Topic: Parking Lots

7 Signs Your Parking Lot Paving Needs to be Repaired

7 Signs Your Parking Lot Paving Needs to be Repaired

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Asphalt pavement is one of the most durable and resilient materials currently used in modern construction. It’s easy to place, maintain and recycle when its service lifespan has expired, helping to reduce manufacturing costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with asphalt paving production. Asphalt surfaces are also very flexible relative to other paving materials, which is just one reason why asphalt parking lots have become so popular. But, like any other construction material, asphalt and concrete paving don’t last forever. A well-placed asphalt surface can last 10-20 years or more with proper pavement maintenance. As we move into the wetter, colder months, you’ll want to be on the lookout for these 7 signs your parking lot needs repair.  

1.  Look For Cracking And Crumbling Edges.

You’re most likely to see these signs of asphalt deterioration around joints in the parking lot paving and the curb and gutter areas of industrial parking lots and asphalt driveways, although they can occur anywhere. When this happens, it could indicate that people are driving too close to the edge, the asphalt is not properly supported at the edges or the asphalt is beginning to age out of effective service. If not sealed or repaired, the cracks can spread throughout the entire surface. Crack sealing early can help extend the life and performance of the asphalt surfaces.  

2.  Potholes And Sunken Areas

These commonly occur when water seeps into cracks in the parking lot’s surface. Over time, the water undermines the subbase, causing the paving in that area to sag and crack. One key symptom of an incipient pothole is the presence of pooling water on the surface. If you notice this, a spot asphalt repair can help prevent larger and more costly problems later.  

3.  Alligator Cracks

Alligator cracking, named for its distinctive appearance, is a sign of too much stress on the asphalt. If your asphalt surfaces look like the skin of an alligator, it can indicate the subbase was improperly prepared by the original paving contractor and/or the pavement is routinely subjected to heavier traffic than it was designed to withstand, such as parking large trucks on a residential driveway. When you see this, you need parking lot and driveway repair or replacement right away.  

4.  Oxidization

The binding agents in asphalt which give it its flexibility and strength don’t last forever. In fact, from the moment asphalt is laid, the sun, wind, water, weather, and oil and chemical leaks from vehicles begin to eat away at them. This is why asphalt’s color fades from black to gray and the aggregate begins to peek out of the surface. Depending on the size of the area and whether other signs of damage are present, asphalt seal coat, asphalt milling, and parking lot resurfacing may all need to be considered.  

5.  Improper Drainage

Evidence of improper drainage can be an early sign asphalt repairs are needed. If water can’t drain off your parking lot or driveway it can damage the asphalt surfacing and cause larger problems later. Blocked storm drain inlets can lead to damage as well, so it’s important to inspect them regularly and make sure the runoff from your lot or driveway can go to where it’s intended.  

6.  Faded Or Illegible Striping

Proper parking stall and line marking make your property look better and more user-friendly. It’s also a requirement of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition to directing traffic, striping often works as a sort of visual canary for indicating potential issues which might otherwise go unnoticed. If your parking lot’s striping is looking worn, difficult to read, or hard to understand, you need to take a closer look at the entire area for other potential issues.  

7.  Time

If you can’t remember the last time you had any repairs or maintenance on your driveway or parking lot, it’s probably time. For best results, your asphalt surfaces should be seal coated at least every 4-5 years to help keep them looking their best and preventing chemicals, motor oil, and water from infiltrating the surface. If there are no major issues with the asphalt surfaces, minor crack sealing and spot repairs can also be made before sealing the surface again. It’s also a good opportunity to update your parking layout and striping to comply with ADA guidelines if they don’t already!     Keeping your asphalt paved surfaces in good repair isn’t just about making your property look and perform its best. Driveway or parking lot problems could also present ADA compliance issues with hefty associated fines and even open your company to workers’ compensation claims or civil lawsuits arising from injuries and vehicular damage. By making timely preventative asphalt repairs you can save time, money, and worry while presenting a more professional face for your business. At Calvac Paving, we know you have a choice of commercial asphalt and concrete paving contractors in the Bay Area, which is why we’re committed to delivering the finest in asphalt repair and driveway and parking lot construction. For your next parking lot repairs or to learn more about how Calvac can help you get the maximum life from your asphalt paving, click here to contact us.  

