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Concrete Parking Lot − 5 Benefits That Help Your Business

Concrete Parking Lot

Considering a concrete parking lot is the right decision for your business because it can withstand extreme environmental exposure and significant vehicular loads. Today over 80% of driveways are paved with asphalt. However, its rising prices and ability to deteriorate fast have made concrete the best alternative. 

A concrete parking lot is the first step toward creating a positive impression on potential customers. Parking lots undoubtedly receive a great deal of vehicle and foot traffic, which could cause your parking lot to wear out easily. You need a parking space with low starting costs and minimal maintenance. Concrete parking lots offer low maintenance costs, multiple colors, and texture design options. It’s the best choice if you’re considering cost and aesthetic appeal.

However, there are many reasons concrete can demonstrate its superiority to asphalt and other paving options. It can provide significant cost savings, reduce the amount of energy required to cool buildings, and improve safety. In this article, we explain all you need to know about concrete parking lot as a business owner.

The Benefits of a Concrete Parking Lot for your Business

An excellent parking lot can help your business run efficiently. Your parking lot is the first impression your building gives to your employees or clients. It tells to an extent what they should expect within the building. Concrete helps many business owners design a durable parking lot that can withstand pressure, and the aesthetic is appealing enough to draw more clients. The following are the benefits of concrete parking space for your business:

Low Maintenance 

Concrete requires low maintenance without much work; to maintain its beauty, you must remove debris and debt from the surface. It is the best option for your business if you are always busy and have little time to take care of your parking lots.

It Is Eco Friendly 

Concrete is recyclable and causes zero harm to the environment. It requires less machinery to keep your parking lot healthy and safe, and most concrete mixes are made from natural and chemical-free materials. 

Durability 

Concrete parking lots are more robust and durable; you do not need so much money to fix or maintain your parking lots. Under the weight of traffic and heavy vehicles, your concrete parking space will still maintain its integrity.

A concrete parking lot reflect the sunset light

Concrete Reflects Light At Night

To improve the safety and security of your employees, lighting up your parking lot is significant. Concrete reflects light at night and helps you save money on energy over a long time.

Aesthetically Pleasing

Concrete comes in several color schemes, including white, gray, brick red, and brick brown, which can appeal to your taste. It can be constructed with textured and colored patterns to suit your business brand. 

How Thick Should Concrete Parking Lots Be?

The American Concrete Institute’s ACI 330: contains the guide for constructing concrete parking lot. The guide contains the exact inches you need which will vary based on certain factors.

  • The size of the aggregate mixture, 
  • The type of the component (beams, slabs, reinforcement), 
  • The fire resistance standard, soil condition, 
  • The driveway function,
  • Your budget.

Also, the strength of your concrete will affect its thickness. Stronger concrete can be a few inches thinner because it can withstand more pressure than weaker concrete.

Therefore, your parking lot concrete must be at least 6 to 12 inches thick based on the anticipated load and subbase strength. Concrete constructors usually use 6 inches for parking lots that would face a lot of traffic pressure. For seasonal parking lots, 4 inches thick is perfect for your concrete pavement.

Concrete parking lot cost

The price for a concrete driveway or parking lot breaks down to about 4 to 6 dollars per square foot. This price includes the cost of labor and the materials needed to install the concrete. Factors like; location, distance, traffic, size of the parking lot, the scope of work, and lightning requirements may affect the price of your concrete parking space.

A concrete parking lot with design lines

Concrete parking lot maintenance

Concrete parking lots are known to last the test of time; however, as you continue to drive or walk on them, they will start to deteriorate and reveal their age. A proper maintenance routine will help improve its lifespan. 

Below are a few steps that will maintain your parking lot and preserve its life.

Cleaning 

Concrete parking lots will require some regular maintenance. A large push brush assists in removing debris from the surface and keeping it clean for a long time. Power washing is another alternative for cleaning your parking lot. Before washing your concrete driveway, ensure your drainage system is effective and in good condition. 

