A freshly laid Asphalt driveway is a beautiful thing. So clean and dark, adding contrast to your landscaping, and order to your yard. But if you want to keep your new asphalt looking good for years, you will have to take care of it. Asphalt can last 20 years if it is properly taken care of, but dirt and neglect do eventually damage it, and nature is always trying to break things down. Fortunately, asphalt is not difficult to care for. Here are some tips to help you out.
- Edging: If your driveway borders a lawn, or other type of garden area. It will begin to be attacked by encroaching plant life. Roots will work away the underside, and plants that are too close will send up shoots through the weaker edges of the pad. Grass can be very aggressive and, left unchecked, it will work its way into your driveway and crumble the edges. Keep a close eye on your driveway and keep a good edge between the driveway and the plants. Quality edging tools are available at garden centres.
- Crack Sealing: Sometimes driveways will crack. It is usually because of weather extremes, poor subsurface preparation, or perhaps a bad application. Cracks can be a big problem because they allow erosion and invasion by foreign material to further wear down the pad. Crack sealing should be done as soon as cracks are noticed. There are DIY products available for this, or you can have it fixed professionally for a better result.
- Resurfacing and Sealing: As an asphalt pad ages the topmost layer is broken down by the weather and UV rays. If it is left unchecked, further deterioration will begin to destroy your asphalt. For this reason, it is a good idea to reseal the driveway every three or four years, If the deterioration is more severe, you will want to call in professionals. Luckily, asphalt driveway resurfacing in Brisbane is available. A resurfacing will add many years to your driveway and bring it back to that beautiful, clean black it had in the beginning.
Outside of those three things, it is very important to keep your asphalt clean. When your driveway is dirty, foreign objects and dirt work their way down into the cracks and begin to dilute the tar and weaken it. It is a good idea to use a stiff bristled brush regularly to keep it clean and occasionally use a garden hose with a pressure nozzle to get out some of the dirt the broom can’t reach.
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