By admin Construction • • • • • 0 Comments

Who Pays for Building and Maintaining Highways?

As you drive down the road, you may not spend a lot of time thinking about who was responsible for building them. At the same time, the safety, security, and quality of our roads are tremendously important. What would happen if our roads were not well-maintained? You would have a hard time getting where you need to go. Therefore, if you are having issues with local roads and highways, who is responsible for building and maintaining them? There are several important points you should keep in mind.

Where Does the Funding Come From?

First, who is responsible for paying people to build and maintain our roads and highways? This usually comes in the form of taxes. Taxes are collected on numerous items. Then, this funding is used to construct our roads. For example, fuel taxes that are collected by the federal, state, and local governments are often used to keep the roads in good working order. And some parts of the country, there are also tolls that are placed on highways and bridges. If tolls are collected, these funds are used to maintain our roads and bridges as well.

Who Hires People To Build and Maintain Roads?

So, who makes the hiring decision? Who is responsible for hiring people to build and maintain our roads? The vast majority of roads and bridges fall under the responsibility of state and local governments. Even though the federal government does play a role, most professionals are hired by state and local governments to work on our roads and bridges. Therefore, it is responsible for those making hiring decisions to make sure they hire the right people for the job. That is where local contractors are essential.

Local Contractors Do the Vast Majority of the Work

When it comes to roads and bridges, the best people for the job are local contractors. Local contractors have the training and experience necessary to build and maintain our roads and bridges. For example, anyone who is planning on laying out a new road for the first time will have to work with contractors who can help them find the right material for the job.

Then, if a repair is needed down the road, this is something else that is also handled by a local contractor. It is critical to make sure the repair is completed properly on the first attempt. That is why state and local officials have to work with professional local contractors, placing them in the best positions possible to do their jobs well.

Enlist the Help of Superior Aggregates

If you want to make sure that your roads are constructed properly, then you have to work with a local asphalt company. With the help of a professional asphalt contractor, you can rest easy, knowing that your roads are going to be constructed properly on the first attempt. That is where Superior Aggregates can help you. We have an unparalleled level of experience when it comes to working with roads of all shapes and sizes. We can anticipate problems before they develop, circumventing them before they derail the project. If you want your project completed on time and under budget, it would be our pleasure to assist you. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help you!

By admin Asphalt Paving • • • 0 Comments

Own a Commercial Property? Hire a Pro Parking Lot Contractor

A clean, well-maintained parking lot with clear markings and lighting is a catch, especially in countries where cars are the primary transport mode. In a commercial property, the parking lot makes the business’s first impression. A pro parking lot contractor keeps your commercial parking lot looking impressive and well-maintained.

What Do You Want Your Parking Lot To Say About Your Commercial Property?

If your parking is cracked, dented, and faded, your client automatically assumes that your services are equally worn-out and careless. It is unprofessional and risks damaging your client’s car. According to an INRIX report, 63% of US drivers avoid businesses with parking challenges.

But with a well-maintained parking lot, your clients have an easy time parking and will very likely come back to your property.

In a competitive market, businesses’ top priority is the customer experience. Customers are more willing to pay a premium for a great experience. Whether it’s the tenants or their customers, they demand the best parking experience.

Make Your Commercial Parking Lot Appealing

Parking lots are bound to depreciate. To make your commercial parking lot more appealing, then you need to fix any cracks, potholes, and drainage issues in your paved parking space. This means regular maintenance and repair.

Regular Maintenance

Sealcoating

The cheapest way to maintain an asphalt parking construction is a seal coating. Seal coating adds a protective layer to extend your asphalt parking lot’s life. It protects the surface from UV rays, oils, and water damage. The black coat gives a sleek and shiny look. It extends your parking space life by 2 to 3 years when done correctly.

Rehabilitation

If your asphalt parking lot is already in bad shape, call in a parking lot contractor to determine the best rehabilitation option. The contractor will walk you through your options and the estimated cost for rehabilitating your garage. You may choose to resurface or repave your parking lot.

Resurfacing Vs Repaving A Parking Lot

If your asphalt parking lot has cracks and dents that don’t reach the foundation layers, then an asphalt overlay can add up to 8 years more life to your parking lot. The paving contractor will fill up any dents, seal cracks, and repair drainage issues before applying a thick (1.5 to 2 inches deep) asphalt layer. This is resurfacing.

But if your parking lot is crumbling away with cracks and manholes, it cannot make a good foundation for an asphalt overlay. Your best option would be to replace the entire pavement. This is repaving.