Fill Up Crack 

Aside from being aesthetically unappealing, cracks and potholes disturb your parking experience. Once your concrete driveway is cracked, ensure you fill it up to avoid crack expansion. Concrete repairs and filling up the surface are always advisable if you want to improve the performance and lifespan of your parking lot.  

Remove Stains From your Concrete Parking Lot

Oil stains are a common problem with parking lots that are always busy or used. Removing these stains will prevent them from sticking to the floor and messing with the aesthetic of your parking lot. Stain removal will help clear every stain without destroying or scaring some parts of your concrete. Removing stains from your pavement is an integral part of maintenance and should be carefully done. 

Different cars parked on the old parking lot

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Concrete parking lot repair

Next to maintaining your parking lot, concrete parking lot repair helps to preserve the lifespan of your concrete pavement. This is because your business parking lot can suffer cracks when heavy trucks or vehicles are always parked on it or suffer from potholes, flakes, salt damage, or other extreme weather conditions. Follow these easy steps for your concrete parking lot repair:

Identify The Source Of Damage

Before you can repair the damage on your parking lot, you must identify the course of the damage and decide the method of repair that will best suit your pavement. For example:

  • if your business parking lot is cracked, a bonding adhesive will help you fix every track and keep them a staple for a long time. 
  • if your driveway has many shifted sections, you can invite a contractor to grind down the high side. 

Knowing the exact cause of the damage will save you time and money. 

Surface Preparation

Preparing the concrete surface is the first step to fixing any substantial damage. Remove any shaky concrete, debris, or shattered parts from the surface. You must ensure that all parts of your parking lots are free from dirt, clean, and ready for repair. 

Fix Cracks, Potholes, or Flakes. 

If your concrete driveway or parking lot is cracked, broken, or has many potholes or flakes, consider fixing them using the correct repair method. You can also decide to do your repairs yourself or contact a concrete constructor to help you handle the job.

Some good repair techniques include: 

  • Leveling
  • Concrete crack repair and patching
  • Joint sealing 
  • Cutting and sectional repair 
  • Overlay and slap restoration
  • Epoxy injections and
  • Complete replacement

Replace Your Parking Lot

After evaluating the cause of your damage, you will have to decide between fixing or replacing your parking lot pavement. Sometimes, fixing alone won’t do the work of keeping it together and preserving its lifespan. Replacing your pavement, especially when it has served you for a long time, is the best thing to do. Replacing your concrete pavement will keep you in business and reduce your stress, worry, and complaints. 

A asphalt and concrete comparison.

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Concrete vs. asphalt

For years concrete and asphalt parking lots have been compared with each other; because they are the two essential pavement materials. Homeowners and businesses always struggle to decide between concrete and asphalt parking lots; pavement materials have a gravel base and many similarities. However, they still have a distinctive difference that gives concrete paving a substantial advantage over asphalt parking lots. 

Lifespan and Durability 

When compared to concrete, asphalt parking lots are less durable. With regular maintenance, asphalt lifespan can be preserved and protected from damage. However, a concrete driveway can last up to 50 years or more.

Maintenance and Repair 

Concrete is less challenging to maintain and preserve. With early maintenance plans, your concrete business parking lot will remain decent for a long time. Remember that asphalt repair is more expensive and hard to carry out than concrete.

Concrete Vs. Asphalt Parking Lot Aesthetic 

It’s easier to be creative with the concrete pavement; you can stain, tint or design concrete to give you the desired effect. Concrete finishing provides different colors or hues to its natural color. While asphalt is easy to install, it must be filled and compressed, and the result is usually black. 

Cost and Price Difference 

The cost of installing asphalt pavement is always cheaper than concrete. It usually costs 2 to 4 dollars to install asphalt pavement and 4$ to 6$ per square foot for concrete.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a good driveway or parking lot that can withstand pressure, you should look towards concrete parking lots. When used for homes or business parking lots, they are more durable, flexible, and require less maintenance. 

