Grading and Paving: What is it?

Asphalt is durable; however, it isn’t indestructible. Over a period of time, it starts breaking down. When this happens, it can lead to wear and tear on your vehicle and even decrease the value of your home.

That is where an asphalt repair procedure referred to as grade and pave will help. Could this asphalt repair technique be the solution for your property? Read on to find out and learn more about its benefits.

Grading and paving: When is it an option?

Grading & paving is an option when enough stone was applied to the driveway, but over a period of time, it became embedded deep inside the soil.

Grading and paving: What are the benefits?

As water builds up on the gravel driveway during the cool weather season, it might freeze and make it hard for cars to gain traction, particularly if your home is on a steep grade, like many in the Chattanooga area.

During the summer and spring, driveway stones shift whenever vehicles travel over them. Eventually, this pushes the gravel past the original boundary of the driveway.

As time passes, potholes start forming in gravel driveways. Most of the stone that has pushed beyond the boundaries gets lost to the soil around it or pressed inside the ground by the weight of cars traveling over it.

The consequence of all of this traffic is that occasionally, you will have to apply new stone. Here’s the good news: over time, the stone becomes the perfect base for an asphalt driveway.

Paving the driveway – or parking lot – in which stone was laid down long enough to get embedded inside the soil because of ongoing traffic is less expensive than new construction, since fewer labor and materials are involved.

There are many benefits to having an asphalt driveway rather than a gravel one. Because of its rigid structure, asphalt stays in place.

Additionally, it’s possible to control and determine an asphalt grade, permitting water to move off of the driveway. It’ll improve traction and make navigation less treacherous in the winter. Lastly, it’s much easier to shovel or plow asphalt. With gravel driveways, you’ll run the risk of tossing gravel all over your property or damaging your blade inside a pothole.