About Driveway Paving
About Asphalt Paving
If you are looking for some new pavement for your driveway or patio, consider asphalt paving. This option is environmentally friendly, cost effective, and attractive, too. When properly applied asphalt is much better for the environment, look, driveability and overall affordability. Most people don't think about all of the benefits available when pavement is utilized correctly and take regular roads and driveways for granted. There are so many beautiful options to choose from and many new products to help make your asphalt pave even more appealing.
You might be wondering exactly what types of asphalt paving are available. Basically, there are three main categories, each with its own unique qualities, costs, and installation requirements. Before making a decision on which type of pavement to use, it is important to understand and analyze the needs of your home, yard, business, or other property. Here is a quick overview of the different types of asphalt mixes and their uses.
Hot mix asphalt paving is extremely popular and is made by combining aggregate and cement. The hot mix allows for excellent drainage and crack resistance, while still providing a beautiful and highly flexible surface. Not only is it highly crack and dent resistant, but it can also provide increased durability for older homes. If cracked or chipped, however, this type of paving is less expensive than cold mix because of the added ingredients and additives, but it is still less expensive than a hot mix alone. Cold mix is slightly more expensive than hot mix because of the additional ingredients and additives.
An asphalt paving that is constructed from compacted gravel is the least expensive of the three options. The most commonly used type of this product is called rock gravel, because it is simply stone gravel that has been compacted. There are several reasons why this is the most cost effective form of paving, including the fact that it requires the least amount of labor to install. Because the gravel is compacted, there are not as much loose gravel at the bottom of the paving and therefore it will not cause as much damage. Another reason why it is less expensive than some of the other options is that it requires the least amount of maintenance. Once the stone has been compacted, it is fairly easy to keep it well maintained and if it becomes damaged, simply adding hot or cold water to the surface will fix the problem.
If you have an existing asphalt pavement surface that is damaged or cracked, you will need to repair or replace the damaged area before you begin paving. If you are replacing the entire surface of the driveway or a portion of the sidewalk, you will have to prepare the area by making sure it is clean, dry, free of debris, and level. If you are simply preparing the area to pave, you may use a brush to remove any loose dirt or grass. Once the area is ready, you can apply a sealer to the surface, which will help protect it from future weathering.
Since asphalt paving is done primarily as a vehicle accessory, it is important that you buy the right kind of asphalt and materials. Since the main purpose of asphalt paving is to waterproof the driveways of your home and business, you will need to ensure that it has a good water-proofing property. Water-proof asphalt is more expensive to purchase, but it is also better for your business since it will reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents. Since there are many different options to choose from when it comes to asphalt paving, you should be able to find a company that will provide both custom jobs and ready-to-pour asphalt shingles. If you decide to hire a contractor to handle the project, be sure to check his background and ask for references so you can get a feel for how he performs his job.
Asphalt paving is one of the most commonly used forms of construction today. This is due to its high adaptability and low cost. In addition, it is also considered to be a very practical option when it comes to home paving. However, it does have certain shortcomings that need to be taken note of. Read on to know about some of these and consider whether you should opt for asphalt or not.
One of the disadvantages of using an asphalt driveway is that it can be quite slippery. You need to make sure, therefore, that you drive your car carefully on it. And even if you do so, there is still a chance of your vehicle getting stuck on the asphalt. So, you should keep a good grip on the steering wheel and use all the available help you can. This is especially important if you are making a long distance drive.
There is also a possibility that asphalt might damage the surface underneath if it is not properly sealed. This is because asphalt is a petroleum product and petroleum products can cause damage to the environment. Therefore, you should make sure that the paved area is adequately sealed to make sure that it does not erode.
It is also important to remember that asphalt can crack when it gets too wet. If this happens, you will need to replace the area with new asphalt so that it does not get cracked again in future. Otherwise, you may end up spending more on repairing cracks that you have caused. In fact, asphalt cracks can be a real headache especially during heavy rains when the paver becomes very susceptible to water penetration.
Apart from this, asphalt is also susceptible to cracking when it is exposed to heat. This is especially true during summer months when the temperature is high. During this period, it is possible for the asphalt to get very soft and mushy. When this happens, it is much harder to seal the surface properly and repair any cracks that have developed.
Another problem that can occur with an asphalt paver is when it is being used improperly. For instance, when the asphalt paver is being used to pave driveways, it can easily grind over the edges of the driveway. The grout lines might also get damaged during this process. In fact, there are some homeowners who prefer using concrete or paved paths in front of their homes and driveways. However, they often forget that they should also seal these paths. Sealing the pathways will help to keep them protected from debris, grit, water and sand.