 

© 2024 All Rights Reserved.


Repair your Bay Area Parking Lot with Calvac Paving!

Repair your Bay Area Parking Lot with Calvac Paving!

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Effective asphalt maintenance is an essential element in keeping curb appeal up and costs down for developers and stakeholders while creating a smooth driving surface. By improving drainage, preventing dirt and debris buildup, and retarding deep crack formation, a proper maintenance program, including regular sealcoat and patch repairs, extends the life of your parking area and helps prevent costlier lot repairs, saving management time and money while leaving you with more happy customer and tenant reviews of the lot’s condition—and your business!

Calvac Paving specializes in asphalt parking lot maintenance which helps prevent alligator cracks, raveling, and deeper cuts caused by cold, water, and UV rays. 

In this blog article, we’ll discuss why it’s easier to maintain asphalt parking lots than to have to do a full-scale asphalt repair and how Calvac Paving can help you get the maximum life and performance from your asphalt installation!  

Pavement Maintenance 101: Why Does It Matter?

  Parking lot maintenance is much easier when the parking lot paving is done right the first time by the paving company. When the asphalt installation is done properly using appropriate paving materials on the suitably prepared ground with a proper drainage plan, you get a permanent surface that performs the way you, and the people who drive on it, expect. This also decreases the likelihood of ruts and depressions developing that could later grow into large potholes, which could require expensive pothole repairs or even complete surface replacement down the road. How the hot mix asphalt’s surface is placed makes a difference too! When done properly, most asphalt parking lots are placed in at least two layers of material, known as “lifts.” Each layer, or lift, will usually be left at least one inch thick after the placement and compaction phase, although this depends on the type of traffic and design elements the project calls for. This two-lift placement creates a smooth, stable base for your parking lot paving, which is flexible enough to withstand traffic wear while still being durable enough to stand up to both environmental and human-driven conditions. Often, a series of test protocols are carried out to ensure the paving contractor is using the right materials and placing them in the correct manner to make the surface as durable as possible. In many cases, a hot pour sealcoat, or asphalt overlay, is applied after final compaction but before the line striping is done to further preserve the surface.  Drainage is important because it helps prevent rain, snow, ice, dirt, and other weather-related debris from building up on, and penetrating into, the asphalt surface. Regular pressure washing in conjunction with good drainage helps ensure this type of debris, plus vehicular fluids such as leaking gas and oil, carelessly discarded food waste left behind by visitors, and decaying vegetation like fallen leaves are washed away before they can damage the asphalt’s surface or degrade the parking lot striping through oxidation or acid erosion. Once this type of damage begins, it can quickly lead to parking lot cracks and asphalt paving failure. Even with the relatively mild temperatures and weather in the Bay Area, freeze-and-thaw patterns can quickly turn a minor crack just an inch or two long into a much larger and more expensive headache for your property and roadway safety.  

I Have a Crack in My Asphalt. Now What?

  A well-maintained parking area doesn’t happen by accident. Keeping a close eye on your pavement, especially around concrete curbs and gutters, seams, and drainage courses, is a critical component of parking lot maintenance which can help you detect developing problems early so they can be taken care of. Parking lot cracks can be easily dealt with using a hot rubberized crack filler, which helps seal the crack and prevent it from growing larger or spawning new tributary cracks. Because it requires less personnel and equipment, parking lot crack sealing also tends to be much cheaper than having to do a patch repair on a failed area of asphalt, a pothole repair, or asphalt milling and resurfacing a new top course, including fresh asphalt sealcoating. This type of crack repair also generally takes a lot less time and is less intrusive to the traffic flow of your business.

