When you are preparing for an asphalt paving project, you likely have several questions that you want to ask your contractor. Naturally, you want to know how much your project will cost, how long it will take, and what you need to do to prepare for it. You may also want to know how long your pavement or overlay will last. This answer to this last question will depend on factors that often vary from one pavement to the next. Even after considering the various factors, your contractor may only be able to offer you an estimated life expectancy.
What Factors Affect the Life Expectancy of Asphalt Paving?
When your asphalt paving company begins working on your quote, you will be asked a number of questions. Your answers will help your Birmingham asphalt paving contractor create the specifications for your project, which can assist in providing you with an estimated life expectancy for your pavement.
- On an average day, how many vehicles do you expect to drive or park on your pavement? High-traffic counts inflict more wear and stress on your pavement.
- What type of vehicles will use your pavement? Lightweight vehicles inflict less stress and wear on your pavement than buses, 18-wheelers, and other heavyweight vehicles.
- If you are installing an asphalt paving overlay, your contractor will ask you the age of your existing pavement. If your pavement deteriorated prematurely, your contractor will need to investigate the cause.
- Has the way you use your existing pavement changed during its lifetime? For example, is your pavement supporting heavier or more numerous vehicles than it was designed to bear? Whether you need an asphalt paving overlay or a pavement reconstruction, your insights can provide a clue as to why your existing pavement failed prematurely.
- Do you plan to be proactive about your asphalt maintenance? Parking lot asphalt paving companies know that proactive maintenance can dramatically increase the useful life of Birmingham paving.
What Are the Estimated Life Expectancies for the Different Asphalt Paving Projects?
After evaluating the various factors, your Birmingham asphalt paving contractor can provide you with an estimated life expectancy.
- Parking lot asphalt paving companies typically use an estimated life of 15 to 25 years. If the parking lot only allows passenger vehicles, the life expectancy is between 20 and 25 years with proper maintenance and timely repairs. A parking lot that supports both lightweight and heavyweight vehicles usually has a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years.
- An asphalt paving overlay normally has an estimated life expectancy of 10 to 15 years if it is properly installed and adequately maintained.
- Asphalt residential driveways have a typical life of 20 to 25 years. However, many well-maintained residential driveways have lasted more than 30 years.
- Roadways can have very different lifespans. Residential streets and many rural roads can last 20 to 30 years. Busy highways and interstates usually last 10 to 15 years before they must be resurfaced.
The Surface Masters, an experienced and highly regarded paving company, can answer any additional questions you might have about our asphalt paving services. In addition to offering asphalt paving and asphalt paving overlays, we offer milling and reclamation, sealcoating, asphalt repairs, crack sealing, pavement markings, and concrete and curbing repairs and installation. We have earned a noteworthy reputation for providing superior work and exceptional service at competitive rates. You can contact us to request a free quote by calling 470-557-8985, or you can submit our online form. If you prefer, you can email us at Info@TheSurfaceMasters.com.
