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!
Maintenance Tips For Asphalt Gravel And Paver Driveways
- Asphalt: Winter moisture and cold weather will eventually leave marks over time. Without a doubt, cracks and small potholes will form when water gets under the driveway and freezes. The freezing and thawing of ice will move the sub-base and cause cracks to form in the asphalt. Commonly, the cracks will be very small and look like a spiderweb. This occurrence is referred to as “Spider Cracking.” If you notice this beginning to appear in your driveway address the problem immediately! A good crack filler can be used to fill small cracks but won’t be effective long term. For small cracks, we recommend Latex-ite from Home Depot. Having your driveway sealed in Spring will help keep water from entering any cracks and escalating the problem. Small Potholes can be filled using cold patches but are only considered a temporary fix
Paver & Gravel Driveways
- Pavers: If you have a paver driveway, it isn’t uncommon for some of the stones to shift over time. Pavers normally are placed flat onto a sand base and are pitched slightly to allow water to runoff. They are held together by polymetric sand which is brushed into the joints of the stones once they’re set into place. Water may find its through the joints after some time and disrupt the sand base. For this reason, this may cause the stones to shift up or down. Luckily this is an easy fix. Unlike asphalt, Pavers can be lifted and reset back into place. We always recommend keeping extra polymetric sand to refill any joints where stones have been reset. Again, this will prevent water from entering the joints.
- Gravel: Gravel driveways are cheaper to have installed but can quickly turn messy. They require routine maintenance year-round. After heavy rain, any low spots in a gravel driveway can quickly turn into pools of water. The dirt underneath may turn into mud and eventually wash out making a mess of the driveway. Washouts can also move gravel, especially near the edges of the driveway. If this occurs, the driveway may not appear to look uniform. It’s important to refill low areas with gravel to keep them from becoming washed out.