As a best practice for parking area maintenance, it’s usually a good idea for you or your maintenance staff to walk your lot at least once every month just to check if your parking area needs lot repair. 

When you identify areas that could lead to cracks and potholes, such as an area of cracked sealing, you should contact Calvac Paving right away so we can get you the best possible asphalt solutions before the problem gets out of hand. Sometimes repairing the issue can be as simple as applying crack filler or hot or cold patch asphalt to shore up a weak area. Like a crack filling, asphalt patching in one or two isolated is a whole lot less expensive, intrusive, and time-consuming than it is to repair or replace an entire parking area!  

If you need parking lot maintenance and repairs, contact Calvac Paving today!

Calvac Paving is proud to be the Bay Area’s industry-leading source for concrete paving and asphalt solutions that really go the distance. Some of our services include

  • ADA Accessibility Compliance
  • Design-Build Paving Projects
  • Concrete maintenance
  • Concrete repair
  • Lot maintenance and repairs
  • Parking garage maintenance
  • And much more!

Whether you need a simple parking lot crack repair or a complete roadway build from native ground to finished product, Calvac Paving is ready and able to serve you. Simply click here to contact us, and be sure to check out our project gallery for some examples of the quality work you can expect from Calvac Paving for your paving repairs and all your other asphalt and concrete needs. And to learn more about parking lot repairs and why they matter, keep reading for our answers to frequently asked questions by property owners and contractors just like you!  

Frequently Asked Questions About Parking Lot Repair by Calvac Paving

Calvac Paving is here to help with straight answers and honest information about your paving needs, big and small!  

Question: What Causes Alligator Cracks, And How Do I Know I Need Parking Lot Repairs Because Of Them? –Srinivas, East Oakland, CA

Answer: Alligator cracks, which take their name from their resemblance to the scaly hides of alligators, usually form because the subgrade wasn’t properly placed or compacted or because the material under the asphalt has been undermined by water and debris infiltration. If you notice alligator cracks in your parking lot, you definitely need to have the area repaired as soon as possible before it becomes a pothole—or worse. In cases like this, one common approach is to cut out the failing section, rework and recompact the subgrade, and then place a patch over the affected area. This approach helps to shore up the failed area and prevent the damage from spreading further. However, it may not be necessary to take such drastic action in all cases, which is why you should have a qualified contractor like Calvac Paving evaluate the situation before you take action.  

Question: Can I Do Parking Lot Repair Myself? –Justin, Sunnyvale, CA

Answer: Depending on the type of issue you’re having, it’s possible—but you’re probably not going to get the same results as you would by engaging an experienced contractor to take care of it for you. This is not to say you’re not perfectly capable, but you likely don’t have access to the tools, machinery, or personnel to get the job done right and make sure it doesn’t become a recurring issue. More importantly, while a DIY video on YouTube makes repairs like this look straightforward and simple, they can be challenging and lead to further problems if they’re not addressed properly. Ultimately, you’ll get better and more reliable results using an experienced contractor like Calvac Paving than if you try to handle the issue yourself!  

Question: How Does Maintenance Prevent Parking Lot Repair? –Judith, Palo Alto, CA

Answer: Just like your home or your car, preventative maintenance, like keeping your parking areas free of debris and chemical spills, can help extend its lifespan and ensure optimum performance longer. For example, if you had a crack in a window, you’d likely notice a higher energy bill and poorer performance from your climate control. In the same way, a small crack in your paving can lead to a big problem down the road because asphalt isn’t self-healing, and cracks don’t get smaller over time. Instead, they get wider and deeper, and if allowed to continue, can lead to serious failures such as potholes and even subgrade degradation. That’s why it’s so important to take care of issues like this early before they have a chance to grow and spread into more serious issues!  