Repaving is the most expensive and durable option. But it extends your pavement’s life up to 25 years or more. Hire an experienced and reputable asphalt company to get the most value for your money.

When To Repave Your Parking Lot

Repaving may be costly because the contractor removes the whole asphalt parking construction. They rebuild everything from the foundation to the surface. Asphalt companies recycle your old asphalt and mix it with new asphalt to reduce the repaving costs.

Repaving is the long-term solution to your parking lot problems. Sure, you may resurface a couple of times, but that does not repair your foundation. Small cracks will use an overlay, but serious damages require repaving. In the long run, you will need to replace the entire thing.

If your parking lot is older than 25 years, it’s time to repave. A new asphalt pavement will last you another 25 years with good maintenance (i.e. seal coating and resurfacing). It keeps your business looking professional and worthy.

A well-maintained parking lot shows that you care about your clients. You get more tenants, and your clients get more customers. Your clients will be less grumpy when you charge top dollar amounts. It’s a win-win.

Contract a pro parking lot contractor to learn how to reduce costs and plan the repaving without disrupting business.

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Concrete Crack Hazard Removal

Do you have concrete on your property? Would you like to prevent it from cracking? One of the most common complaints business owners have is that their concrete is starting to crack. They may think that the initial contract or may not have done a very good job; however, concrete is like everything else on your property. You need to take care of it if you would like it to last. How can you prevent concrete from cracking? What should you do if you notice that your concrete is starting to crack? There are several important points to consider.

Why Does Concrete Crack?

There are several reasons why concrete might be cracking. Some of the most common reasons include:

  • There might be too much water in the concrete mixture. Concrete does not require a lot of water in order to achieve its maximum strength. Excess water can reduce the strength of the concrete, leading to shrinkage. As concrete begins to harden, it shrinks. This is because excess water is evaporating. Excess water leads to more shrinkage, literally pulling the slab apart.
  • The concrete might be drying too quickly. If concrete is drying too quickly, it might not be cured properly. It is important to reach out to a professional contractor to make sure the concrete is not drying too fast.
  • There might not be any control joints in the concrete. Control joints are put in place to help the concrete crack where it should. If there aren’t any control joints, the concrete might end up cracking.

These are just a few of the many reasons why concrete might crack.

How Can You Prevent Concrete from Cracking?

There are several ways to prevent concrete from cracking. Some of the top methods include:

  • Install control joints. This will prevent the concrete from cracking in vulnerable places.
  • Always cure the concrete properly. If the concrete does not cure properly, it may begin to crack.
  • Check the water to cement ratio again. The water to cement might need to be reduced to prevent excess shrinkage.

In order to properly address this issue, you may need to reach out to a trained contractor.

What Should You Do if You Notice Concrete Cracks?

If you noticed that your concrete is beginning to crack, the first thing you should do is mark the concrete hazards. That way, people do not enter the area unknowingly, which can prevent serious injuries and accidents from taking place. Concrete crack hazards are dangerous and should be treated as such.

If you can do so safely, take a close look at the crack. Try to remove any debris that might be present. You may need to use a wire brush in order to appropriately clean the crack. You may also want to use a pressure washer if you know how to use one safely.

If you are familiar with concrete, you may be tempted to fill the crack yourself. Even though you might be able to temporarily patch it, you should rely on a trained professional for a permanent repair job.

Reach Out to Trained Professionals for Help with Concrete Cracks

Do everything you can to prevent concrete from cracking. If you work with an experienced professional, you should be able to get as much life as possible out of your concrete. If you notice cracks in your concrete, reach out to a trained professional for assistance. That way, you know the repair job is completed appropriately the first time around.

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How to Make a Concrete Mold

Are you interested in creating a concrete mold by yourself? You need to make sure that you know how to do this safely. Furthermore, you also have to have the right materials. What are the steps that you need to follow if you want to successfully build a concrete mold? There are several steps to note.

Gather the Right Materials

First, you need to gather the right materials. You will need panels to create the mold, drywall screws, silicone caulk, bar clamps, ball bearing, a cordless drill, a circular saw, and a caulking gun. You will probably also want to wear latex gloves during this process.

Step 1: Cut the Panels

First, you have to cut the panel to the right size. A lot of people use a melamine board. If you would like to minimize chipping as you are going through the board, use a fine-tooth saw blade. Then, set the depth to just below the depth of the saw cut. Usually, this is about ⅞ of an inch.