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How Much Does Parking Lot Striping Cost?

parking lot striping cost

Without proper parking lot striping, getting cars in and out of the parking lot in a safe and orderly manner is near impossible, which is why striping a parking lot is such a necessary task. Of course, you’re here because you’re likely concerned about the parking lot striping cost.

On average, people pay anywhere from $400 to $500 for striping a parking lot with 30-50 parking spaces, though the price can easily go up or down depending on the size of the lot and your particular needs.

To help you determine a clearer idea of your potential parking lot striping costs, come dive in with us as we take you through our parking lot striping guide.

Parking Lot Striping Cost

So, you just got done paving your parking lot, and now you’re looking to stripe it. 

When it comes to striping a parking lot, the cost is typically determined in two ways, including the cost per linear foot or the cost per line. It’s not often that you will find parking lot stripers that charge by square footage.

Per linear foot, you can expect to pay anywhere from $.20 to $1.00. Of course, this depends on the types of lines needed, which we will get into later.

A single parking stall will often cost anywhere between $4 to $5. The lines are typically a minimum of four inches thick.

Learn more about pavement striping with our helpful guide:

Pavement Striping – A Guide To Professional Services

An asphalt parking lot with newly paint striping.

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What Are The Costs Of Parking Lot Striping?

There are other factors to determine a more accurate number for your parking lot striping cost.

For example, you might need to have additional markings in your parking lot like logos, directional arrows, loading zones, or fire lanes. These kinds of additions will push your costs up. You might also have to mark your curbs, which typically comes out to around $1 per linear foot. 

There are some additional markings that you will need to use color paint for, which can increase your costs overall. 

It’s important to keep in mind that larger parking lots will often mean higher prices, as they will require more spaces and more specialized additions, such as handicapped spaces. 

The Cost Of Different Parking Lot Lines

There are different costs for different types of lines that you’ll need to keep in mind. These line markings can vary in price, though are often anywhere from $20 to $30. Here are some of the different lines you might expect to pay for and their average costs:

  • Single line for parking lot stall – $4 to $5
  • Stop line – $20 to $30
  • Stenciled parking space letters – $2 to $4 per space letter
  • Stenciled parking space numbers – $1.50 to $3.50 per number
  • Handicapped stalls – $25 to $30 per stall
  • Arrows – $10 to $20 per arrow
  • Pedestrian crosswalks – $50 to $75 per crosswalk

If you decide to paint angled stalls, note that you will likely pay more than you would be painting regular stalls. 

Keep in mind that these costs will vary depending on the number of lines that you need in your parking lot, the types of lines that you require, and the amount of paint that you need to use to finish the job. 

A professional painting company will often pay anywhere from $80 to $150 for a five-gallon tub of paint. The parking lot striping company will usually provide you with this cost upfront in your initial quote. 

We highly recommend using water-based acrylic if you want your parking lot to look its best and last the longest.

Old parking lot with arrow paint guide on the building.

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Parking Lot Restriping Cost

Parking lot restriping often costs the same as regular parking lot striping. You can expect to pay anywhere from around $300 to $700 for a regular parking lot with 30 to 50 spaces. Of course, as we said before, these costs can vary based on your specific needs and any additional elements you need to be painted in your parking lot. 

How Much Time Is Needed To Stripe or Restripe a Parking Lot?

The amount of time it takes to stripe or restripe a parking lot will depend on a few factors. 

You’ll have to consider the size of your parking lot, the number of workers you have on the job, and the type of machinery that you are using to get the job done. 

Once the paint is laid down, the time it takes for it to dry will vary.

If you’re working on a hot summer day, the paint can dry and be ready to drive on in about an hour, though we recommend giving it at least four hours to be safe, as that is typically how long it takes for lines to cure. 

Lack of sunlight or cold weather can affect how long it takes. If you’re working in colder weather, we recommend using solvent-based traffic paint. 

Consider sealcoating your parking lot so that your striping job lasts longer.