Question: What should I look for when I’m doing parking lot maintenance to avoid needing parking lot repair later? –Adam, Mountain View, CA

Answer: Some key points to look at when you’re doing parking lot maintenance include items like:

Is The Area Clear Of Debris, Including Discarded Food And Other Organic Material?

As organic materials decay, they release chemicals that can eat away at the asphalt sealcoat and, later, the asphalt itself. A blob of ketchup from a carelessly discarded packet may not seem like a big deal, but that tiny blot of tomato paste could lead to a pothole years later, which is why it needs to be cleaned up as soon as possible.

Do You Notice Dirt Or Sediment Building Up Along Drainage Channels?

This could be an indication of warping in the asphalt matrix and/or a clogged storm drain, which could lead to asphalt failure if it’s not attended to promptly.

Do You See Motor Oil Or Other Vehicle Fluids On The Paving?

Like organic material, over time, these can eat away at the bituminous (tar) binding that gives asphalt its flexibility. This makes them particularly inimical to even the most perfectly executed paving jobs. It’s important to clean up such spills quickly, so they don’t have a chance to cause problems that could lead to expensive repairs later!   For more information on parking lot repair and preventative steps you can take to keep your asphalt and concrete paving up to the task of providing a safe, smooth surface for traffic and pedestrians alike, click here to contact Calvac Paving!

© 2024 All Rights Reserved.


How Many Parking Spots Will I Need For My Strip Mall?

How Many Parking Spots Will I Need For My Strip Mall?

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Happy Monday Everyone! In this edition of Maintenance Monday, one of our social media friends sent us this question.  

I own a strip mall in San Jose, we have 10 retail stores, with 75 parking spots. How do we figure out the correct amount of handicap parking spots to have? 

The answer is… Thank you, In this case, 75 stalls. Three would need to be accessible spaces (not handicapped), of which one of those would have to be van accessible.  One thing to consider is the current count. If this property has 5 existing accessible spaces, it is best to put back those 5.  The reasoning is that the standards are the minimum and it is not usually a good idea to decrease accessibility on a property.  This is why it is important to plan these layouts with an ADA specialist, you don’t want to create a problem in the future by guessing or overestimating today. 

How many parking spots do I need?   

At Calvac Paving, we have ADA experts (Certified Access Specialists) available. Our ADA experts specialists serve the San Jose area as well as the greater Bay Area. Get in touch for more information!

© 2024 All Rights Reserved.


New Medical Building Parking Lot

New Medical Building Parking Lot

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Calvac Paving in San Jose concrete and asphalt budgeting project

Calvac Paving’s commitment to service means that we often have projects that present unique challenges. For a medical center in Menlo Park, there were several problems that had to be overcome. First, the base below the asphalt had become unstable, leading to depressions and potholes in the surface. Due to these conditions the existing asphalt had to be removed, the baserock graded and compacted. Second, the existing asphalt had to be off hauled and new pavement placed over the recompacted baserock. Finally, because it is an active office, we had to complete the removal, replacement and striping in a single Saturday.

 

When we first arrived, the parking area was riddled with potholes and puddles from the destabilized base. The existing striping and stall design of the parking lot was several years out of step with current ADAS and CBC standards for access. We then scheduled the off haul of recycle and import of hotmix asphalt tonnage and we mobilized the equipment and manpower necessary to complete the job, as well as staging the striping crew. Since we had a very tight window and no margin for error, we knew this had to be done efficiently and correctly the first time, with no delays. After blocking off the area so that we could work safely, we began grinding out the existing asphalt using a specialized milling machine. This pulverized the existing asphalt so that we could haul it to a local recycling plant, while exposing the existing baserock surface. Once that was completed, we graded and compacted the baserock so that Calvac Paving could create a stable, uniform surface that would create the necessary drainage and eliminate the puddles. This process, known as “grading,” is key to establishing a surface safe for vehicles and pedestrians while permitting stormwater drainage, which helps prevent subgrade destabilization by not allowing water to collect and seep through the asphalt.

