How To Install Your Own Asphalt Paving
You’ve seen it done on the highway many times. Trucks back up to a paver and dump tons of a thick, black, stony substance into the hopper. As the paver slowly moves forward, it leaves a thick trail of hot asphalt which is then rolled and packed by vibrating power rollers. But what if you didn’t need a road paved. What if all you wanted to do was pave a walkway from your garage to the back door of your house? What if you wanted to see if you could pave on your own? Here are some hints to get you started:
- The smallest amount most asphalt plants will sell is .5 tons or 1,000lbs of asphalt. This might seem like a lot, but it’s not. A half ton of asphalt will cover about 25 square feet at just over 3 inches deep. If you’re not going to rent a power roller to pack the asphalt, it’s a good idea to go a bit thicker than you would otherwise.
- Asphalt is a hot petroleum product. As such, it likes to stick to things. This is good because you want all the little stones that make up the solid part of the pavement to stick to eachother. It’s bad because the asphalt will also try to stick to your tools, clothes, and anything else that comes in contact with the hot mix. Use a spray bottle filled with diesel fuel to wet your tools before touching the asphalt. It will help to keep the pavement from sticking to the tools by providing lubrication.
- Prep the area ahead of time. Figure out where you want to pave a few days before its time to do the actual paving. Make sure you have alll edges planned and any junctions with existing pavement are clean and free of loose pieces. If you can, rent a compactor from your local rental company and use it to pack the area you’ve shoveled and raked before laying the asphalt. Good luck!
photo credit: ItzaFineDay
