Paving your driveway or other areas of your property with asphalt is a durable upgrade that can improve the property's accessibility for many years to come. Unfortunately, it is common for individuals to fail to appreciate the full scale of the planning and decisions that will need to be made in order to prepare for this paving work to be completed.

Clear Plants Along The Sides Of The Pavement

Individuals often assume that it is only necessary or beneficial to remove the plants that are in the area that will be directly covered with pavement. In reality, there can be sizable benefits to removing larger plants that are also near the perimeter of the pavement. These plants will have root systems that are able to grow under the pavement, which can put a lot of pressure on the bottom of the pavement. Eventually, this can lead to surface cracks and general unevenness of the paved surface. By taking the time to remove the plants that are along the perimeter of the asphalt, you can minimize the chances of large roots growing under it. While this may be a major change to your property's landscaping, it can be an effective way of reducing the potential for the asphalt to need major structural repairs in the future.

Opt For A Pavement Design That Encourages Good Drainage

Designing the new pavement so that it will encourage water to drain from its surface can be a step that homeowners may not fully appreciate. Without good drainage, the asphalt will be far more likely to degrade as a result of moisture damage. More specifically, the pavement could become excessively brittle in areas where water tends to pond. Luckily, there are ways to encourage the water to drain from the surface of the pavement. A simple example of this could be choosing a design that has the middle area of the pavement slightly elevated. A more complicated option can be installing drainage systems that can collect the water and channel it to a nearby storm drain.

Allow The Asphalt To Fully Harden Before Using It

Once the asphalt pavement has been poured, it will need time to cool and harden. During this time, you should avoid using the asphalt as it will be soft enough to potentially suffer deformities that could act to trap rainwater in the future. Luckily, asphalt has a short hardening time, and this can lead to the pavement potentially being hard enough for use within a few days of being poured.

Contact a paving contractor to learn more about this topic.