Spring Is The Time To Pave Your Driveway

With Spring just around the corner, it’s time for you to start thinking about what you want to accomplish with your homes curb appeal.  This may be installing a new patio or fire pit for those warm Summer nights. Or it could be planting new trees or shrubs in a planter bed in front of your house. Many homeowners will naturally be drawn to their driveway and the changes that may have occurred with it over the winter. This could be cracked edges, heaving asphalt, potholes, and other unsightly blemishes that could have formed from ice expansion. Repairs could be a simple fix in some cases but sometimes its good to have an experts opinion. Northern Construction will proudly provide you with a free estimate on what you should do to fix your driveway! We install residential driveways in both Westchester and Putnam counties. If you live in Brewster, Somers, Carmel, Yorktown Heights, Bedford, Waccabuc, Chappequa, Pound Ridge, South Salem, Peekskill, Mt. Kisco, etc. We will be more than happy to stop by your residence and give you our expert advice on how to clean or repave your driveway!

Spring Driveway Maintenance Tips

A simple cleaning of the driveway goes a long way in clearly being able to assess any possible damages. Here are a few steps you can have done to improve the durability of your driveway

  • Clean The Driveway- Debris like dead leaves and sticks commonly find their way into our driveways at the end of Fall before the arrival of snow and ice
  • Power Washing– A good power washer will help to remove embedded salt, dirt, silt, and other deicing chemicals from your driveway
  • Removing Weeds-Weed encroachment is a common occurrence in driveways with lots of cracks and potholes. Remove all weeds first before applying the crack filler
  • Applying Crackfiller-You can fix smaller cracks by filling them with liquid crack filler. However, in the case of larger cracks, you can use a cold patch to fill potholes. It should be noted that a cold patch isn’t a permanent solution to fix potholes. Large potholes can expand rapidly, especially with the arrival of heavy rain in the Spring. The Northern construction team will provide you with the best advice for filling potholes based on the pre-existing condition of your driveway.
  • Seal Coating– Seal coating is an excellent way to improve the durability of your driveway. In addition to this asphalt sealer will give your driveway that smooth, shining appearance. Seal coating sealers prevent oxidation of the asphalt surface by forming a defensive outer skin. Along with protection from water, sealers prevent damage and wear from salt, and other de-icers. Sealers also reduce the deteriorating effects of oil, gasoline, and various other harsh chemical substances.

Repaving The Driveway

Sometimes damages done by frost heave are beyond repairable and further action must be taken. Depending on the condition of the asphalt an overlay of 2.5-3 inches of asphalt could be layed on top of the driveway. If heaving or cracking is too extensive and an overlay cannot be installed, the next course of action would be to remove the existing asphalt and take it away from the site. New sub-base DOT approved white item four is installed to provide a strong foundation for the new pavement to sit on. We install 4 inches of item four and compact it with an 8 ton roller to achieve Maximum Compaction. Afterwards, the driveway will be left to settle for two weeks before our team returns to install the asphalt. This process is more costly than a standard resurface but it ensures the finished product will last longer on average 12-15 years without any wear!