Parking lots allow your customers and clients to navigate the exterior of your business with ease. Smooth pavement and clear signage prevent drivers and pedestrians from becoming injured or damaging vehicles due to potholes, alligator cracks, and uneven terrain. After your paving contractor installs the asphalt, it’s important that you adhere to certain guidelines within the first several days and weeks. Below are a handful of tips on how to manage your newly paved parking lot.

4 Tips for Newly Paved Parking Lots

1. Don’t Use the Surface Immediately 

Asphalt mix contains oils that strengthen the pavement, but they must dry thoroughly before the surface can harden and set. After your contractor finishes paving your parking lot, wait at least 24 hours before allowing patrons and employees to walk or drive on it. 

2. Wait to Sealcoat

If you seal freshly-paved asphalt, you’ll put a halt to the oxidation process, which causes the pavement to retail oils that weaken its structure. Wait about one year for sealcoating, which will offer a protective barrier against fading due to harsh UV rays, cracking, and potholes. 

3. Landscape With Caution

Landscaping with certain products may damage your asphalt parking lot since certain soils react with the pavement and cause flaking and cracking. Use sifted topsoil, which does not contain chemicals or additives, when you are landscaping any areas that come into direct contact with your paved surfaces. 

4. Schedule Routine Maintenance 

Asphalt parking lots typically last about 30 years. Ensure a long lifespan by cleaning fuel and oil stains off the surface, since they may seep in and deteriorate the pavement. Patch cracks and fill potholes as soon as you notice them so that they don’t spread and create the need for resurfacing. 

Keep your parking lots in excellent condition with help from the team at L.J. Beausoleil. They provide commercial and residential paving, sealcoating, and asphalt repairs to clients throughout Rumford, RI. Call (401) 596-4980 to receive an estimate on paving for driveways or parking lots, and visit the website to learn more about how they can increase the beauty and practicality of your property with paving services.