Asphalt Paving

Whether your driveway/parking lot is newly built or an overlay on top of an old driveway/parking lot, it's probably 1 1/2 to 3 inches of hot mix asphalt. The asphalt concrete contains aggregate (stone), asphalt (often referred to as "tar"), and a variety of additives designed to make it last longer.
A properly constructed and properly maintained asphalt driveway/parking lot can last many years, so it's well worth your while to follow these tips. They'll help you get the greatest return on your pavement investment.

•MAKE SURE THE DRIVEWAY/PARKING LOT EDGES OFFER SUPPORT TO THE PAVEMENT.
Sometimes a newly built driveway/parking lot will be one or more inches higher than the adjacent lawn. As you drive back and forth, you put pressure horizontally as well as vertically on the pavement. Because this higher driveway/parking lot edge is unsupported, it will eventually crack, causing your driveway/parking lot to prematurely deteriorate. You can eliminate this problem by filling dirt in along the unsupported areas. Place the dirt and then tamp it down. This will support the driveway/ parking lot edge, offering resistance to horizontal pressures of your car.

•HELP YOUR DRIVEWAY/PARKING LOT CURE. (Click here for more)
Depending on the temperature and the humidity of the air, your new driveway/parking lot should be allowed to cure 48 to 72 hours. Keeping people, cars, bikes, etc. off it during that time is important.
AVOID:
*Parking your car in the same spot all the time.
*Parking motorcycles and bicycles on the driveway (kickstands can penetrate the surface).
*Sitting in lawn chairs on pavement.
*Wearing high-heeled shoes on pavement.
*Parking a trailer or boat on the pavement without putting a piece of plywood beneath each wheel and the trailer hitch to diffuse the weight. The same holds true when using a car jack.
Over time your new driveway/parking lot will become less "tender", but it will always remain flexible.

Merillat Corp. Office - Adrian
Pulverized & Repaved (2003)

•UNSEALED ASPHALT SURFACES BREAKDOWN AND DETERIORATE.
The sun's ultraviolet rays bake the essential strength and flexibility properties out of asphalt, leaving it brittle and full of hairline cracks that make the surface vulnerable to water invasion. Aggregate ravels from the surface and the pavement becomes rough. Water penetration enlarges cracks and freeze/thaw cycles add to the breakdown.
Further surface deterioration occurs from gas and oil leaks that soften and pit the asphalt. These stained areas combine to give an unsightly and uncared for look to a faded surface.

•PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO PAVEMENT CRACKS.
Because of the nature of asphalt pavement, your driveway/parking lot will eventually experience some type of cracking. Cracks are the first step in pavement deterioration. They allow moisture, chemicals such as gasoline and oil, and the sun's ultraviolet rays to penetrate the asphalt concrete. This accelerates pavement breakdown. Proper repair of cracks 1/4 inch wide or larger is the first step to successful driveway/parking lot maintenance.
Contractors are experienced in the cleaning and repair of cracks, and your best bet is to have them repair the cracks for you. They know the methods, have the tools, and have access to high-quality professional products. Cracksealing is an art in itself, and to get the best return on your driveway investment, have a professional contractor do the work.