There’s no doubt about it: parking lots are a major expense for any business or government agency. While it’s true that asphalt and concrete are both extremely durable surfaces, nothing lasts forever. Eventually, over time and with the wear and tear that parking lots are exposed to on a daily basis, the paved surface will start to break down. Whether your parking lot accommodates 5 vehicles or 500, it’s important to know the best way to care for your paving investment. That’s why it’s so helpful to understand what typically causes parking lot damage so you can protect your surface as much as possible. Here a few of the biggest reasons why parking lots start to deteriorate:
- Heavy vehicle traffic – Every parking lot has to withstand the weight of vehicles on a daily basis. But if your parking area is frequented by extremely heavy vehicles – such as trucks or heavy metal machinery – that weight can cause substantial damage to the pavement. The sheer weight of heavy vehicles breaks down asphalt and concrete. If there are cracks in the pavement, the heavy weight will make those cracks worse very quickly. If your parking lot has to withstand this type of heavy traffic, it’s important that you have cracks repaired as quickly as possible and really stay on schedule with routine maintenance of the pavement.
- Exposure to the elements – Weather is hard on pavement. If you live in a cold climate, the freeze/thaw cycle causes damage to both asphalt and concrete surfaces. But it’s not just cold climates that are hard on parking lots. In fact, a sunny climate can be just as bad. When paved asphalt surfaces are exposed to the UV rays of the sun day after day, the binder in the pavement begins to break down. Sunshine has a similar effect on concrete: UV rays can break down the polymers inside the concrete surface, and that weakens the pavement. When cracks form in pavement, due to either freeze/thaw cycles or UV exposure, it allows water to seep into the surface, which causes even more damage.
- Lack of maintenance – Asphalt and concrete surfaces last much longer if they’re cared for properly. When it comes to caring for pavement, that means seal coating on a regular basis to protect it from the weather, and repairing potholes and small cracks as soon as possible after they form. The longer you wait, the worse the damage becomes. And that can happen in a hurry.
It’s always best to have maintenance and repairs done by a professional paving contractor rather than attempting to do it yourself.
Nothing lasts forever, but your parking lot pavement will last a lot longer if you know what can damage the surface and take necessary steps to protect it.