Further reading: Best Parking Lot Sealer to Consider For Your Lot

A concrete parking lot with white striping.

Read More:

How Much Does It Cost To Remove Parking Lot Striping?  

The cost for removing lines from a parking lot can vary, though it costs anywhere from around $200 to $500 on average. 

Final Thoughts

We hope that you now have a better idea of what you can expect from your parking lot striping cost. Once done, it’s a good idea to restripe your parking lot every 18 to 24 months to keep it looking fresh and new. 

Of course, the amount of time you can leave in between restriping depends on whether or not you have high-volume traffic and what kind of climate you live in.
Here at Paving Finder, we’re consistently looking for new ways to help people find the best paving services for their needs. We highly recommend joining our pro network if you want to get in touch with top-rated paving professionals in your area.

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Asphalt Parking Lot Paving Guide – All You Need to Know

Asphalt Parking Lot

Why should you choose an asphalt parking lot for your business? Among the many decisions, you’ll make for your business is what kind of parking lot you want for your customers. While you also have options like gravel or concrete, asphalt is arguably the best choice for parking lot paving due to its versatility, cost, safety, and longevity.

Compared to concrete, asphalt parking lots cost less to install and repair, take less time to install, last nearly as long, are better for the environment, and look equally as professional as their counterparts. Asphalt also performs better than concrete in climates subject to freeze and thaw. Overall, asphalt parking lot paving simply offers more benefits and a better value for your money than the other available options.

Read on to learn nine essential elements of asphalt parking lot paving in this comprehensive guide.

How much does it cost to pave a parking lot with asphalt?

The ultimate cost-determining factor is the project’s square footage, but with an asphalt cost calculator, you can do the math for how much your project will cost per square foot. While the price fluctuates with the market, in general, you can expect to pay between:

Cost per square footmaterial
$2 to $4.50Asphalt paving
$4 to $7Concrete paving
$1.25 to $1.80Gravel

Several other factors could impact your project costs, such as density of asphalt, recycled vs. virgin asphalt, required site preparation, drainage needs, and more. Your contractor should explain any issues affecting your price.

Further Reading — Asphalt solutions — Residential, public, and commercial paving

Asphalt parking lot cost calculator

The following asphalt cost calculator helps you determine the volume of asphalt you’ll need for your project by using the area’s dimensions, desired thickness, and type of asphalt to figure the total cost. You can calculate your project’s asphalt weight by multiplying the length by the width by the thickness by the asphalt density. On average, expect a tonne of asphalt to cost between $80 and $200, varying with your location, quality/density, and current oil price.

Asphalt parking lot cost calculator

You should also consider the cost of preparing your future parking lot before asphalt is applied. Debris must be cleared, the area leveled, herbicide applied, a layer of gravel laid down as a solid base material, and a drainage system put into place, all of which you should factor into your budget. After the asphalt sets, you must hire someone to paint the pavement striping to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians on your property. 

Further Reading – Parking lot sealcoating – What are the benefits and costs?

Recycled asphalt: an option to consider

Asphalt is the most recycled product in America. According to the National Asphalt Pavement Association, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has long been incorporated into new asphalt along with other recycled materials. In addition to its significant environmental impact, asphalt created with RAP incorporated has proven stronger and more durable than virgin asphalt alone.

    Important Facts About Recycled Asphalt

  • Minimizes environmental impact
  • Produces a stronger product than virgin asphalt
  • Significant cost savings, even as oil prices rise
  • Recycled asphalt saves taxpayers up to $2.5 billion per year
  • Less space taken in landfill with material that will never biodegrade
  • Promotes the conservation of other natural resources with less aggregate mining
  • Decreased probability of cracking and less frequent future maintenance
  • Can be used for roads, roof shingles, parking lots, landscaping, driveways, etc.

The Federal Highway Administration declared its support for using RAP materials in pavement construction to “preserve the natural environment, reduce waste, and provide a cost-effective material” for paving construction.

