Sealcoating is an effective and economical way to make an asphalt pavement safer and more attractive, and it can dramatically extend the life of the pavement by protecting it from damage. However, there are times when a pavement needs more than what sealcoating can provide. At the same time, the pavement is not so old or damaged that it needs to be ripped out and reconstructed. Asphalt overlays can provide the middle ground between a cosmetic treatment and a lengthy, expensive reconstruction. Here are five facts about pavement overlays.

Five Things to Know About Asphalt Overlays

What Is an Overlay?

When paving companies lay new asphalt over existing pavements, they refer to the procedure as the installation of an overlay. Some contractors prefer to call it asphalt resurfacing. There are also some asphalt contractors who use different terms to describe the thickness of the new asphalt. If the thickness of the replacement asphalt is less than about 1.5 inches, they call it a thin lift; if the thickness exceeds 1.5 inches, they refer to it as an asphalt overlay. Whichever term they use, they are describing what are essentially identical procedures.

What Are the Benefits of Asphalt Overlays?

The first advantage of an overlay is that it is a fraction of the cost of a total reconstruction. The precise amount of your savings will depend on a variety of factors, but, in many cases, an overlay is half the cost of a reconstruction. The second advantage is that overlays can be completed in much less time, allowing you to put your pavement into service faster. A third benefit is that overlays can correct an extensive list of surface flaws that affect the looks and safety of the pavement, including some instances of rutting, polishing, and ponding. A fourth benefit is that milling and resurfacing allow the retention of existing curb reveals, drain covers, and transitions at their proper elevations. Finally, experienced, competent asphalt companies can install overlays that are virtually indistinguishable from new pavements in both function and appearance.

What Are the Disadvantages of Asphalt Overlays?

There are really just two potential disadvantages. The first is that an overlay seldom lasts as long as a new pavement; although the life expectancies for both overlays and new pavements are affected by numerous factors, paving companies normally put the life of an overlay at an average of 12 years, compared to an average of 17 years for a new pavement. The second disadvantage is that overlays are not always more cost-effective than reconstructions. If your pavement is structurally unsound, has severe damage that affects more than a fourth of its total surface, or was not engineered correctly, remediating the issues to enable resurfacing could make reconstruction more cost-effective.

Does Asphalt Resurfacing Eliminate Maintenance?

In terms of maintenance, an asphalt overlay is identical to a new asphalt pavement. Overlays still need sealcoating, crack repairs, and routine cleanings if they are to have long lives.

How Do Asphalt Companies Install an Overlay?

Pavements need resurfacing for different reasons, and the reasons can vary significantly. Therefore, the steps can vary slightly by job, but they are typically as follows.

1. The contractor’s team members perform any repairs that are needed. Repairs may be needed to the surface of the pavement, the foundation, or the drainage.
2. A milling machine is brought in to grind away the existing pavement to a predetermined depth. This material is removed from the site, and it is typically taken to an asphalt plant for recycling.
3. The pavement is thoroughly cleaned.
4. Typically, a tack coat is applied to the existing pavement to help ensure a strong bond.
5. The required number of courses are installed and compacted.

If you would like to learn more about overlays or any of the paving services we offer, feel free to contact us.  Peterson Grading & Paving is a well-respected Orange County paving company serving clients throughout the state. In addition to asphalt paving and resurfacing, our asphalt services include crack repair, milling, asphalt repairs, and sealcoating, and our concrete services include the installation of curbing, concrete parking lots, ramps, and sidewalks as well as concrete repairs. We also offer parking lot striping, line removal, ADA compliance assistance, bollard installation, warehouse striping, parking lot signage, and shot blasting. We have a reputation for superb workmanship and top-notch customer service. You can request a free quote by calling our office at 949-402-6979, sending an email to Ryan@GradePave.com, or submitting the online form.

When some HOAs need pavement-related work in their communities, they mistakenly assume that all paving companies are the same. However, that is simply not true. Some contractors only handle residential work, others focus on state or federal highways, and still other contractors only handle minor repairs. When you start looking for an asphalt paving company, there are a few questions that you need to have answered to find the best contractor for your HOA.

What an HOA Should Look For in an Asphalt Paving Contractor

What Questions Should HOAs Ask Paving Companies?

The exact phrasing of the questions will depend on the nature of the work you need. The areas you need to cover involve the contractor’s experience, equipment, staffing, insurance, and references. Having all asphalt contractors that you are considering answer the same questions gives you a chance to evaluate each contractor’s transparency and communication skills.

Why Is Experience Important for Contractors Providing Paving Services to HOAs?

Contractors handle projects of all sizes, and they may provide a variety of services. For example, some asphalt contractors are not comfortable sealcoating an airport tarmac, and other contractors prefer to focus on asphalt repair rather than new pavements or overlays. As projects become larger and more complex, a paving contractor must become increasingly adept at planning and scheduling all steps in the job. Contractors must also maintain their focus on even tiny details that could impact the timing, quality, or appearance of the finished work. It is said that experience is the best teacher, so you should make sure that your contractor has learned the lessons that were provided while performing similar projects.

