If you’re a business owner with a physical storefront or office space, you’ve more than likely gone through the process of having a parking lot paved at one time or another. And if you bought an already existing space, you’ll eventually be going through a repaving process in the years to come.
It’s important to remember that if you are installing a new parking lot, or even repaving an existing one, it’s going to be a significant investment in both time and money.
And because it is such a large investment, you’re want to make absolutely certain that it’s done professionally and correctly the first time.
The Parking Lot Paving Process: Things You Need to Know
So do your due diligence and hire the best asphalt paving contractor you can find for the job, one with impeccable references and a proven history of doing this type of work in your city or town.
But whether you decide to be directly involved with the project or not, it’s always a good idea to be aware of what’s going on at your place of business. Educate yourself on the parking lot paving process.
Preparation and Permits
You obviously need to start at the beginning, and that means acquiring the permits that are required in your jurisdiction and doing the initial site work that will guide you through the rest of the process.
Once you’ve signed the contract for the work, gathered the required permits and walked the site, it’s now time to have a full utility mark-out of the property done.
This ensures that you know where all of the electric, water, and sewer lines are located and that you won’t be working in an area that you shouldn’t be.
Milling of Old Surface
This obviously isn’t necessary if you’re starting from scratch. But if there’s already asphalt laid in the area where you wish your parking lot to be, you’ll need to create a solid base for the new materials.
It’s never recommended that you pave on top of existing asphalt, as this increases the likelihood of it failing. And the last thing you want to do is spend thousands of dollars on a new parking lot only to have to do it again in a relatively short period of time. Its a good time to complete any asphalt repair that is needed at the milling stage.
This step generally involves using heavy machinery to remove and haul away the old asphalt and then preparing to lay down the new materials to the desired specifications.
Grading and Base Materials
This is possibly the most important part of the parking lot paving process as, just like the foundation of your home, this is the area that will be supporting the rest of the materials. If you are doing any concrete flatwork, then grading will need to be done – think about patios, ramps, or dumpster pads. Contact our concrete driveway San Antonio team to ensure everything everything is implemented.
Simply put, if your base is unstable, then the rest of the parking lot is also going to be unstable.
It’s extremely important that this is done correctly the first time. It’s the parking lot equivalent of “measure twice, cut once.”
The pitch is also evaluated in this phase to ensure that any water will run off of the parking lot in a way that minimizes future damage and cracks.
New Asphalt Installation
Now that the base and grading have been established, it’s time to lay down the new layer of asphalt and get your parking lot looking its very best. At ASC, we provide seal coating which can prolong the life of your parking lot or asphalt project.
This will involve dump trucks and other heavy machinery, a team of Asphalt Paving San Antonio contractors should be on the ground to ensure that everything is level and up to code.
Compaction
Once the asphalt is in place, the surface will need to be compacted using vibratory rollers that can range from very small to very large, depending on the size of your parking lot.
This is one of the final steps in the parking lot paving process and indicates that the parking lot is nearing completion.
Pavement Marking
Once the asphalt has been laid and compacted, all that’s left do is making the parking lot aesthetically pleasing, as well as ensuring that all local codes and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations have been met. We use strict City Of San Antonio code and ADA Parking Lot Compliance to ensure your parking lot is to standard.
Adding parking lot striping, pathways, handicapped spaces and other required markings is a part of this process and, along with being compliant with all local and federal laws, allows you to make a good first impression.
Your parking lot is the first thing your clients and/or customers are going to see when visiting your business, so you’ll want it to look as visually appealing as possible.
Keeping your parking lot clean and properly striped should help you in making that all-important positive first impression.