When Can I Walk On New Asphalt Driveway

When Can I Walk On New Asphalt Driveway
  • Author: Amanda Arnold
  • Posted On: September 1, 2022
  • Updated On: August 21, 2023

You want your brand-new asphalt driveway to keep its integrity for as long as feasible after installation. Impatiently using your driveway as soon as it has been paved puts you at risk of doing damage immediately. As soon as the asphalt is laid, proper maintenance and care should start.

Preventing traffic and automobiles from using your newly built driveway for a while is crucial. By doing this, the pavement has a chance to set and cure properly; otherwise, it can be damaged and cause problems with the driveway in the future.

It’s advised to refrain from using the product for at least three days until it cools. However, 24 hours after it has been compacted, asphalt is safe to walk on if you really cannot avoid it. However, whether you’re planning to install new pavement or resurface an old one, now is the time to consider managing it so that it stays in pristine condition.

Is It Essential To Take Care Of Newly Installed Asphalt Driveway?

After 24 hours, the compacted surface of your new asphalt driveway or parking lot is safe for walking. Without regular upkeep, even the best-laid driveways and parking lots will develop cracks and other defects earlier than expected, necessitating expensive repairs.

Since gas and other environmental factors can start eroding, it is crucial to maintain newly built asphalt pavement properly to ensure its longevity. You might wish to wait a full month in the hotter summer months when it takes longer to cool and solidify.

The additional heat makes the asphalt more malleable, and the likelihood of surface damage occurring sooner increases. Do yourself a favor and park on the street or, if possible, in a garage. Your perseverance will be rewarded.

How To Maintain Newly Installed Asphalt Driveway?

You will need to take care of and maintain your new asphalt pavement when it is new and for the duration of its lifespan after installation. As with the other improvements on your property, the greater care you provide your newly built pavement will increase its longevity.

To keep the cost of a pavement installation as low as possible each year, it is important to provide it with the proper care and maintenance during its entire lifespan. Following the care and maintenance recommendations, you may assist ensure that your new asphalt pavement has a long service life.

For vehicle traffic, freshly laid asphalt pavement must dry for at least three days. Therefore, ensure no vehicle uses the new surface until three days after installation. Even three days after the new surface has been laid down, heavier vehicles should still be avoided because their weight might cause harm.

Before enabling heavy trucks to use the new asphalt surface, you should wait around 14 days.

Things To Consider Before Using New Asphalt Driveway

The most expensive and long-lasting paving materials available are made of asphalt. To make sure it remains appealing and functional for as long as possible, you must yet guard it against abuse and do routine maintenance.

An asphalt driveway or parking lot that has just been installed is breathtaking. Any driveway or parking lot with recently placed asphalt looks gorgeous and has a new, premium, sleek appearance.

Don’t Drive Car On Driveway Edges

The edge of an asphalt road is its most fragile part. It can readily crack or split when the edges are subjected to excessive weight regularly. Additionally, try to avoid forcing your car over the driveway’s edge.

The newly laid pavement will start to crack, and the edge will flatten under the weight of your car. A year may pass before your freshly laid asphalt pavement is completely cured. Therefore, avoid parking in the same location repeatedly to avoid leaving low spots or asphalt marks.

Asphalt depression may occur if objects, such as motorcycles, are allowed to remain in one location for an extended period.

Avoid Riding Heavy Vehicles On New Driveways

Overloaded big heavy vehicles can damage your fresh asphalt by adding too much weight to it. As a result, never allow concrete trucks on your brand-new driveway or parking space. Plywood should be placed under the tongue jack, and the tires of campers will be kept for an extended period to disperse the weight.

Don’t Ignore Driveway Drainage

Without question, water is asphalt pavement’s main adversary. Therefore, it’s crucial to establish proper drainage while building over the newly placed pavement. It is also vital to note that maintaining the drainage over the lifespan of the asphalt is crucial.

It is crucial to make sure you have a solid asphalt pavement drainage system in place so that it can drain properly. The drainage system is arguably the most important aspect of paving installation. If it is not done the first time correctly, it may be necessary to demolish, re-grade completely, and replace some of the driveways to remedy it.

Move Out Snow And Ice Timely

You may face major issues if water seeps into the pores of your asphalt pavement and freezes. Water expands when it freezes, suggesting that pressure may build up beneath the surface of your pavement. It can be bad for your asphalt surface and result in unsightly problems that could harm it if you don’t properly remove snow from it.

Therefore, it’s crucial that you use some ice melting agent on your paving to prevent water from freezing on your asphalt surface.

Bottom Line

You would want your pavement installation to provide you with the highest return on your investment by serving you for a long time. Asphalt is meant to last for decades.

However, how well you take care of it determines how long it will last. You can ensure that your investment is maximized by following all the care and maintenance advice that has been emphasized.

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Author: Amanda Arnold

Amanda has been working with ConstructionHow since 2021. Her experience spans over 5 years in the creative niche such as home decor and trends, landscaping, renovations, and custom architectural values. As a home designer expert, she has a keen eye for the latest home improvement trends with accurate facts that readers find impossible to ignore. Being invested in home-building trends is how she has gained her lucrative expertise exploring more to bring a positive ambiance for all homeowners (and even tenants!). Currently, she lives in a beautiful beach home, a source of fascination for her.

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