There are many worries and questions that homeowners, business owners or municipalities might have when it comes to asphalt paving installation on different parking lots, driveways, and city roads used every day to help people get to their destinations. You may even have wondered about how much of a lengthy process asphalt paving is and the costs required when hiring contractors to do it for you. 

If you don’t know the steps to have properly paved driveways and main roads right off the top of your head, we are here to help! We have compiled a list of the steps to asphalt and concrete paving to make your house or business look in tip-top shape and to allow access to safe parking for all of your customers.

  1. Demolition and removal is the first step to asphalt paving. Heavy machinery and different bobcats help remove current concrete surfaces or remove large pits of soil.
  2. Grading and sloping. This means that your driveway or main roads will allow for smooth runoff of water and any water drainage through the surface of the asphalt. 
  3. Preparing the sub-base makes for stability on the surface of new pavement. It is also a protector against cold temperatures and resists cracking from ice and snow.
  4. Once your sub-base is completely coated and repaired, you will want to proof roll, meaning that your driveway would have a stable and coated surface prepared for the support of new asphalt. Proof rolling starts with digging down a few meters into the Earth’s surface and replacing any soil or clay with more concrete/strong material, which will support heavy-weighted material, such as vehicles.
  5. Binder and surface course. This is when it is time to add large layers of mass material that has been mixed with oils to make it durable and last longer.
  6. Installing new asphalt surface. This is where the top layer of asphalt is added to the aggregate material to make a smooth and levelled surface. 
  7. The last step to asphalt paving is butt joints and transitions; this is where new asphalt is used to layer over any old asphalt/concrete. This will ensure a smooth ride and proper water runoff whenever it might rain or if you decide to wash your car on the driveway. 

You may have thought that asphalt paving didn’t require much attention or work before reading this article, but as you can see, there are lengthy steps to ensuring a safe ride on driveways, main roads, and parking lots to keep you, the municipalities or your clients safe. This is why at Bortolo and Sons, we promise to deliver our best contractors and services in Burnaby, BC, to help repair asphalt paving installations or to start completely new.