What are the Side Effects of Paving Asphalt over Concrete?
Many people who are looking for a new asphalt surface for their parking lot or driveway will simply pave over an existing concrete service. This can save time and money. However, many experts do not recommend it for a wide variety of different reasons. Asphalt paved over concrete tends to crack and be bumpy to the point where it could be dangerous for pedestrians and damaging to vehicles. This article lays out several reasons why you should consider having a concrete removed before the asphalt poured. To learn more about why professionals recommend the concrete be removed in the first place, read on.
The Surface Will Not Be as Smooth
The first and most obvious negative aspect of paving asphalt over concrete is that the surface will not be as smooth. You have no doubts seen when asphalt has been laid on over concrete and is bumpy and uneven. Even the best professional paving companies will likely end up with results that don’t meet your expectations due to the bumpiness of the surface. If the concrete itself has been poorly laid and is bumpy and cracked, this effect will be greatly exaggerated.
The Asphalt Will Be More Likely To Crack
Asphalt laid over concrete is also much more likely to crack. This is due to two main reasons. Number one, if the concrete is cracked or damaged below the asphalt it will not provide a stable surface and will likely cause cracks in the asphalt in the same places. Number two, concrete is known to expand and contract based on the weather conditions. This will cause cracks in the concrete as well as in the asphalt on top of it.
The Costs of Maintenance May Be Higher In the Long Run
The two above points, in effect, will cause the cost of maintenance to be higher in the long run. Maintaining asphalt is normally relatively cheap and not time-consuming at all. However, cracked and uneven asphalt will require a great deal more maintenance. While you may save a little bit of money by laying down asphalt over concrete in the first place, your cost will likely be higher in the long run.
The Surface May Actually Be Dangerous for Pedestrians
These days many businesses and even private citizens are worried about how dangerous surfaces could be a precursor to lawsuits. There is a small subset of people that are always looking for an opportunity to file a lawsuit. A poorly maintained or otherwise dangerous surface that causes a fall for a pedestrian could easily be the source of a lawsuit, as many different businesses have found out. For this reason and many others, you want your surface to be as even and smooth as possible.
The Asphalt May Have To Be Torn Up
Not only will maintenance of asphalt laid over concrete be higher in the long run, you may even have to tear up the asphalt due to damage from the underlying concrete. If this is the case, you will also have to tear up the concrete at the same time. This can be a very expensive proposition. This could easily be avoided by having the concrete torn up in the first place.