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When you hire a Maryland driveway paving contractor to build a new driveway or repave an old one, there are certain steps we take to complete this process. Some are fairly simple, but others can get very complicated and require a fair amount of time to perform correctly

Removing Your Old Driveway

This goes without saying: if your old driveway is beyond repair, it needs to be removed in order to lay a new surface. This is done by breaking up the existing material, whether it’s asphalt, brick or concrete, and removing all of the pieces, including loose gravel that might come up.

Grading The Slope

Every driveway needs to be slightly sloped to ensure proper water runoff. Water sitting on your driveway can damage the surface, especially in winter when it freezes and expands. Furthermore, a driveway that slopes toward your home, rather than away from it, may lead to basement leaks. Driveway grading typically entails minor excavation and ground sloping. It’s important that the grading is done by a Maryland paving professional who takes the time to evaluate the natural slope of your driveway and determine the necessary grading adjustment.

Compacting The Base Soil

You’re going to need a solid base for your driveway to sit on. It’s generally a good idea to use a 3000 pound twin drum roller for this step, as it will create an even bed of soil. If your lot has a loose, unstable soil such as clay or sand, you may need to have another base material, such as crushed rock or recycled concrete, laid on top to establish a solid surface and prevent asphalt from moving. Crushed rock will ensure proper drainage when all is said and done. While the amount of crushed rock needed will vary based on your base soil, you should have rock with a coarse and jagged composition. This will prevent the rocks from lining up and blocking water from draining. Your driveway should have a solid foundation, so that it remains smooth, doesn’t heave or buckle under the pressure of vehicles driving on it.

Applying an Herbicide

You’ve probably seen weeds growing through an asphalt driveway. Maybe that’s the problem with your current driveway and the reason you are considering replacement. To prevent this from happening, we apply a strong herbicide before we pour the asphalt. This step helps inhibit any vegetation growth underneath your new driveway. Combined with the right asphalt thickness, an herbicide application should prevent any weeds from sprouting through for many years.

Installing the Asphalt

Asphalt installation is performed by a special asphalt paving machine that helps ensure smooth and even application, as well as uniform thickness of asphalt. The optimal layer thickness for a typical residential driveway is between 2 and 3 inches. Once the asphalt is laid out, it then has to be compacted while it’s still hot. The proper degree of compaction is crucial, because too little compaction will leave holes in the surface and too much compaction may cause cracks. That’s why when you are hiring a Maryland driveway paving contractor, you are paying not just for their tools and labor, but also for their expertise to make sure you end up with a durable driveway.

Adding the Finishing Touches

Once your new driveway’s surface is compacted, we will also compact the edges. We will then use the leftover base material to rake it up to the edges, making it look like your driveway is level with the rest of the landscape. This also helps minimize crumbling of the edges in an event your vehicle drives off the edge or very close to it – and you won’t feel that big of a bump either.

Now that you know how we work, you know what to expect when you hire 1-855-Got-Paving to pave your driveway! Call us today or contact us online to request a free estimate!