When it comes to the appearance and image of your business, it is essential that you keep it in top condition. A business exterior and parking lot that have weeds and cracked pavement give off an impression of an unkempt building and a similarly-run business. To help you keep your business exterior and storefront in top condition, here are some updates and improvements you should make to your parking lot for an improved customer experience.
Inspect and Repair Cracks Regularly
Prevention against your parking lot pavement becoming damaged is the most important step to keep it looking its best. The sun, weather, and vehicle traffic are constantly wearing away at your pavement's surface, which eventually works its way into the foundation and base layer of your pavement. After cracks have set into your pavement surface, moisture can get all the way to the base materials of your pavement, resulting in moisture erosion during warm months and freeze damage in the winter.
Keep on top of your surface condition by patching and filling any cracks as soon as they form. An easy way to fill cracks is to use a cold patch filler that is made up of asphalt emulsion and gravel pieces. Clear out the crack of any debris and weeds, then scoop and compress the filler into the crack until the patch is slightly above the level of the surrounding pavement.
Take time each month, for example, to inspect your parking lot for damage and other signs of excessive wear. Talk a walk around the parking lot and look for cracks, signs of ponding from water, and the edges of the pavement unraveling to expose the subsoil.
Hire Professional Asphalt Sealcoat
To help you prevent crack formation, make sure you keep your asphalt flexible and prevent drying out by applying a sealcoat layer every few years. Your local commercial paving service can recommend when you should consider this treatment based on the wear of your pavement and the weather patterns. For example, you might need a sealcoating application every three years due to high temperatures in the summer and extreme freezing in the winter combined with constant customer vehicle traffic.
A full sealcoat application over your parking lot pavement will seal in any repair work you have recently completed and also restore the deep black color to the pavement. The sealcoating is spread over the surface with an asphalt squeegee, which forces the tar emulsion into all small cracks and holes of your pavement surface. Once it has dried, you can apply new parking stall paint lines to restore the lot for customer use.