Homeowners should therefore find a qualified company to clean up their asphalt paver once in a while. These professionals will use a pressure washer to remove all the dirt and debris that have built up on the paver. They will then use a power washer to completely clean the water surface. After this is done, you can simply have the surfaces sealed and maintained by your local company.
By hiring a company to perform regular maintenance on your asphalt paver, you will be able to prevent some very common problems. For instance, if you find that the pavers have cracks, you can ask your local maintenance company to repair these cracks before they become larger. You can also ask them to apply new asphalt once a year. If you forget to do this, the asphalt will eventually wear out and begin to crack again. By properly maintaining your asphalt paver, you will be able to save yourself money in the long run because you will not have to call maintenance on a regular basis.
About Driveway Paving
The driveway paving job can be a daunting task to undertake. The options available for you are limited, and often what you do decide to use will depend upon the existing surrounding area. For those who live in a rural setting, such as those who live on the countryside, there is little options to get the driveway ready for the caravans coming through. In this case, it will be necessary to use natural stones or cement in the driveway.
Pavers are not always the best choice of material for a driveway paving project. While they may look like natural stone and act as a wonderful contrast to the darker, earthy tones of the soil, they cannot be properly maintained without the right sealer. Sealer comes in different types, and can be tailored to perfectly match the look and feel of your driveway paving project. If you do not want to invest in driveway pavers, then there are other options you can take into consideration.
One of which is interlocking paving, which allows you to have beautifully crafted interlocking pavers installed for your driveway paving projects. This is ideal for driveways, which are in need of repairs. The pavers lock together with the help of interlocking joints, and thus you need not exert any effort in driving the pavers apart. The advantage of this system is that you will save a lot of money that you would have otherwise had to spend on hiring workers to do the job for you.
Another option you have when it comes to driveway paving is asphalt driveway paving. There are many advantages when it comes to using asphalt versus concrete for your driveway paving project. First, asphalt is an excellent material for use on the outside of homes. It is extremely durable and will outlast concrete, even when it is left outdoors for quite some time.
In addition to this, there are also several concrete driveway paving pros that you should know about. For one thing, concrete does cost a little bit more than the other alternative materials like asphalt and brick driveway paving stones. However, you can always count on its longevity and resistance towards all types of weather. Moreover, you will not be required to spend a lot of time in treating the concrete once it gets cracked. Concrete cracks usually get repaired by applying a special cement mixture to fix the damage. You can also choose from a variety of designs for the pavers of your driveway.
On the other hand, brick driveway paving pros include the fact that you will no longer have to worry about finding the right pattern for the exterior of your home. Bricks come in a wide array of colors, shapes and sizes, so you will always be able to find the right design to complement the architecture of your house. Pavers that are made out of natural stone come at a much higher price, but they are also far more durable compared to the composite materials such as asphalt. Finally, you will not have to spend a lot of time and effort in order to keep the driveway clean and free from damage, as concrete usually requires very little maintenance.
Driveway paving is a very important process if you want to improve the appearance and value of your home. It is a very practical choice, because it allows you to create a more attractive space that can make your home look more appealing. Of course, it is essential to keep in mind that not all of your driveways need to be paved. In fact, there are many instances where the only purpose of having a paved driveway is for the sake of improving the curb appeal of the property.
Asphalt and concrete driveways are two of the most common types of driveway paving materials, although there are some homeowners who prefer the use of rubber for driveways. Regardless of what you decide on, you should always remember that you should always choose the material wisely. Concrete and asphalt are both excellent choices, but the effectiveness of each material can vary greatly. Paved driveways can be used on nearly any surface, although they are typically best used on asphalt or concrete surfaces. Ultimately, it all comes down to your personal preference and budget.
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About Spokane Valley, WA
For thousands of years, native peoples lived in the Valley, and included it in their seasonal migrations, where they hunted, fished, gathered, and dug roots. Prior to European settlers, the Valley was occupied the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene people.
Starting in the early 1800s, fur traders sent by the North West Company (later merged with the Hudson's Bay Company) arrived in Spokane territory. West of the Valley, two trading posts were established near the mouth of the Little Spokane, 1810-1826 Northwest of there, missionaries established the Tshimakain Mission, 1838–1848. The first settler in the Valley was Antoine Plante, a French Canadian and Blackfoot, and his wife, Mary of the Flathead nation. He came as an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, for which he worked for two years before becoming a Freeman. He built a small cabin near the Spokane River in 1849 (now the Plantes Ferry Recreation Park between the neighborhoods of Trentwood and Irwin), from which he ran a small Hudson's Bay Company trading post. He operated the first ferry across the Spokane River, the only means of crossing the river in the area, from 1852 to 1864.
