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If you’re the owner of an asphalt parking lot, you often trace your thoughts along a plain of flatness. However, if you are, you probably also need to upkeep its flatness, beauty, and sheen, so you’d be wise give our commercial concrete contractors near Philadelphia a call. However, here are some things you can do to keep it looking great all on your own.

Keep It Clean

Though it may seem obvious to some, the cleanliness of your parking lot is essential if you wish to please the public. Debris doesn’t only mean rocks, leaves, dirt, and all the all-natural sorts. We keep an eye out for any stray and sharpened nails—the tire busters that they be. Accumulations of dirt and water, aside from soaking socks, form makeshift ponds, giving way to potholes. Solid as asphalt may feel, it slowly softens, submerged in large bodies of water. Don’t forget about the trash that collects, either. As you’re sweeping, make a habit of scanning for any concrete imperfections, necessitating a commercial paving. Montgomery County, PA and the surrounding areas appreciates our professionalism, so rest assured we will be there to help keep your property clean and sturdy!

Root out the Weeds

We often pose the question: would you permit a jungle of weeds to flourish near your tiled swimming pool? Do not underestimate the havoc that weeds can unleash underground, as their roots shove, forcing themselves up to the surface. You’re left with a parking lot riddled with cracks, and an infestation of green. Consult your local home department store, or any gardening store for a human and pet-friendly weed killer.

Beware of Dripping Oils

Beautiful as your parking lot may be, it’s likely to succumb to dripping oils, grazed as it is by automobiles and their engines. Oil, aside from leaving an ugly, greasy residue, pools like all liquids, wrecking its own havoc. Parking lots gradually give way to oil damage, their integrity, and coating, dissolving day by day. The sooner you catch this, the sooner you can repair or reseal your lot. A sealcoating comes with a certain charm. With a crew like ours, Associated Paving Contractors, Inc., we can guarantee your lot will be looking brand new after we’ve trailed over.

These days, the vast majority of driveways that you encounter are either lined in asphalt or concrete. As experienced commercial concrete and asphalt contractors of the Philadelphia area, we’re inclined to say a few words on this subject. Chances are, if you’ve never invested in your driveway, it’s probably concrete. Now a question naturally follows: “Can I simply lay asphalt over concrete?”  The short answer is: “Yes!” The longer answer is, in fact, a question: “What’s your driveway elevation like?”

The Problem with Overlaying

Now, assuming that your driveway has the elevation that allows for asphalt to be layered over concrete, we have to talk about site preparation. Because concrete is strengthened by laying a thicker slab, some contractors overlook the ground and bedrock itself. If the earth beneath your driveway tends to shift or sink, laying asphalt over concrete may not be that prudent.

If digging into the bedrock isn’t done, an asphalt-concrete driveway may prove too unstable to handle any weight or excessive usage. Any expansion joints deep within the concrete will rear themselves as cracks in the asphalt, ruining your newly paved driveway. In some cases, shifts underground can even cause cracks across the surface of the driveway.

The Pros of Pure Asphalt

Now that we’re starting from scratch, no concrete, there’s plenty of advantages to asphalt driveways. Unlike concrete driveways, asphalt can be laid in one to two days max. If it’s not too cold outside, your driveway will be ready for driving a mere two days after that. With a concrete paving, you’re looking at a minimum of two weeks before you can start utilizing it.

Durability and Longevity

As a paving material, asphalt has the inherent advantage of not flaking. We in the trade call this phenomenon “spalling”—and we can assure you that it’s no fun. If concrete isn’t mixed or prepared properly, surface flaking can easily occur. On the occasion that a crack appears on an asphalt driveway, repairing the crack is relatively simple. Any home retailers you visit are likely to carry crack sealants. While you could do this sort of preventative maintenance yourself, you do have a friend in the Associated Paving Contractors of Bucks County, PA (as well as surrounding areas). Whether it’s roll-off dumpster rentals or asphalt driveways, we pave, repair, and do it all!

