Asphalt pavement is a mixture of aggregates with many handy applications. It works particularly well for residential driveways because it's strong and sets up swiftly. If you plan to install one around a property you own, remember these tactics.
Rent a Drum Roller
You need a completely flat surface to set up a beautiful and structurally sound driveway made of asphalt pavement. The area where the driveway goes may not have such properties yet, but you can make adjustments using a drum roller. It's a massive machine consisting of solid drums that quickly compact soil.
After renting one and learning how to properly use the machine, adjusting the soil until it's even and flat won't take long. Once you've prepared the target location appropriately, new asphalt pavement will be much easier to set up when you're ready.
Ensure Water Moves to the Sides or Bottom
If water collects on top of your asphalt driveway and stays, cracks will eventually form. They can get bigger and then turn into large holes, which cost money and requires physical labor to fix. Thus, you must find a way to move water from the asphalt driveway, a feat that isn't hard if you focus on its slope.
A driveway's slope will impact how water moves when it rains, so take as long as you need to refine your property. You can slope the driveway to where water moves to either the sides or bottom. Play around with different slope angles until you successfully create a proper slope for your home.
Decide Between Small And Large Aggregates
As mentioned above, asphalt pavement consists of different aggregates. They can vary in size, and it's a detail to consider carefully, considering it will affect how your driveway looks and performs after installation.
Smaller aggregates are ideal if you want a smooth-like appearance. Larger aggregates may look a little rougher, but they're advantageous because of their durability properties. If you're on the fence about aggregate size, find a way to review them in person until you're clear on what makes sense for your driveway preferences.
Setting up a new asphalt driveway isn't as complicated as it seems. You just need to choose the right asphalt mixture and work with it carefully until you're happy with how the new driveway looks and performs. The more planning you do, the better decisions you can make throughout this residential project ultimately.
Reach out to asphalt paving contractors near you to learn more.