Ohio winters can be brutal on your driveway. The endless cycles of freezing and thawing can wreak havoc on concrete, however blacktop is much more pliable and forgiving. In addition, the black color can help to melt snow faster by soaking in heat from the sun. With minimal effort and maintenance, your blacktop in Columbus can look good for years to come.
Blacktop can be installed quickly and efficiently. Downtime for your driveway or parking lot is minimal. In most cases, blacktop can be driven on in as little as 3 days. Although generally recommended to install blacktop drives during spring, summer, and fall, blacktop may be installed during colder months if the ground is not frozen.
Once installed, a blacktop drive should be sealed after six months to a year. An unsealed drive will begin to deteriorate rapidly. The sealer protects the binder in the asphalt. Sealing your blacktop driveway every other year will extend the life of your blacktop to 25-30 years. Sealer should ideally be applied between April and November. After sealing, blacktop can be driven on in 24 hours.
Any cracks in your blacktop that are greater than .25 inches should be filled by a special crack filler. It is recommended to fill cracks annually. If cracks are not filled on a timely basis, they will continue to cause greater damage to your blacktop. Water will enter the cracks, and cause the surrounding blacktop to disintegrate. Once it disintegrates, it will need to be patched. Depending on the size, this can much more expensive than a crack fill.
Potholes in blacktop usually occur after a harsh winter. If the holes are taken care of immediately, they can be easy to repair. A simple patch can fix the problem. Just like cracks, holes need to be repaired immediately to prevent farther damage.
Because of its flexible nature, blacktop in Columbus is an excellent choice for driveways and parking lots. With proper maintenance, it can maintain its strength and have an incredibly long lifespan. Simple crack filling annually and occasional sealing can ensure a smooth driveway for years to come.