Step 2: Clamp the Longer Side Walls to the Base of the Mold

Next, take the panels and lay them on a work surface. Place the longer walls on the edges. Hold them in place using the bar clamps.

Step 3: Drill the Pilot Holes

Once you are confident that the clamps are holding the board and place, drill several pilot holes spaced equal distances apart. Then, place the drywall screws through these holes. 1-inch drywall screws tend to work the best. Make sure that every screw is seated firmly. That way, the walls are drawn tight against the base. This will keep the mold in place when you use it.

Step 4: Add the Shorter Side Walls Next

After this, you should place the shorter sidewalls on their edges. Make sure they are next to the longer sides. Go through the same process with the shorter sides as you did with the longer side. Drill a few pilot holes. Then, add the screws. Make sure the screws are seated firmly to hold the concrete mold in place.

Step 5: Bevel the Corners

This is when you want to put on your gloves. Squirt a bead that is about half an inch in size of silicone caulk into every corner of the mold. After this, dip the ball bearing in some water. Draw the ball bearing down every caulked corner to make sure the curve is smooth.

Step 6: Clean Up Your Work by Removing Any Excess Caulk

Finally, wait for the silicone caulk to cure. Then, remove any excess silicone that may be in place. You may want to start by picking at the end of the strip with your fingernail. Then, pull any excess caulk away. Dispose of it safely.

Rely on a Professional Local Asphalt Company for Help Making a Concrete Mold

If this sounds like a complicated process, then you may want to reach out to a trained professional for assistance. With the help of an asphalt contractor, you can make sure that you do this job right the first time. If you do not have the right concrete mold, you may have a hard time finishing your project. Fortunately, there are professionals who have the training to make sure this process is performed correctly. You do not have to go through this alone. Do not hesitate to reach out to a professional for help.

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3 Things to Know About De-Icing

While snow can create the perfect scenery, icy winter asphalt opens the door for potential hazards in more ways than one. Not only can an icy driveway cause a safety risk for you and your family, but a slick walkway can open you up to liability. If someone else visiting your home were to slip and fall, you could find yourself on the undesirable end of a lawsuit.

Fortunately, you can protect your family and your guests by properly deicing your walkway and/or driveway. However, deicing involves much more than throwing salt or any ice melt all-around your driveway — this may not properly complete the task. Instead, there are several things you should know about deicing to do it properly. Continue reading to learn our top three things you should know about de-icing winter asphalt.

Get Rid of the Snow First Is the First Step to De-icing Asphalt

Even though this may seem painstakingly obvious, it’s critical you get rid of all the snow prior to starting the deicing process. Shovel as much ice and snow off of your driveway as you can. You can also try to break the ice up with a shovel to help make removal easier. If you find you can’t remove the ice through the shoveling method, lay down a deicer, which can be found at almost any hardware store. As you are choosing deicers, make sure you consider where you will be putting it. Some deicers are hazardous to pets, plants, water supplies, and masonry. This means that some deicers could require you to call an asphalt company for repairs over extended use. If you have any concerns, look for a more environmentally-friendly deicer.

Ice Evenly & Correctly When De-Icing Asphalt

If you are fortunate enough to have a handheld spreader or wheeled spreader, you can save a lot of time and effort by using it. This piece of equipment will evenly coat the ground with ice melt or salt and will take much less time than doing it by hand. However, if all you have are your hands, that will have to do — unless you have a cup, and everyone has one!

Even if you’re deicing with a cup, you should still wear gloves because most deicers are made up of chemicals. You can also use a bucket, so you don’t have to lug a big bag of ice melt or snow around. In either case, spread it evenly. If you place too much in one area, simply grab some water or a broom to spread it out. Besides, using more deicer in one area will not make the snow melt any quicker. And the more deicer you unnecessarily use, the more likely you are to cause damage to your landscape. Keep in mind that snow does not melt ice. It does, however, lower the boiling point of water. Because the majority of ice does have a thin layer of water, the salt mixture will cause a chain reaction that helps expedite melting ice— even in cold temperatures.

Sand and Gravel Can Help with Icy Winter Asphalt

Sand and gravel are also regularly used on driveways that are icy. It’s important to understand that sand and gravel will not actually melt the ice. It will provide a safer environment by increasing traction for drivers and walkers. Although this can be a very effective solution, the best way to protect your home and property is to remove the ice completely. Many people who are concerned about the environmental impact of deicers choose to combine the sand with the deicer to make a mixture. In doing so, you can reduce the impact of using deicing chemicals alone.