This page will touch on some of the most important facts and helpful tips regarding your new asphalt. In order to get the most out of your surface, you should have a good understanding of how to care for it throughout the years.

All freshly laid pavement may vary slightly in appearance on different areas of a job due to the physical composition of asphalt. The finished surface of pavement will have varied textures due to the physical make up, which is made from of various sized stone, sand, liquid asphalt and other small items.  Another reason for varied finished textures is because some areas may have been raked, spread and/or compacted with hand tools, while others were spread and compacted by machinery.

After all paving is complete; it is highly recommended that you have all open edges of your new pavement backfilled as soon as possible. Fill with topsoil to just below the asphalt surface, then seed. This will strengthen the edges and help prevent cracking. 

It will often take 6-12 months for the surface of your new asphalt to harden and cure, therefore your new drive may remain relatively soft until then.  It is okay to walk on your new blacktop immediately after paving is complete.  We highly recommend keeping all automobile traffic off new asphalt for at least 3 full days, and even longer in warmer temperatures.

Your new drive will soften and harden as temperatures rise and fall during the day.  The hot summer sun may add 40 degrees to the surface of your driveway. With an increased temperature, your new asphalt will be more susceptible to cosmetic or even structural damages.

Scuffing the blacktop surface will occur on warm days, especially before the asphalt has had time to cure.  On the hottest days there may be quite a few visible scuff marks, don't be alarmed, because these tend to be merely cosmetic.  They will usually disappear within a few weeks as the surface cures and temperature cools.

There are many helpful tips that you should keep in mind in order to keep your new drive in its best possible condition.  Here are a few things to remember about asphalt, especially while it's curing and during warm days:

• Okay to walk on right away

• No automobile traffic for at least 3 days

• Backfill open edges for structure

• Don't always park vehicle in same spot

• Avoid sharply turning vehicle tires

• Avoid unnecessary vehicle acceleration

• Limit heavy-duty truck traffic

• Don't park heavy trailers for long periods

• Use caution with motorcycle kickstands

• Avoid using folding chairs on new surface

• Don't use gasoline, oil, anti-freeze, or transmission fluids over asphalt.

All of these common actions have the capability of damaging the surface of your pavement, especially during its first year.  Excessive weight on concentrated areas will leave indentations in the blacktop, while the listed fluids will prematurely weaken asphalt and cause failure.

If you have any further questions regarding the care of asphalt or have damage that you would like fixed under warranty or otherwise, please don't hesitate to contact DRS LTD by calling  608-274-4932