HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR ASPHALT SURFACE:

One of the best qualities of an asphalt surface is how little maintenance and routine care is needed over its lifetime.  Although no material is truly maintenance free.  In order to help maintain the life of your asphalt investment we have a list of guidelines and recommendations to care for your asphalt surface.  Asphalt needs 48-72 hours to cure depending on the temperature and humidity.  It is important to keep people, cars and bikes off the new pavement during that time. In cases where commercial vehicles or heavy equipment are driven on asphalt, asphalt MUST sit for 3 to 6 days before used! It is recommended to keep the area that has been paved roped off for this length of time.  The asphalt will in fact continue to cure for the next 12 months, but you do not have to wait this long to use the new surface for normal use.  Since the asphalt will be pliable until it has fully hardened, it is important to avoid the following: 

• Parking your car in the exact same spot every day.
• Parking bicycles and motorcycles on the driveway/parking lot where kickstands can penetrate the surface.
• Parking a trailer or RV on the asphalt without putting a piece of plywood beneath each wheel and trailer hitch to evenly distribute the weight.
• Do not sit in one spot and turn the power steering on any vehicle, riding mower or all terrain vehicle.  If you do, you may cause power steering marks and ruts in the asphalt. These will look unsightly and cause you unnecessary worry.  Your new asphalt needs to go through one full heat season before there is less risk of this happening.
• Do NOT drive off the edges of your driveway with any car, riding mower, or all terrain vehicle. These edges need time to set up.
• The sides of your driveway should be backfilled with topsoil; grass should be seeded up flush with your driveway.  If this is not done in a timely manner, the edges that are exposed may start to crack.
• Water will "bead up" on new asphalt, just like a freshly waxed car.  As the driveway cures this will stop. 
• If your driveway/parking lot has been recently paved and you are doing construction that requires heavy equipment, they should avoid driving on new asphalt.
• Oil spots and regular unleaded gasoline spills should be cleaned up as soon as possible. Oil can stain the asphalt and cause it to get "gummy" over time. We recommend spraying Simple Green or Purple Power on it IMMEDIATELY.
• Diesel Fuel spills will destroy asphalt as it breaks down the binders and eventually causes holes. We use diesel fuel to help clean off our hand tools while installing asphalt.  Do not use diesel fuel on your asphalt driveway/parking lot.
• Clean your surface from any debris and leaves after the spring and fall seasons.  Pressure washing may help alleviate clogs in the pavement.

Snow Removal: Salt or any other commercial products that melt ice will not hurt asphalt.  They may stain the asphalt so just spray your driveway as needed.  Use a rubber tipped shovel or plow to remove snow or keep the plow 1 inch above the surface. Remaining snow will melt and drain through the surface.