Do's and Don't's

1. DO NOT - Place sharp or pointed objects on

your driveway. Indentations will result. This will

certainly be true for the first year of its life and

perhaps longer (such as on a hot summer day

when the mercury reaches 80°F or above). Stay

off the new driveway 3 days after installation

and longer if temperatures are hot.

2. Principal offenders are high heels, bicycle

kickstands, ladders, porch chairs, etc.

REASON - The pounds per square inch on the

above subjects is so great. This means that while

small in area and light in weight, the weight

involved is too great for the area concerned being

all concentrated in one small spot. Also, asphalt

is not a hard, tight material, but a soft, porous

one.

DO NOT-Drive near or off the edges of your

driveway. If you do, you may fracture the asphalt

and crack the whole edge.

REASON - Asphalt contains no structural

strength of its own; it is merely a wearing

surface. The strength lies in the stone or gravel

base. Therefore, if great weight is placed

unevenly on the unsupported edge, it must crack.

3. DO NOT - Turn the car wheels sharply on the

pavement. Also, don't turn the wheels while

standing still- MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN

MOTION. Otherwise, power steering gouges

will result. These are bruises or lacerations to

the surface, caused by the kneading, grinding

action of the tires moving on the bias against

the asphalt and will create areas that are

"cupped out" on the pavement.

This problem is most often encountered in L -

shape driveways, where the garage sits at right

angles to the driveway. The consequent

backing, cutting, turning etc. creates this

condition. Even cars without power steering or

lightweight sports or compacts will cause these

marks. Greater care should be exercised in hot

weather, since the asphalt is softer and more

susceptible to marking.

REASON - Asphalt contains certain oils or

volatiles to make it more workable or malleable.

Until they evaporate, the blacktop will remain

soft. This aging or curing process may take as

long as a year, depending upon blacktop

thickness, weather, etc.

"But my blacktop never did this!" Quite

possible. ..older mixes were coarser and

therefore more stable. Today's mixes are much

finer in response to an increasing public

demand for a "smooth" driveway. While

pleasing in appearance, the finer mixes have a

greater tendency to displacement under strain.

CURE Time is the only answer. Gradual

oxidation will eliminate the problem. Again,

MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN MOTION

before the wheels are turned.

-

NOTE Sealer applied too soon will only

aggravate the condition; since it tends to trap

the soil prevents and retards the drying process.

After the driveway "sets up" then sealer should

be applied. We advise that sealer not be applied

in the same year the driveway is installed.

4. DO NOT - Park the car or camper in the same

spot all the time. This is particularly true in

the case of a dig out where the base is fresh.

No matter how thick the material, deep the

base, or heavy the compaction, depressions

“wheel dishes” may result, if care is not exercised.

REASON - To place a ton and a half or two

tons in the same spot day in and day out over

a long period of time can only produce adverse results.

CURE - Move the car around slightly. Don’t

give all or most of the wear to one small area.

Distribute the usage over the entire driveway.

5. DO NOT -Allow overweight vehicles on the

driveway. Your driveway is constructed for

automobile traffic only. Heavy trucks bi.

(garbage, cement, delivery, fuel, etc.) will

break up the pavement, since the base is

insufficient to take the weight.

Driveways can be constructed to accommodate these

larger loads. Of course the cost is somewhat higher,

and in most casesthe additional expenditure is

unnecessary.

6. DO NOT - Feel that the driveway should be

completely puddle-free. I n areas completed

by hand or where close drainage tolerances

are encountered, this may sometimes occur.

In addition, subtle shifting of the sub-base may

cause some puddles to form. Any spot holding

water 1/4" or less deep is almost impossible to

eliminate. Many of these small water spots work

themselves out with eventual use.

The oils present in the new asphalt tend to hold

the water on the driveway. However, as these oils

gradually evaporate, the water should disappear. 

Some garages are constructed lower than the

driveway elevations. The minimum drainage

tolerance is 2 inches every 10 foot length of

paving. The driveway may be constructed

lower than the road or surrounding elevations.

Areas such as these are always difficult to

achieve 100% drainage.

7. DO NOT - Allow weeds or other vegetation

to crowd the edges of the driveway. If so, you

will find these hardy pests burrowing through

the stone base and up through the asphalt

topping. They will evidence themselves prior

to blooming as bumps or minor eruptions in

the driveway. Though the base is sprayed with

weed-killer prior to paving, it is impossible to

eliminate each and every weed seed. Often

these air-borne particles are brought in with

the stone base or dust binder when it is laid in

place. The heat from the blacktop then hastens

the germination process.

The strength of some of these species, such as

creeping morning glory and dandelions is

phenomenal.Instances of their penetrating

even concrete are common.

Their appearance in no way should be considered a

reflection upon the thickness of the material.

Application of weed killer (Triox or Roundup) or simple

table salt mixed with water will eliminate the problem

most of the time. However at times, multple applications

may be required.

8. DO NOT - Allow a driveway snowplow on your

blacktop without a warning to the operator to raise

the blade slightly or have the flow equipped with

"plow blade shoes". Otherwise, the plow blade may

gough or scratch the asphalt.