Even though we love Autumn, we don’t all love the season that follows it. As the Starks say, “winter is coming” and you must be prepared. Part of that is getting your driveway ready. We can help you get prepped for the earth’s toughest season.

Seasonal Seal Coating

Time is running out for you to get your driveway seal coated before the Fall really kicks into high gear. Ideally, Spring is the best time for seal coating, but you can certainly have success in October and November, weather permitting.

For proper curing, a seal coat needs nightly temperature about 50 degrees. So, in some ways, this time of year in Idaho is perfect with warm days and cool nights. The problem is the falling leaves. If leaves fall during the curing period, they become embedded in the seal coat, which weakens the strength of the job and creates uneven surfaces. Due to this, typically once leaves begin to fall in earnest, seal coating season is over until the Spring.

Spring Ahead

If your driveway is very cracked and in rough shape, you want to get it taken care of before the Winter season. But if you are unable to or the weather won’t cooperate, don’t worry because Spring is the ideal time for seal coating asphalt driveways.

Not only is the weather ideal for proper curing, prepping asphalt in the Spring ensures that your paved surfaces will look great all Summer and Fall. Plus, seal coating can become damaged by Winter equipment such as shovels snow plows, and snow blowers. Luckily, we are experts at ensuring the best possible job, so that you don’t have to worry about seasonal damage.

As human beings, we each have a long list of things we need to take care of, and every day requires a little bit of maintenance for one thing or another. We have to take care of our bodies, and we do that by working out and eating right. We have to take care of our minds, so we read, watch documentaries, play challenging games. We also have to take care of the dog, the house, the bills, the car--the list can, some days, seem to stretch on for miles. But one thing that rarely makes that list, despite needing just as much care as everything else, is the road.

Seal Coating

Roads, like almost everything, suffer some everyday wear-and-tear. Chips, dents, and cracks are just a few problems that any road has to face. There are many options to fix these issues--but one solution provides more benefits and fewer drawbacks than most of the other possibilities combined. Seal coating is an efficient, effective, and cost-friendly way to take care of the road. It improves the safety and reliability of the road and maximizes pavement lifetime, meaning that huge repairs can be less frequent and, when they do take place, less expensive.

FAQ's

As drivers, joggers, bikers, dog-walkers, and citizens, we all naturally have questions about seal coating. Here's just a quick look at the details of seal coating!

Why? Seal coating is like a shield for the road. Not only does it help to seal cracks or chips on the surface--it also increases the lifespan, improves cosmetic appearance, protects from the elements and other everyday hazards, and boosts safety. Plus, it can be applied to newly-paved roads, too. How frequently should we use seal coating? The time between coats differs depending on the specific road itself. If the road is frequently traveled, a seal coat will be necessary about once a year; however, less-traveled roads can require seal coating once every three years. How safe is seal coating? Seal coating does not make the surface of the road slick or slippery. In fact, it improves safety by minimizing surface hazards and making paint lines more visible.

Your driveway is the entrance that sweeps up to your home sweet home. It is the first welcome your guests receive. Perhaps your driveway is in sad shape or just needs a little maintenance on the cracks or ruts. How do you as a homeowner know if seal coating is the answer or if it's time for a brand new asphalt driveway?

When is it time for a new driveway?

Is your driveway . . .

Rutted? Severely broken? Cracked? Over sealed?

In some cases, the pavement is so damaged that it is beyond crack filling. You don't want to turn the cracked area into a sheet of crack filling rubber. Warmer weather will cause tires to adhere to the crack filler and pull the pavement out of the driveway. Other problems include allowing water into the base and creates a dangerous effect during freeze-thaw times of the year. Water drainage toward foundations, doors, and other unfortunate places are also signs to consider. If you're dealing with these kinds of issues, we suggest it's time for a new asphalt driveway rather than seal coating.

When do you seal coat?

Sealcoating is an option when you need a crack repair. Painting your driveway's cracks will mitigate water penetration of your sub-grade. It's recommended that cracks be sealed at least every two years. To apply a seal coat, make sure your driveway is clean. Also, it's a good idea to first talk to your contractor about this step. You can always ask for an evaluation of your driveway, and the hear about the applications they recommend.

A knowledgeable businessman realizes that dealing with your business' property is crucial. It makes an inviting environment for customers and demonstrates that you put mind, time, and vitality into each part of your work. That is the reason its value investing the time to keep up your property's black-top asphalt. Everybody realizes that when a street's condition breakdown past a certain point, individuals won't have any desire to drive there and less foot movement implies less business. PSI clearing is here to stop asphalt devastation before it begins with a bit of protection support advice.