Why Do Asphalt Paving Companies Need the Right Equipment?

If you were going to build a storage shed in your backyard, you would want to have the right tools for the job. Without a hammer, some nails, a saw, and a few other basic tools, your task would be virtually impossible. Whether asphalt contractors are paving, repairing, sealcoating, or resurfacing a pavement, they need the right equipment. Furthermore, they need equipment that is well-maintained, and they may need multiple pieces of the same or similar machines and devices.

What Should an HOA Know About the Staffing of an Asphalt Company?

Even asphalt contractors with decades of experience must rely on others to perform the actual work. If the workers are not experienced and well-trained, the quality of the work can suffer. Furthermore, the contractors need a sufficient number of people to execute the tasks efficiently. Regardless of the type of project you need, be sure to ask whether the workers are the contractor’s employees or casual laborers. Ask about the training they have received, how long they have been working for the contractor, and how experienced they are with the tasks they will be assigned, especially if they will be operating milling machines, rollers, or other pieces of heavy equipment.

What Insurance Should a Paving Contractor Carry?

In general, the more types of insurance and the higher the policy limits, the more protection you will have if something goes wrong. At minimum, contractors should carry workers’ comp insurance that covers every employee who will be present on your property, a general liability policy with a limit of at least $500,000, and vehicle liability insurance. Reputable contractors will not object to providing you with proof of valid insurance coverage.

Why Are References Important When Hiring a Sealcoating or Asphalt Paving Company?

When you contact customers for whom the contractor has performed work, you can learn details that might influence your decision. You want to ask whether the contractor completed the project within budget and on time, how satisfied the customer was with the results, and whether the contractor was communicative and respectful. If problems arose after the job was completed, you want to know how the contractor addressed the issues.

At Peterson Paving & Grading, We Understand the Challenges That HOAs Face

Peterson Grading & Paving is a highly respected paving contractor serving HOAs and other clients throughout Orange County with numerous services, including sealcoating, asphalt resurfacing, concrete work, parking lot striping, asphalt repair, shot blasting, asphalt paving, traffic sign installation, marking removal, asphalt milling, warehouse striping, and bollard installation. We have an impeccable reputation for the exceptional quality of our work, our extraordinary customer service, and our professional ethics. It is easy to request a free quote by filling out the online form, emailing Ryan@GradePave.com, or calling 949-402-6979.

Suppose you built a deck out of pine. If you wanted to protect the wood against the sun, excessive wear, and water, you might choose to seal or paint the deck. Should you notice a board that has cracked or warped, you might replace it to ensure the deck’s structural integrity. In a similar fashion, asphalt paving builds a new pavement, or it can repair or replace an existing pavement. A sealcoat applied to an asphalt pavement serves a function similar to the sealant or paint that you used to protect the wood in your deck.

How Are Asphalt Paving and Sealcoating Different?

What Procedures Involve Asphalt Paving?

Although you may assume that an asphalt company only builds new pavements, there are several other paving services that involve the application of asphalt. For example, asphalt resurfacing is a paving procedure that involves the installation of an overlay on top of an existing concrete or asphalt pavement. Commercial asphalt paving contractors can use a procedure known as asphalt patching to repair potholes, relatively small areas of alligatored asphalt, or a variety of other problems.

Is Sealcoating an Alternative to Using Asphalt Paving for Repairs?

Like the stain or paint applied to a deck, sealcoats are protective products rather than repair products. Asphalt sealants will not repair cracks, potholes, or alligatored asphalt; their primary function is to help prevent the damage from occurring in the first place. However, sealcoats can often hide miniscule cracks or other surface flaws.

How Do I Know Whether I Need Asphalt Sealcoating or Paving for My Existing Pavement?

Since no two pavements are completely identical, the best way to determine precisely what you need is to ask a reputable asphalt company for a pavement evaluation. The function of your pavement, its age, the care it has received throughout its life, and its general condition can all affect the paving services that you need. However, it is possible to make some generalizations that are based on typical pavements.

• After it is constructed, your pavement should not need paving repairs for several years if your paving contractor installed it correctly. However, you need to have it sealcoated before its first anniversary. The contractor who installed your pavement should have advised you on how long it would take for your new pavement to cure, and the curing time is the length of time that you should wait before applying a sealcoat.
• Sealcoats can last anywhere from 18 months to four years. The less traffic that your pavement receives, the longer your sealant will normally last. However, sealcoats will have a shorter life if they are subjected to a large number of heavyweight trucks.
• Asphalt resurfacing is not normally needed until a pavement is nearing the end of its life. In most cases, a parking lot or street will need resurfacing every 10 to 12 years; heavily trafficked highways may not make it for a full decade, but a residential drive or private road may not require resurfacing for 15 to 20 years. However, resurfacing may be needed much sooner if there was a defect in the original installation.
• Asphalt patching is frequently the best choice for delivering a long-lasting repair for potholes or alligator cracking. Patching may also be an effective way to address small depressions in the surface of the pavement.

