February 07 2020 0Comment
asphalt-parking-lot

What to Expect in an Asphalt Parking Lot Life Cycle

Posted by Parking Lot Services In Asphalt Repair, Blog, Parking Lot, Parking Lot Design, Parking Lot Planning, Parking Lot Services of Florida, Parking Lot Striping, Paving, Sealcoating

Learn more about the life cycle of your asphalt parking lot.

Just like many other products, an asphalt parking lot has a predetermined life cycle. Upon installation, it’s fresh and new, but with time, it ages and deteriorates, calling for a replacement. In between the two phases, your asphalt paving undergoes several types of damages, each of which requires a specific type of repair. As a property owner, it’s hard to understand these changes in your investment.

Factors Influencing Pavement Life Cycle

The lifespan of your parking lot depends on how well it was engineered and constructed. When the contractor observes these two factors, your asphalt paving can last for 20 to 30 years. Other various factors influence the life cycle of your pavement, including:

  • Traffic management such that no heavy vehicles are allowed if the asphalt parking lot is engineered for light traffic
  • Parking lot drainage and surface water removal
  • Asphalt patching and repair exercises
  • Sealcoating and maintenance practices
  • Crack sealing

Asphalt Parking Lot Life Cycle

Performing consistent maintenance prolongs the life cycle of your asphalt parking lot. Some asphalt pavement will experience faster deterioration than others, depending on the above factors. All the same, your pavement will go through the following life cycle stages.

Phase One 0-5 Years

During the first five years of your newly laid parking lot, the surface is smooth and can last for many years if properly maintained. The type of maintenance depends on the climate and wear patterns on your pavement. It’s advisable to apply a high-grade emulsion sealer on your asphalt paving to keep it looking fresh and make it waterproof. Here are some vital asphalt service tips during the first five years of your parking lot life cycle.

  • Put parking signs at the right place to ensure safety within your parking area. You should also put signs precautioning drivers to be cautious when driving around the parking lot to avoid damaging the freshly laid asphalt.
  • During the first year, avoid parking in the same spot every day to give the asphalt time to cure and hence prevent denting.
  • Be careful not to turn the steering wheel back and forth when your car is not in motion, as that may result in permanent marks on your parking lot.
  • Avoid spillages such as gasoline, oil, and transmission fluid as they dilute the liquid asphalt making your parking lot look faded.

Phase Two 5-7 Years

At this point, the asphalt emulsion is fading, exposing the aggregate rock of your parking lot. During this period, you should seal coat and re-strip your asphalt paving regularly to achieve the following benefits:

  • Protect it from water damage
  • Improve the quality of crack repairs
  • Prolong the lifespan of your parking lot
  • Make it easy to keep your asphalt paving clean
  • Enhance the overall appearance of your parking lot

Phase Three 7-15 Years

As your pavement reaches the third phase, you’ll note common parking lot problems such as cracking and potholes. You should repair those using the routine asphalt repair procedures such as:

  • Crack filling
  • Patching
  • Sealcoating

Phase Four 15-25 Years

The void between the aggregate rocks have enlarged and cannot be bridged using a sealant. The only solution is to lay 1 ½ inch of asphalt topping and then re-stripe your parking lot. Overlaying your asphalt parking lot gives you a fresh looking pavement without necessarily tearing down the old asphalt surface. The exercise is useful when your parking lot is worn out, but you don’t have the resources to build a new one.

Phase Five 25-35 Years

This is the final phase of your parking lot life cycle. At this stage, the parking lot is completely deteriorated and requires extensive repair or complete removal and replacement.

Contact PLS for More Information about Asphalt Parking Lots

During these parking lot life cycle stages, you need to work with professional parking lot contractor to help you with various repair services. At Parking Lot Services, we provide a wide range of asphalt repair in Tampa. Get in touch with us when seeking asphalt patching and repair, paving services, parking lot striping in Tampa, or any other parking lot services in Tampa.