Improving the appearance of your place of business, creating a convenient passage from car to entrance for your customers, and removing liabilities are major factors in maintaining any asphalt surface.

Taking care of your parking lot or driveway involves a regular cycle of sealcoating, sealing cracks and, possibly, patching a few potholes. Maintenance should be performed approximately every 4 years.

Be careful when choosing the type of sealcoating to be done. Some contractors actually apply a "homemade" sealcoat produced in their own backyard. You are better off to use a product from a leading producer to assure a standard of quality to get the job done right.

There are also various methods of application for sealcoating. Unfortunately, many contractors have switched to the spray application for ease of work. But the spray application tends to go down very thin and won't acheive a proper seal, nor does it last very long. The "gravity-fed" application is far superior. The sealcoat is actually poured onto the asphalt surface and brushed to a smooth finish.

Plan your budget to take care of the regular cost of maintenance. Remember, once your parking lot or driveway is over 20/25 years old, you are probably going to have to finance the installation of a completely new surface.

Take 5 minutes to go outside to your parking lot or driveway and ask yourself the questions below. The result might surprise you:

The parking lot at my residence or business shows signs of

Thin cracks, 1/4 or less in width?

Wide cracks, 1/4 or more in width?

Sections or patches of extensive cracking, Webbing or Alligator Skin Cracking?

Oxidation, the surface appears dry, exposed and unprotected?

Small potholes, 12" in diameter or less? Large potholes, larger than 12" in diameter?

Raveling, the surface is covered in fine gravel? Pitting, thumbnail-sized holes, 1/4 deep?

Center areas have collapsed or sunk?

Sections of asphalt are breaking away?

The edges of the parking lot are breaking away?

Faded parking stripes and/or crosshatching?

If you found one or more of the problems listed above, your parking lot could be in need of maintenance. Proper maintenance will stop the deterioration and save you a lot of money in the long run.

This article was written by Clay Jordan, owner and manager of Central Paving, Inc. in Phoenix, AZ. - www.centralpavingworks.com