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Asphalt Paving Overlay Explained

Every industry has terms and acronyms that are used within the industry that may be familiar to people who work in that industry, but the definition of the term may not be clear to others outside of the industry. The paving industry isn’t excluded from using these terms and throwing them around!

A paving contractor may come to your facility and say he thinks your parking area needs to be “sealcoated”, which is a protective coating for your pavement, or that the your asphalt is “dishing”, which refers to the surface settling that results when a pothole repair mix is inadequately compacted.  Who knew, right? Well, in this article we’re going to give you some more details about asphalt paving overlay, which is a fairly common term in used by paving contractors.

What is an asphalt paving overlay?

Asphalt Paving OverlayWhen an asphalt contractor references an asphalt paving overlay, he is referring to the process of installing an additional layer of asphalt over an existing asphalt surface to cover imperfections. Overlays are commonly applied to pavement that has minor damage like light cracking, mild deterioration, or slightly sunken areas.

An asphalt overlay may be an ideal solution to repair your parking lots pavement surface if one or more of the following can be said:

1) A large undercut can be made.

2) The facility needs a lower cost solution than complete asphalt replacement.

3) The project needs to be done quickly.

How is an asphalt overlay constructed?

Depending on the specs of the particular jobsite, there may be different techniques; however, this project usually involved an asphaltic mill. This machine will shave the top of the asphalt surface down low enough so that when the new asphalt is installed it will be at the proper height for gutters, sidewalks, curbs or existing concrete pads.

Once the top layer or layers of asphalt are removed, any areas that are in exceptionally poor condition will be repaired.  By the way, this type of repair is called “base patching”.

A sweeping truck will clean the surface of loose debris and then a layer of adhesive will be applied to the prepared surface.

Your paving contractor will apply a “leveling course” of asphalt which helps re-grade and problems areas to fix any drainage issues.  And then the surface layer of your new asphalt pavement is applied.

How long should an asphalt overlay last?

Depending on usage, typical weather conditions and soil conditions, an asphalt overly should last approximately 7 to 12 years.  Its lifespan isn’t a long as a complete parking lot reconstruction with a new base course and asphalt though. A completely new installation can last as long as 15 to 20 years.

About ABC Paving and Sealcoating

With more than 20 years of experience, ABC Paving and Sealcoating is Florida’s leading paving contractor.  ABC Paving and Sealcoating provides commercial organizations with the highest level of customer service, professional workmanship and services including:  asphalt paving, asphalt repairs and prevention, pothole repairs, sealcoating, line striping and pavement marking, thermoplastic, crack filing, signs and safety devices, concrete sidewalks, concrete curbs, site preparation and signs and safety devices.  We use our experience and the latest equipment available to get the job done right the first time in a timely, cost effective manner.  For more information about ABC Paving and Sealcoating, visit our website at https://pavingandsealcoating.com or call 866-934-7623 for a free estimate.

ABC Paving & Sealcoating
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