School is back in session, both across this great nation and also here on the Sunrise Asphalt blog! Last time we talked about how you can cut asphalt and the situations you might need to, this time around we are looking at answering some questions we see crop up frequently. Things like “how long before you can drive on new asphalt,” “how long will asphalt last,” and more!
Frequently Asked Questions About Asphalt!
industrial landscape with rollers that rolls a new asphalt in the roadway. Repair, complicated transport movement.
How Long Before You Can Drive on New Asphalt?
If you have recently repaired your asphalt or had a new stretch laid, you might be itching to park your car back where it belongs. The new asphalt needs time to dry first before it bears any weight. Usually you’re looking at 48 – 72 hours to dry before you drive or walk across the asphalt. This range is dependent on the weather (something we rarely have to worry about here in Tucson!)
If the asphalt is just being resurfaced than it can be safe to use in as little as a few hours.
What’s the Difference Between Cure and Dry?
Right, those are terms that might seem to be used interchangeably but that’s not the case. Drying and curing are different process in the asphalt. Drying just refers to the top layer of asphalt. When that is dry the asphalt can be driven and parked on. However it isn’t cured in that amount of time. A new asphalt driveway, for instance, might take as long as six to twelve months to fully cure or harden all the way through. When asphalt has cured, it is at it’s most structurally sound.
How Long Will a New Parking Lot or Asphalt Driveway Last?
The asphalt is laid, its dried and well on it’s way to curing. Now how long can you expect this to last? If it’s installed properly, by experienced folks (ahem) and properly maintained, you can expect asphalt surfaces to last 20 years! You will need to seal it every few years, and repair cracks as well but the structure total can last those decades.
How Do I Maintain the Asphalt to Make it Last?
There are plenty of steps you can take to make sure your asphalt lasts as long as possible. Tend to the edges, weeding and removing plant life before they get too grown and their root structures move out and under the asphalt, weakening its stability. If there are any gas or oil spills clean them quickly and treat the area, fill open cracks, and apply sealing to the pavement as needed will all keep your asphalt lasting for as long as can be. Keep in mind, not all of these things you can do on your own, so keep our number handy!
Why is Sunrise Asphalt the Business for Me?
Why, we are so glad you asked! Sunrise Asphalt has been the go-to asphalt paving company in Tucson for over 30 years! We’re family owned and operated, with owner supervision on every job from start to finish! Over 50% of our yearly business is from return clients, people who we have provided excellent service in the past and need more work they turn to us!
Whew. Now you know a hole lot more about asphalt than you did just 10 minutes ago! We hope this blog has answered any questions you might have had but if there’s anything linger don’t hesitate to give us a call! We are happy to help in whatever way we can! We’ll see you next time on the Sunrise Asphalt blog!