The Genesis

Before electricity buzzed in all of our cars, tablets, and homes, peoples of the world didn’t know the smell of newly-paved asphalt. In those pre-industrial days, you were lucky if your kingdom or principality even maintained the highways and roadways. Prior to the ancient Romans and their brand of volcanic concrete, Babylonians in 1300 B.C had discovered that they could smear their roads and walls with limestone. Mixing with the clay and natural chemicals in the air, this form of proto-concrete spread to the harbors of the Mediterranean and the trade routes of the Silk Road.

Roma, Roma

Digging even deeper into the past, we’ve also found concrete fortresses and structures built by Bedouins in prehistoric Syria and Jordan (as far back as 6500 B.C). When the Romans finally appeared in the sediment, it was in the 3rd Century B.C; as a culmination of all their efforts to unify the Italian peninsula. Without the aid of commercial concrete contractors from 21st century Philadelphia, the Romans still succeeded in funding and paving a massive network of roadways, connecting all corners of their civilization.

The Secret Recipe

To this day, Roman citizens (and automobiles) still tread along the cobblestones of the Via Apia in Roma, Italy. Despite the fall of the empire and a state of neglect and disrepair, these roads have remained intact for over 2000 years. What was the secret to their concrete, you ask? A natural chemical reaction was occurring the whole time! When limestone and volcanic ash mixed with the moisture of the Mediterranean, silica oxides and lime grew in the cracks, reinforcing bricks as if they were steel. Until the patenting of Portland cement in 1824, engineers fruitlessly tried their hand at re-discovering Roman pozzolan cement.

The Portland Variety

After George Bartholomew paved the first American road in 1894, Portland Cement blew up in a big way–giving rise to apartments in Paris, bridges in Maryland, and Italy, and even the 1935 Hoover Dam. Today Portland cement is utilized in constructing roads and high-rises throughout the U.S and the world. With all those thousands of cubic yards of concrete to deliver, pick up, and dispose of, the citizens of Bucks County know they can rely on their friends for affordable, roll-off dumpster rentals.

In a parking lot, most people are concerned about someone carelessly dinging their doors or driving recklessly and causing an accident. But, did you know that the most damage is taken by the parking lot itself? Commercial parking lots in Philadelphia take a large amount of abuse from heavy vehicles and Mother Nature, and they’re not always a small expense to fix either.

By taking steps to protect your parking lot during the summer months, you’ll save time and money later in the year.

● Create a maintenance schedule. Cracks in the asphalt of your parking lot may start as a small (even unnoticeable) issue, but with the heat of the summer, a small crack can quickly turn into a huge problem. At least once a week, take a look at the condition of your parking lot after business hours, and if you locate any cracks or damage, contact trusted commercial concrete contractors in Philadelphia such as us here at Associated Paving Contractors, Inc., to stop the problem as soon as it starts.

● Protect from excessive heat. In the summer, one of the biggest dangers your parking lot will face is rising temperatures. Asphalt is good at absorbing heat, but excessive sunlight can cause the material to oxidize, causing the asphalt to crumble and crack. Protect your parking lot with sealcoat, which can help to save your parking lot from premature cracking and aging.

● Create a special zone for heavy vehicles. Heavy vehicles like delivery and garbage trucks put a massive amount of pressure on your parking lot. In fact, just one garbage truck puts on the same amount of strain as about 2,000 cars! This does damage to your parking lot, and can cause your asphalt to grey and crack. Consider minimizing the impact of these trucks by installing deeper asphalt in delivery and pickup zones, and make sure to give this area the special attention and maintenance it needs.

To learn more about how Associated Paving Contractors, Inc. can keep your parking lot looking great this summer, please give us a call at 215-672-8000.

When you pull your car up to a store, what’s the first thing you notice? Since your car has to park in the parking lot for you to enter the store, you inevitably notice it right away. Believe it or not, a parking lot can say a lot about a store.

