Asphalt Repair
You built your asphalt pavement to serve a function. You may have a parking lot for lightweight vehicles, a street that is used by a high number of heavy trucks, or another type of pavement. Regardless of its intended use, your pavement is constantly exposed to the elements. It is also at risk of incurring damage from the vehicles using it. Even if your paving contractor did an exceptional job of constructing your pavement, in all likelihood, it will need an asphalt repair at some point in its life.
What Is an Asphalt Repair?
In the broadest sense, contractors classify their procedures as maintenance, paving, or repair projects.
- Maintenance procedures are those that are routinely executed to prevent damage or protect against unnecessary damage. They may also provide safety or aesthetic benefits. Crack repairs, asphalt sealcoating, pavement cleaning, parking lot striping, traffic signage, and pavement markings are examples of maintenance procedures.
- Paving projects are primarily those that build or reconstruct an asphalt pavement. However, asphalt overlays can be classified as either a paving or repair project. It depends on the reason why the pavement requires resurfacing as well as the area involved.
- Asphalt repairs are typically procedures that are needed to remediate damage that an existing pavement has incurred. A pothole repair is the most common type of asphalt repair. However, there are other forms of damage or distress that may require an asphalt repair.
What Are the Most Common Methods of Asphalt Repair?
Patching is the most commonly used repair technique, and there are three different types of patches. In some cases, resurfacing or overlaying can also be considered a repair method.
- Skin patches are reserved for damage that is limited to the top inch or two of the pavement’s surface. A shallow pothole or a minor depression could be candidates for a skin patch. However, although inexpensive, skin patches normally have quite brief lives.
- Partial-depth patches are typically used to repair damage that goes more than two inches below the surface, but it does not go deep enough to affect the foundation. An area of the pavement that is slightly larger than the damage is cut out, then fresh asphalt paving is placed and compacted. This method is often ideal for repairing potholes that result when automotive fluids are not removed before they deteriorate the pavement.
- Full-depth patching techniques are almost identical to partial-depth patching techniques. However, all layers of the asphalt are removed so that repairs can be made to the foundation before new asphalt paving is installed. Full-depth patches can be a possible solution for small areas of alligator cracking, deep potholes, and edge cracking.
- An asphalt overlay can also be used as a repair technique under certain circumstances. An overlay involves grinding away the asphalt with a milling machine to remove a specific depth of pavement that contains the damage. New asphalt paving is then installed and compacted. Common types of damage that might be suitable candidates for resurfacing include damage from a fire, some instances of rutting or raveling, and damage from an accident. However, for an overlay to be successful, the foundation must be in relatively undamaged condition.
At JSC Asphalt Care, we specialize in providing asphalt repair services to Austin, Tx. We offer asphalt repairs, parking lot maintenance, asphalt paving, parking lot signage, speed bump installations, asphalt sealcoating, and parking lot striping. We have an immaculate reputation for craftsmanship, service, professionalism, and integrity. Fill out our online request form to receive a free quote, or call us at 512-653-6526 to discuss your asphalt needs in more detail.