If you are not certain which paving services you need, Peterson Grading & Paving would be happy to advise you. We are a full-service commercial asphalt paving and maintenance company serving most locations in California. Our asphalt services include sealcoating, crack repair, asphalt milling, patching, and resurfacing, and we also offer parking lot striping, line and marking removal, concrete installation, ADA compliance assistance, bollard installation, concrete repairs, warehouse striping, and shot blasting. Our client base includes educational facilities, condos and homeowner associations, property management firms, religious institutions, retailers, and hotels. We have earned an exemplary reputation for high-quality work and exceptional customer service. If you are interested in a free quote and pavement evaluation, submit our request form online, send an email to Ryan@GradePave.com, or call our office at 949-402-6979.

It would be nice if every company offering parking lot repair and maintenance, street maintenance, or other paving services presented itself with complete honesty. Unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous or incompetent contractors in the industry. They will not tell you anything negative about themselves, so it is up to you to find out whether they are trustworthy. The best way to determine an asphalt paving contractor’s trustworthiness is to ask the right questions.

What Experience Do You Have With the Type and Scope of the Asphalt Maintenance or Paving Project I Need?

In the asphalt industry, there are numerous procedures that are designed to solve specific problems, but they may have limitations or additional requirements. For example, asphalt milling and overlaying can be an excellent alternative to reconstructing the pavement, but the pavement needs to have a relatively stable foundation for this option to be cost-effective. Furthermore, projects come in all sizes, so the scope of the project must be considered. Contractors need the right equipment, tools, and experience for the job. There are some differences between repairing five miles of pavement on a busy city street, for example, and making an isolated parking lot repair.

What Insurance Coverage Does Your Asphalt Paving Company Carry?

Uninsured contractors are often unlicensed, and they can place you at financial risk. Your asphalt contractor should carry workers’ comp insurance that covers every one of his employees who will set foot on your property. Contractors should also carry vehicle and general liability policies. No reputable contractor will refuse to provide you with proof of coverage.

Can You Explain the Steps in My Asphalt Paving or Maintenance Project?

Whether you need parking lot maintenance, new pavement construction, or road markings, the contractor should be able to explain every step in the process, including the selection of materials, the methods they will employ for traffic control, the techniques they will use, and the scheduling of the different phases. Reputable paving contractors can explain why they believe that one brand of sealcoating, for example, is better for your parking lot than another, or why one type of asphalt is preferable for your new parking lot. They will tell you how long your pavement needs to be closed, any actions that you need to take, and how they will handle any unexpected delays. Furthermore, they will not resort to industry slang or jargon, and they will take whatever time is needed to make sure that you understand and are comfortable with the information they provide.

Do You Own or Rent the Equipment You Will Need for My Asphalt Project?

Whether you need asphalt maintenance or paving, it is virtually always better to choose an asphalt company that owns its equipment. The necessary equipment may not be available from the rental yard when your contractor needs it, resulting in delays on starting or completing your project. In addition, many pieces of equipment are extremely expensive, so reputable contractors make sure that they are properly maintained and entrusted only to qualified operators. It is also important for the contractor to have the right tools and equipment. For example, handling the parking lot striping on a lot that with 900 parking stalls is going to require more than a couple of people with paintbrushes.

Do You Have References?

If the contractor does not volunteer a list of references, ask for it. You want references from customers for whom the contractor has successfully completed similar projects to the one that you need performed. Take the time to contact these references. Ask about the contractor’s dependability, attitude, workmanship, and willingness to correct any issues that might have arisen. You can also check online forums and the Better Business Bureau to get a better feel for the contractor’s reputation.

Will You Provide a Detailed Quote?

You cannot compare quotes properly unless they are detailed and written. Every quote should contain virtually the same information, and significant differences in procedures, material quantities, labor hours, or square footage need to be investigated to ensure that each quote covers the same scope and service.

Trust Peterson Grading & Paving

Peterson Grading & Paving is an Orange County asphalt paving company and we deliver superior results and exemplary customer service on every job. Our services include asphalt paving, asphalt overlays, asphalt patching and repairs, asphalt milling, asphalt sealcoating, asphalt crack repairs, parking lot striping, concrete ramps, concrete sidewalks, concrete curbing, concrete parking lots, concrete repairs, pavement markings, parking lot signage, marking removal, ADA compliance, parking lot maintenance, line removal, shot blasting, warehouse striping, and bollard installations. Our customers include HOAs and condos, facility managers, educational facilities, property management firms, hotels, retailers, and churches in Orange County and beyond. We are known for our craftsmanship, integrity, and service. To request a free quote, you can either fill out the online form or call 949-402-6979.