paving question rant
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paving question rant
any pavers out there? I had my driveway paved about 10yrs ago, the paving company told me it was my lucky day,said they where making a road mix at the plant, and thats what I get for my driveway. well now its cracked everywhere, heaved in spots. I looked at the pavement on the road out front of my place which was there when I built in 1989 and gets constant traffic on it, and there isn't a crack in it! what gives? why does driveway paving not stand up?
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
what was the asphalt put over? a bed of gravel, or was it an overlay put on top of an old driveway??
also, how thick was the driveway paved??
if it was an overlay, any cracks in the old will eventually show up in the new.
if it was only put down at 2 inches, then compacted(rolled), you really only got about 1 inch of pavement.
the standard here that we do is 4-6 inches of compacted stone, and 3 inches of paving, compacted to 2 inches for cars. if trucks are going to be parked on the driveway, we put minimum of 6 inches compacted stone, 2 inches of compacted course aggregate asphalt( base) and 2 inches of fine aggregate compacted top course.
for heavy trucks, it is the same as roadways 6 inches of Stone, 4 inches of base, and 2 inches of top.
another thing to remember is, road mix is made with larger aggregate than driveway mix, so it will not give a glass smooth surface.
in the industry, road mix is called I-4, and uses 1/2 inch aggregate.
I-5, is sometimes used on driveways, and uses 3/8 aggregate.
driveway mix uses 1/4 inch aggregate.
also, how thick was the driveway paved??
if it was an overlay, any cracks in the old will eventually show up in the new.
if it was only put down at 2 inches, then compacted(rolled), you really only got about 1 inch of pavement.
the standard here that we do is 4-6 inches of compacted stone, and 3 inches of paving, compacted to 2 inches for cars. if trucks are going to be parked on the driveway, we put minimum of 6 inches compacted stone, 2 inches of compacted course aggregate asphalt( base) and 2 inches of fine aggregate compacted top course.
for heavy trucks, it is the same as roadways 6 inches of Stone, 4 inches of base, and 2 inches of top.
another thing to remember is, road mix is made with larger aggregate than driveway mix, so it will not give a glass smooth surface.
in the industry, road mix is called I-4, and uses 1/2 inch aggregate.
I-5, is sometimes used on driveways, and uses 3/8 aggregate.
driveway mix uses 1/4 inch aggregate.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 19,760
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From: St Louis
The heaving is due to instability of the underlying base. Most likely, it was not a properly compacted of sufficient thickness.
The cracking is due to exposure to the elements, especially due to sunlight drying out the asphalt and causing it to shrink and expand.
Ten years is very good life for asphalt regardless of how much or how little traffic is on it. Most asphalt companies would say anywhere from four to ten years with seven being the typical lifespan.
Steve
The cracking is due to exposure to the elements, especially due to sunlight drying out the asphalt and causing it to shrink and expand.
Ten years is very good life for asphalt regardless of how much or how little traffic is on it. Most asphalt companies would say anywhere from four to ten years with seven being the typical lifespan.
Steve
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,422
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
every single driveway i have done is still perfect. and some are 25+ years old.
it is all in the prep.
and i also tell customers to NEVER, EVER, EVER!! put driveway sealer on the asphalt. it needs to breath, and the number one killer of driveway asphalt is driveway sealer.
it is all in the prep.
and i also tell customers to NEVER, EVER, EVER!! put driveway sealer on the asphalt. it needs to breath, and the number one killer of driveway asphalt is driveway sealer.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 18,423
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From: iowa
10 yrs for a driveway???? someone didn't do a good job on the base plain and simple, I can verify 2 driveways in my family that are both black top/asphalt my aunt and uncles was laid down in 1974, and my parents old place was built in 1975 both driveways have never ever had any repairs done to them and neither one has any cracks or heaving, but I also know both have a good rock base put down before they were paved.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: NW burbs of chicago
Originally Posted by omni
a road mix at the plant,
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the pavement was put down on compacted crusher chips, I drove on it for about 5 yrs before it got paved. most of the heaving is against a retaining wall, so maybe some water got into that area. I have put driveway sealer on maybe 4 or 5 times in ten yrs.I still come back to the fact that the road out front of my place has to be atleast 25 yrs old, and not one crack in it. mine must of got a lot thinner treatment than the road. Oh well just had to cry about it. guess I'll just have to get it redone.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Montreal Canada
Originally Posted by omni
the pavement was put down on compacted crusher chips, I drove on it for about 5 yrs before it got paved.
Around here we excavate about a foot below grade for a driveway. We put 8-9" of rock and 3-4" of asphalt. For roads and larger vehicles we put more rock. One 10" layer of 2.5" rock, another 10" layer of 3/4" rock, and 4" of asphalt
"
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