How often should you seal an asphalt parking lot?

To give your lot the best protection possible, you should reseal it every two to four years as a routine part of your asphalt parking lot maintenance. Pay attention to the oxidation levels and general health of your parking lot to decide when your parking lot needs a sealcoat application.

If your business is in an area with heavy rainfall or frequent freezes and thaws, you may notice more cracks in your parking lot and might want to consider sealcoating more frequently to prevent future repairs. 

Further Reading — Parking lot sealcoating — What are the benefits and costs?

Does sealing asphalt extend life?

Sealcoating your asphalt will extend its lifespan by preventing major cracks from forming in your parking lot’s foundation. Always ensure cracks are properly repaired before sealcoating, as it is only a protective measure for the surface. 

Further Reading — Proper asphalt paving & maintenance extend the life of asphalt surfaces

Sealcoating not only renews the appearance of your parking lot but also reduces oxidation levels and water entry, provides oil and gas resistance, makes it easier to clean and maintain, and offers a more pliable surface to drivers during hot weather.

Further Reading — Parking lot cleaning — Steps to keep your lot clean

The process of seal coating on asphalt parking lot

Asphalt parking lot maintenance

According to the experts, proper asphalt parking lot maintenance can extend the life of your lot to as much as thirty years. Your parking lot is often the first aspect of your business a potential customer sees. A properly maintained lot conveys the impression you care about the appearance of your property. 

Maintenance tasks range from simply sweeping the asphalt parking lot and weeding any vegetation growing through cracks to patching cracks before they become potholes and flushing your draining system if necessary. Set a schedule and stay consistent in caring for your parking lot to reach its maximum longevity.

Further Reading — How parking lot maintenance can save you money.

The life expectancy of an asphalt parking lot

An asphalt parking lot won’t last forever, even with perfect site preparation and maintenance. Like most things, your parking lot has a general life cycle it will follow. With proper maintenance, you can expect your asphalt parking lot to last between fifteen and thirty years, at the extremes. Your parking lot will go through several phases during its life. 

  • 0-5 Years

Your asphalt parking lot will require little maintenance or repair during the first phase. The parking lot surface should have no trouble standing up to heavy traffic and inclement weather— as long as you have proper drainage. Keep it clean and free of debris, and remove any vegetation you see to prevent future issues. 

  • 5-7 Years

Routine maintenance is key. Properly fill any cracks before seal coating your asphalt parking lot. Sealcoating and crack sealing will extend your parking lot’s lifespan, especially if you start early and stay consistent with maintenance. Continue to keep the lot clean and free of weeds.

  • 7-15 Years

As your parking lot reaches roughly middle age, you may need to do some more intensive maintenance and repair. Cracks may expand to become holes if not dealt with promptly. A neglected asphalt parking lot will show rapidly in the form of growing cracks and potholes. 

  • 15-25 Years

Repairs will become more frequent and intensive. You will likely face large cracks and potholes. Customers may complain about the risk of injury or damage to their vehicles. It may be time to consider resurfacing your parking lot. 

  • 25+ Years

If your asphalt parking lot made it to 25 years or beyond, you got a fantastic value for your investment. At this point in your parking lot’s life, repair and maintenance costs will be similar to the cost of a new parking lot.

Further Reading — Estimated parking lot life — Get the most out of your lot

The workers are busy repairing an asphalt parking lot.

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Asphalt parking lot repair

You may be wondering what issues you might face with asphalt parking lot repair. For the most part, cracks and potholes are the bulk of repairs, both of which can be dealt with easily if you take swift action. A parking lot in disrepair gives your potential customers a poor impression of your business before they ever make it through the door.

Cracks are the most common type of asphalt parking lot repair. They can be longitude cracks, which appear in a long straight line; block cracks, which look like a rectangle or square shape and may intersect at right angles; or alligator cracks, which are haphazard patterns. Cracks between a quarter-inch and one inch can be repaired with crack sealing. 