In 1853, two years after the establishment of the Washington Territory, the first governor, Isaac Stevens, made an initial effort to make a treaty with Chief Garry and the Spokanes at Antoine Plantes' cabin. In spite of the calming influence of Chief Garry, the Spokanes protested the loss of their lands by joining in the Coeur d'Alene War of 1858. The battle culminated in the Battle of Spokane Plains, while there was no decisive winner, the tribes were greatly weakened. The Spokanes were forced from the lands of their ancestors to a reservation north of the Spokane River, just west of the Spokane area.
In 1862, A. C. "Charley" Kendall established a store on the north side of the Spokane River at the far east end of the Valley. A bridge to cross the river at Kendall's store was soon built by Joe Herring, Timothy Lee, and Ned Jordan in 1864, strategically located nearer the Mullan Road than Plante's Ferry. A small community, known as Spokane Bridge, began to build up near the bridge. It boasts the first hotel and post office in the Valley. In 1871, it became a stop on the Pony Express, connecting The Dalles, Oregon Territory, to Missoula, Montana Territory.
Before the turn of the century, early pioneers, many of them silver miners, arrived from the East by way of the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railroads, for which Spokane was a major hub. By 1883, the first transcontinental rail was established. The railroad activity created support for extensive shops and facilities. Within a few years, Spokane was tied to the outside world by five transcontinental railroads, making it the hub of commerce it remains today.
Irrigation efforts stimulated population growth in the Spokane Valley significantly in the early part of the 20th century. Developers and real estate speculators tapped into nearby lakes, the Spokane River and the aquifer lying under the valley in an effort to turn the dry land into saleable agricultural land. In 1899, the Spokane Valley Land and Water Co., later owned by long-time irrigation advocate D.C. Corbin, built a canal to irrigate land in the Greenacres area with water from Liberty Lake. In 1905, the Spokane Canal Company built a canal to irrigate the Otis Orchard area with water from Newman Lake, and Modern Irrigation and Land Company tapped into the underground aquifer to irrigate 3,000 acres (12 km) in Opportunity. Within just twenty years, 30,000 acres (120 km2) of dry land was converted into fertile farmland. Water access greatly increased land values. Valley population grew from 1,000 residents in 1900 to nearly 10,000 by 1922. Extensive apple orchards thrived in the gravelly soil of the Valley, and by 1912 nearly 2 million apple trees had been planted. A huge packing plant was built in 1911 by the Spokane Valley Growers Union.
The Spokane Valley was developed as townships. In 1908, the state granted the formation of county townships as semi-autonomous, self-governing bodies, with the same basic governing rights as most municipalities, including the ability to levy property taxes. Only Spokane and Whatcom counties took full advantage of these townships with taxing capabilities, essentially reducing the need to incorporate rural communities. These townships fulfilled the basic needs for services in the rural districts until the State revoked their taxing rights in 1969, after which the unfunded townships declined until the Spokane County voted to disorganize them in 1974. The Valley townships were East Spokane, Opportunity and Greenacres, the southern edge of Pleasant Prairie, Foothills, and Newman, and the northern edge of Chester.
A few Spokane Valley towns developed for residential and/or business purposes. Trent (now Irwin) was originally platted as a residential area for Northern Pacific railroad workers in 1881. Millwood (originally Woodward) began as a "company town", developed by Inland Empire Paper Mill for their employees, and Dishman developed primarily as a business center. All other Valley townships were developed as irrigation districts and owe their existence to their agricultural roots. Between 1901 and 1915, the communities of Orchard Avenue, Greenacres, Otis Orchards, Opportunity, Vera, Dishman, Liberty Lake, Newman Lake, East Spokane, Mica and Chester were platted. Pasadena Park is a populated place located in Spokane County at latitude 47.697 and longitude -117.283, North of Millwood across the Spokane River that existed at least as early as 1916.
The Spokane Valley was promoted as a wonderful place to live. Though most Valley residents were farmers or orchardists, canneries, brickyards, railroad maintenance facilities and lumber mills provided jobs for many. The beauty of the surrounding area, pleasant communities, fertile farmlands, business opportunities, outdoor sports and activities, local recreational areas and community organizations caused it to be called "Spokane Valley, the Valley Bountiful". As the population increased, small
communities with schools, churches, businesses, community clubs and organizations thrived. Tied to Spokane, local lakes and Coeur d’Alene by railroads and bus systems, the people of the Valley enjoyed a full life.