Once the grade had been established and the baserock compacted to comply with industry standards and project specifications, we placed fresh hotmix asphalt in two 2” layers, or “lifts.” Compacting the asphalt in lifts as it was placed, created an end product that is more durable, less prone to cracking, potholing and other problems seen with asphalt paving. Once the second lift was placed, and we fog sealed the surface, we then had to layout and stripe the parking lot up to current ADAS and California building code requirements for correct access to the building and parking areas.

The result was a very smooth and puddle free, pedestrian, parking and driving surface that is far more stable than the previous paving, as well as meeting the latest standards. At the end of the project, we had removed and replaced more than 150 tons of hotmix asphalt in a single day, which was a quick turnaround for this volume of material and the job specific constraints.

Calvac Paving has been serving the Bay Area for over 45 years, from road rehabilitation projects in Los Altos Hills to this medical center parking lot overhaul in Menlo Park, and we have constructed, repaired or remediated thousands of properties. Each project requires a slightly different approach, due to project requirements, schedules, access concerns and other factors. We pride ourselves as the Bay Area’s solution to those supposedly “challenging” jobs, combining our reputation for safety and efficiency with the attitude that there’s no reason to consider a job “challenging” with the right safety, tools, training and equipment.

We also offer an industry-leading three-year warranty on the finished product to our qualifying clients as proof that we stand behind our product and the workmanship that goes into it. We are committed to providing our clients and stakeholders the best and most efficient results in the business, while making sure that the product that we leave behind is one we can look back at with pride. For more information about how Calvac Paving can help with your job, from a major roadway reconstruction to building an ADA-compliant access point to restriping a parking lot, we invite you to call us at:

(408) 225 – 7700

(650) 694 – 7944

(831) 375 – 7944

Some things in life shouldn’t be left to chance, and the surfaces where you, your family and your clients drive and walk on a daily basis are good examples. When you want the best, done right the first time, every time and on time, you want Calvac Paving, and we want to help!

© 2024 All Rights Reserved.


Calvac Paving And San Harbour South HOA : A New Parking Lot Case Study

Asphalt Repair

Calvac Paving And San Harbour South HOA

A New Parking Lot Case Study

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Calvac Paving recently undertook a paving rehabilitation project for the San Harbour South HOA  association located at 906 Beach Park Boulevard in Foster City, California. The existing pavement was over 45 years old and was starting to exhibit severe cracking and base failures.

Calvac Paving setting up

Primary Client Concerns

The primary client concerns included:

  • Continuous access during the milling, repaving and striping operations

  • Cost

  • Schedule and time management

  • Quality surface at the project’s end

Proposed Solution

IMG_1971

After reviewing the jobsite in person, we came up with a range of possible solutions that would meet the client’s needs.

Calvac Paving

Due to sub-grade issues. We proposed milling the existing pavement down 2” from the existing surface and laying approximately 2,500 tons of ½” aggregate hot mix, in addition to the replacement of 1,500 linear feet or 90 cubic yards of concrete valley gutter. Our recommendations and proposed fix were accepted by Calvac’s client and HOA Board. The job was undertaken in phases as to not disrupt the community at one time.

Final Results

Finished Project Piece

The end result of the San Harbour South HOA project looked fantastic! The project went off without any difficulty and was completed within the stated schedule and budget.

Calvac Paving is proud to have served the Bay Area for over 45 years with a wide range of paving, concrete and ADA access planning and implementation solutions. Why gamble with the outcome of your project? Make sure your contractor can get it done right the first time, every time. To learn more about how Calvac Paving can help service your construction job or to obtain a quote for services, please call us at 408-225-7700.

Contact Us:

Calvac Paving 2645 Pacer Ln San Jose, CA 95111 408-225-7700

© 2024 All Rights Reserved.