Fixing Your Concrete Driveway

How You Should Maintain Your Asphalt Parking Lot

by Gavin Jackson

Are you a business owner that has an asphalt parking lot? Not only do you want to maintain that asphalt surface so that it lasts for years to come, but you will want to avoid safety issues with cracks and potholes. Here are some tips for maintaining your asphalt parking lot.

Prep The Surface

The asphalt surface will need to be prepped before you do any maintenance to it. Ideally, use professional equipment to complete any maintenance, such as an asphalt crack cleaner with large rotating brushes that can clean out the spaces deep inside cracks with ease. 

Without professional equipment, it can be a lot of manual work to simply clean the surface of all debris that is on it. You'll need to use brushes to really get into all of the deep cracks to remove all the pieces of debris, and then sweep down the surface to remove that top layer of dust as well. This can be very labour-intensive and time-consuming to do on your own. 

Fill The Cracks

The next step is to fill any cracks in the asphalt surface. Once again, having professional equipment is the best way to get this job done. There is specialized crack filling equipment that works by putting rubber cubes of crack filling material in the machine, which are then heated and melted as you go. You walk the equipment over the cracks at walking speed, and the melted crack filling material falls directly into the cracks. You will end up with an even surface where the crack once was, which will prevent the crack from expanding.

Sealcoat The Surface

Once the melted filler material is dry, you can then go over the surface with an asphalt sealcoat. It acts as a protective layer that is not going to allow water, vehicle fluids, and other materials to seep into the surface and cause damage. You'll also gain additional protection from the sun, which will reduce any oxidation that makes the asphalt dry and deteriorate easily. 

However, be aware that the asphalt sealcoating process is going to cover all of the existing painted lines in your parking lot. Once the sealcoat is dry, you'll need to go over the surface with line striping equipment so that there are clearly identified spots for your customers to park at your business. 

For more information about asphalt pavement maintenance, contact a local service provider.

Share