In the years that followed, crop troubles and irrigation system maintenance problems prompted many residents to sell their farms in five, ten, or 20-acre (81,000 m) plots for suburban home sites. Many of the apple trees were pulled out and replaced by neighborhoods and truck farms. The truck farms were successful in raising strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, beans, peas, watermelons, asparagus, squash, cucumbers and thousands of acres of Heart of Gold cantaloupes. Dairy, poultry and fur farms also appeared in the Valley during these years.
While jobs were scarce during the Great Depression, most people in the Spokane Valley had enough land to grow food for their families. The Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce adhered to a positive agenda throughout these hard times. They placed street signs on Valley roads and in an effort to show solidarity with Spokane, east–west roads were renamed to correspond with Spokane's roads. Observing that fires were a constant and catastrophic problem for area residents, the Chamber lobbied to begin a fire protection district in the Valley. Their efforts were successful and Valley residents were first offered fire protection in 1940, with the formation of Spokane County Fire Protection District Number One.
Spokane University, a four-year liberal arts college operated in the Spokane Valley from 1913 to 1933. when it closed due to financial difficulties amid the Great Depression. It briefly reopened as Spokane Valley Junior College, before facilities were moved to Spokane's South Hill and merged into the newly formed Spokane Junior College in 1935. The campus of Spokane University was eventually used by University High School from 1962 until 2002, when it relocated to new facilities. The campus has been occupied by Valley Christian School since 2005.
The people of the valley always maintained independence from the City of Spokane on its borders. The first local newspaper, The Spokane Valley Herald, was launched in 1920. In 1919 an early municipal airfield was carved out, later named Felts Field in honor of Herald owner Buell Felts who died in a plane crash there. A streetcar line was started as early as 1908, and later extended to Liberty Lake in the east part of the valley, where entertainment facilities were built for music and outdoor gatherings. Other than Millwood, which incorporated in 1927 and Liberty Lake, Washington which did so in 2001, the Valley remained unincorporated throughout the 20th century.
Industry began to replace agriculture more rapidly after the completion of Grand Coulee Dam in 1941, which combined cheap electricity with readily available water from the Spokane River and the extensive aquifer which underlies the Valley. At its height, the Valley was the site for an aluminum plant, a cement plant and a paper mill. Plans to attract light industry through the establishment of an industrial park at a former military depot were not very successful. The cement plant closed in the 1950s, but the paper mill and aluminum plant remain.
In the 1950s a further transformation swept the valley as the post World War II population boom began to push into the valley, replacing most of the remaining apple orchards with tracts of houses. The first shopping mall was built at University Village on Sprague Avenue (formerly called Appleway), which became the major artery through the Valley, lined with stores and restaurants. The last large-scale orchard irrigations ended in the late 1950s, canvas pipes running down residential streets replacing the old ditches by that time.
In the later decades of the last century, the Valley experienced a large influx of retirees due to inexpensive housing and the relatively dry weather. Retirement complexes and apartment blocks began to appear. At the present time the Valley remains principally a suburban area, a mixture of families and retirees and the retail commerce to support them. In the 1990s and the early part of the twenty-first century the Spokane Valley continued to grow more urban, becoming one of the fastest growing regions in the state. Commercial growth increased and joined residential growth as it moved towards the state line. The urban development included the opening of the long-awaited Spokane Valley Mall in 1997, the establishment of dozens of other businesses along business corridors, and the development of the Mirabeau Point community complex.
The valley exhibits signs of the prehistoric geologic events that shaped the area and region such as the Missoula Floods which ended 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. The Spokane valley was gouged out by repeated failures in the ice dam that held Glacial Lake Missoula. The protected Dishman Hills Natural Resources Conservation Area to the west, with its rugged, potholed appearance and deep gullies is a result of the Missoula Floods as well and represents one of the most ecologically diverse regions in Washington state, where forests, grasslands and shrublands converge and is within two ecoregions, the Okanagan and Northern Rockies ecoregions. The geography further to the southeast, such as the Saltese Flats and Saltese Uplands is characterized as a shrub–steppe landscape with grassy hills and ravines.
Most of the valley is classified as a Mediterranean Climate (Köppen Csa), however the western slope of the Saltese Uplands closely border on a semi-arid climate (Köppen Bsk).