and concrete repairs to customers in northern Florida and southeast Georgia. We have earned an exemplary reputation for craftsmanship, professionalism, and customer service since starting in the construction industry in 2006. If you are interested in receiving a free job quote, you can submit your request online by completing our form. You can also call us at 912-816-4463, if you prefer, or you can send an email to Info@LNSPavementGA.com.