If you pulled into a store parking lot and your car hit a pothole, you would probably walk into the store with a negative attitude because you had a bad experience before even walking in. The parking lot sets the scene for a store.

Now, if you’re a store owner as well as a consumer, imagine this experience. You don’t want people walking into your establishment already having a negative feeling toward it because of a parking lot, which doesn’t have much to do with your business.

But regardless of whether the parking lot has anything to do with you, it is a representation of your property and your business. That is why you should keep a lookout for these signs that you should have your parking lot paved, resurfaced or seal coated by the paving professionals at Associated Paving Contractors, Inc.

Your parking lot needs to be paved or repaired if:

1. 1. A drain in the parking lot sank
2. A pothole opened up
3. Speed bumps are defective or undefined

Though these issues above aren’t serious, they can definitely be annoying to drive through. These small problems can be solved by a paving or repair to the parking lot or the affected area.

Your parking lot needs to be resurfaced if:

1. The above issues aren’t taken care of as soon as possible
2. There is a serious issue that affects driving in the lot

Resurfacing is necessary if a specific area of a parking lot needs serious and meticulous attention.

Your parking lot needs to be seal coated if:

1. The lot looks old, worn out, or discolored
2. Gasoline and salt are affecting the quality and appearance of the lot

Sealcoating makes a parking lot look as good as new. It gives customers the impression that business owners keep up with their property. Also, sealcoating keeps materials like gasoline and salt out of the asphalt. Have trash cluttering the parking lot? Our roll-off dumpster rental in Montgomery County can help you clean up.

Ultimately, it is imperative for a business owner to always keep an eye on the parking lot. You never know what could turn a customer away or put someone in danger. That’s why it’s important to call Associated Paving Contractors, Inc. with any and all of your needs for commercial parking lots in the Philadelphia area.

Any time you venture outside, you will likely encounter asphalt. It is used to create many of our roadways, parking lots, and walking paths. Asphalt is far from being a modern marvel, though. In fact, its use dates back to ancient times. As commercial concrete contractors in Philadelphia, we consider ourselves experts when it comes to all things asphalt and concrete. Here are some interesting tidbits about this versatile material that you might not have known about.

1. Asphalt is a naturally occurring substance. Sometimes referred to as bitumen, asphalt is a semi-solid form of petroleum. It is found in large deposits that are sometimes called asphalt lakes. The substance can also be found in rock asphalt, which has sand and limestone mixed in.
2. The use of asphalt dates back to ancient Mesopotamia. On a tablet dating from around 615 BCE, it states that a road leading into the city of Babylon was paved with asphalt. There is evidence that it may have been used for various applications even before this date. The Greeks were also familiar with this material, and the word asphalt comes from the ancient Greek word “asphaltos” which simply means asphalt or bitumen. The Romans also used asphalt as a sealant on baths, reservoirs, and aqueducts.
3. Over 99% of asphalt gets reused. One of the best things about asphalt is that it can be endlessly reused. When we mill asphalt from a surface, we remove the top layer to straighten out any irregularities. The asphalt that we removed is then recycled to create a new surface. This practice is environmentally friendly since we are able to conserve energy and natural resources. It is also more cost-effective that obtaining new materials.
4. Asphalt was first used for US roads in the 1860s. A Belgian chemist developed the first asphalt pavement based on a French highway that was built a decade earlier. The path was laid in front of City Hall in Newark, NJ. His next project was to pave Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. His work showed that asphalt was a durable material for road construction.

When you need asphalt paving or repairs, trust the company with over 40 years of experience. We also offer roll-off dumpster rental in Montgomery County and surrounding areas. Give us a call for more information on the many services we can provide.

Potholes are an all-too-familiar sight on roads and in commercial parking lots in Philadelphia, much to the chagrin of every driver. There’s nothing worse than going 50 mph over a pothole that you couldn’t see, only to have your tire blow out. But what causes potholes? Are they really that bad? And why are they called potholes, anyway? Let’s start with that last question.

