Why Is My Asphalt Surface Not Smooth Enough?

As pavement experts, Straight Edge Contractors LLC has been building stellar asphalt driveways and parking lots for many years for its customers in Las Cruces and other parts of Texas. Our experience and knowledge help us differentiate between a rushed pavement installation and one that follows all best practices with precision. The asphalt’s texture is an obvious giveaway; an irregular surface is often the result of a substandard pavement installation job.

Whether due to a botched DIY effort or a professional project gone wrong, a bumpy pavement tells the story.

Why Is Having a Smooth Asphalt Surface Important?

Uneven and rough asphalt surfaces are vulnerable to water seeping down through gaps, whether due to rain or other reason. Although this may not be of enormous concern during the summer season, the water will freeze and expand during the winters. The expanding water will exert pressure on the asphalt and put a strain on it. The continuous pressure will cause the pavement to crumble eventually. The constant freezing and thawing cycle cause your asphalt to break down, and you’ll see cracks and potholes emerging on the pavement, signaling further deterioration.

3 Reasons Why the Asphalt Surface is Not Smooth Enough

1. No Compaction

If you can kick loose bits of aggregate or asphalt and feel them under your feet when walking, it is a sign that your surface was not compacted properly. This means that the last layer of the pavement was not left to dry for a sufficient amount of time.

Asphalt compaction is necessary to remove the excess air from the asphalt. This helps in eliminating all bubbles and gaps on the surface. Since there is a small window of time to nail the proper compaction density, inexperienced contractors often mess it up at this stage of the construction process.

2. Lack of Asphalt to Bind Aggregates

If the finished asphalt paving has bits chipping off or feels lumpy, there was not enough asphalt to bind it together. This is because the contractor may have miscalculated the asphalt requirements and did not have enough asphalt to combine the aggregate.

In the future, you need to ensure that the contractor uses asphalt wisely and has enough asphalt to complete the project.

3. The Wrong Aggregate Mix

Having the right aggregate mix plays a crucial role in your asphalt’s performance. An incorrect mix can compromise your pavement’s integrity in the future, leaving you with a rough and uneven asphalt surface. The aggregator, a contractor, should be a mixture of smaller particles and crushed rock, so it compacts together easily.

Crushed aggregate provides the strength to hold paving together; without it, your asphalt pavement will not be smooth enough.

If you’re looking for smooth asphalt paving results in Las Cruces, TX, then Straight Edge Contractors LLC is a reliable name which you can trust. We provide asphalt paving services at affordable rates and use the latest technology and procedures to ensure your asphalt surface looks smooth and does not crumble soon after installation. Try our services for yourself, get a free estimate from our team!

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