Crack Filling

While there's eventually no real way to keep the harm created by the regular stop defrost cycle that causes most black-top asphalt harm, it can be immediately moderated with split filling. The procedure includes smothering, cleaning, and after that refilling breaks with one of a wide mixed bag of emulsions, concretes, or black-top variations which forestall water interruption. It's best utilized on more extensive splits and the filling has a future of marginally short of what 3 years.

Crack Sealing

A step that goes past split filling, fixing gives a more drawn out term arrangement. Break fixing includes extending the split considerably to around a  0.5-inch by 0.5-inch to 0.75-inch by 0.75-inch square. This space is then loaded with rubber treated black-top material. The bigger trench gives more noteworthy adaptability amid warm changes, as does the rubber treated black-top. Break sealant is reviewed focused around atmosphere and temperature, so it's vital to apply one that works in your general vicinity nature. Split Sealant has a future of around 3-5 years and is an astounding black-top asphalt support alternative.

Surface Treatment

Additionally accessible in a large number of choices, surface medications can be utilized to repair and strengthen against little scale ecological harm over a bigger zone. Utilizing emulsified black-top that is normally either blended with, or instantly emulated by, a fine total, a few layers are connected to a huge range. The surface treatment will fill little splits and can infiltrate into the black-top asphalt, waterproofing the surface and fortifying the base while expanding general natural safety.

Hazardous DIY

While it is conceivable to endeavor these sorts of safeguard measures yourself, uncalled for blending or application of the materials could be dangerous and eventually make your black-top less sheltered than some time recently. That is the reason its best to counsel and contract an expert builder for your black-top asphalt support ventures.

The black-top cleaning masters at PSI have overseen many asphalt ventures all throughout Idaho. You can expect a reasonable proposal, professionalism, and quality work.

A decent foreman is elusive!

Life is all about choices. Some choices are pretty small, and even in the rush of the moment, they don't seem terribly important. Strawberry gum or spearmint? Pen or pencil? Cheeseburger or salad? There are also bigger choices; what kind of car to buy, where to go on vacation, how to spend your free time. And then, at the top of the life choices totem pole, there rests the crown--the decisions that can change your life. Marriage? College? Career? These are the big issues, the choices that define our paths, and they're not to be taken lightly. However, somewhere in the middle, there are the small decisions that seem a little bigger--not career path big, maybe, but sizable nonetheless. One of these decisions is, somewhat surprisingly, about how to pave a parking lot.

The Importance of Paving

Wait, what? Why does paving a parking lot seem so important? Well, the truth is, it is important. The material you use to pave your parking lot can define the longevity, cost, safety, and usefulness of the parking lot itself, and those are all pretty big issues. You want to make sure that your parking lot is strong enough to handle traffic, but provides an extremely safe surface, all while maintaining budget efficiency. It's true: choosing a paving material is not a decision to be taken lightly. You could go with concrete. You could go with asphalt. Or, perhaps, you want the best of both worlds; if that's the case, you could also go with both asphalt and concrete. Each choice, like every other set of choices in life, has benefits and drawbacks.

Making the Choice

So, how do you decide between asphalt, concrete, or a combination of both? Here's a quick look!

Asphalt. Asphalt is a strong choice for paving a parking lot. It remains reliable and strong on its own for about 18 years; it has a professional and crisp appearance, limiting unsightly scuffs and stains; and, with regular high-quality maintenance and seal coating, it can survive another ten years. However, it wears down quicker than other materials, so while the initial cost is lower, the cost of ownership is a bit high. Concrete. Concrete, too, is a reliable parking lot material. It can be placed much thicker than asphalt, making it stronger, and it's extremely low maintenance throughout its twenty-year life. On the other hand, concrete has a high initial price, and it shows scuffs and stains clearly. Combination. Combining the best of asphalt and concrete is a good way to create a strong, reliable, attractive parking lot. Using asphalt for certain areas, like general parking and driving locations, keeps costs low and appearances high. Finishing the job with concrete to pave the loading areas, sidewalks, and other locations with heavier traffic will provide a long life and low maintenance. Experts. If you're wondering how to balance a budget, maintenance, appearance, and longevity when paving a parking lot, you're not alone. Reliable Boise Pavers can help you find the option that's right for you and your parking lot.