What is a pothole?

A pothole is, as one might expect, a hole in the road that is caused by wear and tear. One common misconception is that the term derived from ancient Rome. The story goes that potters would dig up chunks of clay from the roads to make pots. This is unlikely since Roman roads were made of stone, not clay. The more probable origin of the word is from the United States in the 1800s, when geologists described holes cut into glaciers and rock as kettle holes or potholes. It was first used to describe a hole in the road in the early 1900s when cars were first hitting the roads en masse.

What causes potholes?

Potholes are caused by a combination of two factors: water damage over time and traffic. Because no asphalt seal is perfect or lasts forever, water slowly seeps underneath into the soil, and it becomes weaker. Since cars are likely continually driving on the road, it puts pressure on that already weakened soil, and eventually, boom — you’ve got a pothole. The reason they’re especially prevalent in the winter is that frost heaving expedites this process. When water freezes, it expands; so water underneath the surface that’s constantly freezing and expanding, and then melting again, will weaken road structures at an even faster rate.

What kind of damage can they cause?

Ka-THUNK! It’s that horrible sound you hear after you’ve just run over a pothole. Make sure that you examine the damage as quickly as possible in the event that you need any repairs to your vehicle. If the pothole is particularly deep, or you were traveling too fast, you can cause damage not only to your tires, but also your shocks, suspension, steering, or even engine, depending on how you hit it. These repairs can end up being costly.

Potholes seem like a minor annoyance at first, but they can cause huge headaches. Fortunately, you can count on Associated Paving Contractors, Inc., an experienced group of commercial concrete contractors in Philadelphia, to repair any nasty potholes in your business’s parking lot. (Your customers will thank you.) Call us today at 215-672-8000 for more information.

The parking lot is the first thing your customers see when they enter your business location. If the pavement is cracked and unsightly, this could give your customers the wrong impression of your business.

Some customers will even stay away and never enter your establishment. To avoid losing customers, you should routinely repave your parking lot, so it keeps your business going strong.

Getting your parking lot paved or sealed regularly by a professional paving company like us at Associated Paving Contractors, Inc. will be beneficial for your business in the long run. We have been paving commercial parking lots in and around Philadelphia for over 40 years, and during that time we have become experts in the paving industry. Below are some reasons why you should repave your driveway:

1. Potholes can damage vehicles

You do not want your clients weaving and dodging potholes in your parking lot. If they were to hit one of them, it could damage their tires and car frames. Potholes are like cockroaches; once you see one, there are others close behind.

Customers that do not drive vehicles and rather walk or ride a bicycle to your business can hit a pothole or two as well. If your customers were to hit a pothole and sustain personal injuries or damage to their vehicles, this could lead to unnecessary costs coming out of your pocket. Personal injuries and damage are not the best way to build a loyal customer base.

2. The problem could be coming from underneath the asphalt

There is an area called the subgrade, which lies underneath the asphalt, which can become damaged if moisture gets in there. The moisture causes erosion of the dirt and gravel bed and can lead to large cracks and holes in the pavement. You might have to tear-up your parking lot and resurface it, but it is worth the investment to have a long-lasting and sturdy parking lot.

3. Seal coating doesn’t last forever

Sealant is only made to last a few years. After moisture seeps in the asphalt, it eventually cracks and holes form. Stubborn plants and weeds could grow through these cracks and holes, which will disrupt the smoothness of your pavement. If you regularly reseal your parking lot, then you can prevent these problems from occurring.

4. Improves your company’s image

A smoothly sealed parking lot brings customers into your business and keeps your property value high. Getting your parking lot regularly maintained by a professional paving company like Associated Paving Contractors, Inc. can relieve your worries of losing customers, and your business will continue to thrive.

For more information on our commercial concrete services in Philadelphia and the surrounding region, browse our website. To contact us to get your parking lot paved or sealed, call us at 215-672-8000.