Asphalt paving is a vital component in modern infrastructure development, ensuring the creation of durable, smooth road surfaces, parking lots, and driveways. This paving consists of sand, crushed rocks, and gravel bound with liquid asphalt. This material is widely used in parking lot construction due to its durability and capacity to withstand heavy traffic. If you are considering constructing an asphalt parking lot, it is important to understand the process’s entailment.

Let’s explore this topic in detail.

What is the procedure of paving a parking lot?

The first step in the asphalt parking lot paving is consulting with paving experts. A professional paving parking lot company will discuss your location, needs, and logistics to understand the specific requirements of your new lot.

The second step is an on-site survey, during which the proposed area is examined and measured. Thus, a design can be created that will efficiently use the space.

The next step is to grade and level the site location. This is crucial for proper drainage and should be done before installing a base layer of gravel.

Once the gravel is layered, the ground will be compacted to ensure stability and readiness for asphalt pouring.

The next moment you likely imagined in your head is the next one. A paving contractor team will install a high-quality asphalt layer at the designated location. The asphalt layer, at least a couple of inches thick, can eventually form a hard, sturdy, and flexible surface over time.

The final steps in paving a parking lot include painting down the lanes and implementing appropriate parking lot markings. During this phase, parking contractors install concrete curbs, walkways, speed bumps, and other necessary infrastructure.

This is the complete process!

How long does paving a parking lot take?

How long it will take to pave a parking lot depends on several things, such as:

Weather

A new asphalt parking lot can be cured and ready for use within 24 hours at the right temperature and weather conditions. However, paving a new parking lot is not possible during raining or snowing conditions. If it’s too chilly, it’s also impossible. Colder temperatures can slow down or hinder the proper cure of asphalt.

Site Characteristics

Does the current parking lot need to be removed? Is the site’s location level, or does it need significant labor to get there? Excavation or replacement of an old parking lot can often take the longest time when establishing a new asphalt parking lot. Before the actual paving, workers may need some time to level off and stabilize certain site areas.

Size of the Job

Lastly, the size of the lot is a crucial factor to consider. More labor hours will be needed to finish a larger parking lot than a smaller one.

If all the conditions are right, a reliable paving contractor and his team can build and prepare a parking lot for use in as little as 24 hours. However, to avoid operational delays, it is usually advised to plan paving around vacations or weekends.