Ronald D. Giles: Your New Driveway

Thursday, August 9, 2012

We ask that you keep car traffic off your driveway for at least 3 days. If temperatures are real hot we ask that you try not to park on your drive for up to 5 days. You may walk on your drive right away.
Your driveway will need 6-12 months to harden and cure. It will remain soft and pliable until then. Even after it has cured it will not be as hard as concrete. Your driveway will soften and harden as temperatures rise and fall. Please be aware of this in hot temperatures. If you wish, you may water down your drive with a hose on hot days to temporarily harden the drive.
Spot damage may occur on your drive if cars start out or stop too fast. This also may happen if you turn your steering wheel when the car is not moving. To prevent pits, holes or gouges in your drive avoid using lawn chairs or kickstands on your drive. They exert weight on concentrated areas and will mar your drive. When using car jacks, ramps or storing boats or campers, place a piece of plywood under them to help distribute the weight.
Large heavy trucks will depress your new blacktop. Keep concrete and other heavy trucks off your new driveway.
Avoid driving off the edges of your driveway. They will crack and crumble due to lack of side support. You may support the sides by building up the edges with topsoil. But please do not do this until after the driveway has cured. (6-12 months)

You must keep dirt off the asphalt surface at all times. The dirt pulls the oils out of the blacktop.
It is natural for the texture of your driveway surface to be varied. It is caused by the various sizes of sand, stone and other ingredients that make up asphalt. Also, areas that are done by hand will appear different than those done by machine.
Gasoline, Oil, Anti-freeze, transmission and power steering fluid will soften and break up your driveway. These should be professionally repaired.
Cracks may develop over the winter due to the contraction and expansion of the ground. These should be filled with crack filler.
If you wish you may seal your driveway with a Coal tar sealer, but we recommend that you wait at least 1 year. Sealer will protect your driveway if you have any gas or oil spills and will give your drive that new black look.