There is a saying to the effect that a talented professional can make the difficult look easy. However, most professionals know that making it look easy is actually hard work. When installing asphalt paving, talented, experienced contractors can make it appear effortless. What most people do not see is all the hard sitework that the contractor did before the rolling machine made its final pass.

What Do Contractors Consider Asphalt Paving Sitework?

Not all Houston paving contractors have identical definitions of sitework. One paving company might include every step of the process except the actual installation of the asphalt courses. A different asphalt company might include everything except the final roll. Despite potential variances, most asphalt contractors consider site clearing, sloping and grading, and subbase and base preparation as sitework. Many Houston parking lot paving companies also include the installation of the asphalt courses, including the binder and topcoat.

How Do Paving Companies Clear a Site to Construct an Asphalt Pavement?

The paving contractor may need to demolish an existing pavement, obsolete structure, or fence, then haul away the rubble. On raw land, the contractor may need to clear away problematic trees or shrubs. The methods that the contractor will use depend on the type of obstacles that the contractor must remove.

What Do Paving Contractors Mean When They Discuss Slope and Grade?

Most people, including many contractors consider slope and grade to be interchangeable terms, and they both relate to how level a surface is. A Houston parking lot paving company would likely express grade as a percentage. For example, a completely level pavement would have a grade of 0%. The slope is a ratio that expresses how much the surface rises over a specified number of units. To illustrate, if a pavement rises one foot every 10 feet, it would have a slope of 10:1. It may be simpler to look at grade as the longitudinal expression, and to think of the slope as the perpendicular expression. The important thing to remember is that both the grade and slope must be correct if the pavement is to shed runoff properly.

What Is the Meaning of Subbase and Base Preparation for Asphalt Paving?

If you want to keep your paving maintenance and repair bills to a minimum, you must ensure that your contractor constructs a strong supporting foundation. Most foundations consist of three parts: the subgrade, the subbase, and the base. The subgrade is the ground upon which the contractor will construct the pavement. After compacting the subgrade, the contractor will construct a subbase out of stones, rocks, or gravel, then compact it. After compacting the subbase, your Houston paving contractor may conduct a proof roll. The purpose of the proof roll is to verify the structural integrity of the subbase. The third part of the foundation is the base. The contractor will also use aggregates to construct the base. However, unlike the other two parts of the foundation, the contractor will install an asphalt binder over the base. Your contractor may refer to the binder as the base coat.

What Happens After a Houston Parking Lot Paving Company Installs the Base Coat?

After completing the base coat, the asphalt company can begin placing the asphalt. It will require several lifts to build up the pavement to the desired thickness. The contractor’s crew must compact each lift before the asphalt cools excessively. The last lift will be the topcoat, which your contractor may call the surface course or finish course. Your contractor may need to smooth transitions between your new pavement and existing pavements. The last step in the process is the aptly named final roll.

If You Have More Questions, Contact the Experts at Marathon Solutions Group

Since starting our company, we have earned an exceptional reputation for our commitment to delivering exemplary workmanship and service on every project. Marathon Solutions offers asphalt paving and asphalt resurfacing, concrete installation, pavement markings and marking removal, asphalt milling, bollards, thermoplastic markings, concrete repairs, parking lot striping, traffic signs, asphalt crack repairs, sealcoating, and parking lot maintenance. For a free job quote, submit the online request form, email Sales@Marathon-Solutions.com, or call 800-879-1147.