How long should I wait before parking my car after asphalt work?
4 May 2022
If you have just started or are planning to do asphalt work, you are certainly wondering how long you will have to wait before being sure that it has hardened properly. It is indeed very important to know the hardening time of the asphalt in order to know, among other things, when you can start parking your car in your driveway again. During the drying period, your asphalt is fragile and damaged more easily and you certainly do not want to waste time and money on a question of waiting. The following blog post will give you information on this subject, in order to preserve your precious investment.
How long before he can use his asphalt?
Although to the eye the asphalt looks dry after only 24-48h, but that is just the surface. The asphalt is not yet dry in depth. The surface is strong enough to walk on without risk of breaking it, but the asphalt continues to harden for months. Of course, you won’t have to wait that long to park your car. Asphalt is a fluid material that moves with ground movements or with temperature variations. Normally, it is recommended to wait at least 7 days before putting the weight of a vehicle on fresh asphalt. In other words, in 24 to 48 hours the surface is able to support the weight of a human. A full week is enough to allow you to park your vehicle and it takes 25 to 30 days for the asphalt to completely dry. As it is a fluid material, the asphalt will continue to harden for months and even years, but beyond a month, this hardening is not necessary to support the weight of a car. So you don’t have to worry after the first month.
How to extend the life of asphalt?
In addition to respecting the hardening time of the asphalt, it is important to know the best practices to ensure that you keep your asphalt for a long time and in good condition. First, remember to protect your asphalt from the rain. It is important to cover your asphalt within the first 4 hours of installation if heavy clouds seem to want to burst. The asphalt base is very fragile to water during these hours. After this time, you don’t have to worry anymore. Temperature also has an impact on drying time. Even if you respect the 7-day curing time of asphalt. If it’s a heat wave, your asphalt is vulnerable to the weight of your vehicle even after a week. It is therefore recommended to extend the waiting time to 14 days to avoid bending the asphalt under the weight of your vehicle. Oil and gas are chemicals that can affect the surface of your asphalt. If you notice a stain, clean it as soon as possible with absorbent products. The same goes for cracks. Quickly repair any cracks you see appearing. The risks of water infiltration are real in the paving and during freezing and thawing, the water expands and damages the asphalt.
Do not hesitate to contact professionals if you have any questions about the hardening time of your asphalt or about the best practices to maintain it and make it last. They will always be happy to advise you and help you preserve your investment.