Further Reading — Asphalt alligator crack repair — How to fix long term

Potholes occur when water seeps down through cracks and erodes the roadbed beneath the surface. Vehicle traffic then breaks the surface asphalt and pushes it into the cavity. Potholes can be filled or patched using premium hot or cold mix asphalt after cutting a square around the hole down to the aggregate sub-base. Compacting the new asphalt properly and sealing the repaired area, preventing further water damage is critical.

Further Reading — Asphalt parking lot repair — What to look out for

Asphalt Vs. Concrete: Value Comparison

After learning about the many benefits of choosing asphalt over concrete for your parking lot, it can be useful to see a side-by-side comparison. This chart compares several factors impacting the overall value of your paved parking lot.

Value factorAsphalt Parking LotConcrete Parking Lot
Aesthetic Appeal✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶
Installation Time✶✶✶✶✶✶✶
Longevity✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶
Environmental Impact✶✶✶✶✶✶✶
Maintenance Frequency✶✶✶✶✶✶✶✶
Maintenance Intensity/Cost✶✶✶✶✶✶

The United States Geological Survey conducted an in-depth study on the potential environmental benefits permeable pavement has on the quantity and quality of stormwater runoff. Asphalt and concrete are included in the study, showing the many ways your paved parking lot can help the environment if you have a proper drainage and runoff system. 

Further Reading — Eco-friendly parking lot — 10 Ways to be sustainable

Conclusion

When you need a place for your customers’ cars, an asphalt parking lot is the clear choice in terms of value, reliability, speed, and cost. With proper maintenance, repair, and cleaning, you can extend your asphalt parking lot’s lifespan to nearly equal to a concrete lot, with far less time and money invested.

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Parking Lot Sealcoating – What Are The Benefits And Costs?

Parking Lot Sealcoating

When it comes to managing and prolonging the life of your parking lot, sealcoating is one of the most important elements. 

Sealcoating is a thin coat of either asphalt cement or coal tar pitch mixed with emulsifying agents, water, and inert fillers to seal and protect pavement surfaces from UV rays, water, salt, oil, and gasoline.

Of course, you might be wondering whether or not sealcoating is a necessary element for your particular paving job, and whether or not the costs are worth it.

Let’s dive in and explore the ins and outs of parking lot sealcoating so you can make a more informed decision.

What Is Sealcoating a Parking Lot? 

Though asphalt is a long-lasting surface, weather and other variables can wear it down over time, meaning more maintenance must be done to keep it intact. Asphalt will eventually oxidize, becoming faded or grey. When you sealcoat a parking lot, you use a unique mixture (like the one mentioned above) to protect it from weathering and harsh chemicals that can wear it down over time.

In essence, sealcoating can extend the life of your parking lot.

Note that sealcoating is a preventative measure and is not meant to fill asphalt cracks. Always fill cracks before applying sealcoating. 

An asphalt parking lot sealed by worker.

Parking Lot Sealcoating: advantages

1. Reduce Oxidation

When you fill voids on the surface with sealcoating, you essentially reduce its exposure to UV rays and oxygen, which reduces how much gas and oil is able to penetrate through porous parts of the asphalt.

2. Aesthetically Pleasing

After a time, asphalt will become faded and grey. With sealcoating, you can give your parking lot that nice, clean and new look, putting up a positive and professional image of the business, complex, or facility that is attached to it.

3. Reduce Water Entry

Sealcoating also acts as a wonderful agent for waterproofing, which minimizes how much water is able to seep through microscopic cracks in the asphalt. Without proper sealant, water can enter and freeze during cold weather, causing it to thaw and expand, all while shifting the asphalt around it. 

4. Oil and Gas Resistance

Companies will often use coal tars in sealcoating agents, which are impervious to oil and gas spills. When gasoline drips on asphalt when the weather is hot, it can cause the asphalt to soften and break down, meaning more damage in the long run.

5. More Pliable

When you sealcoat asphalt, you darken it, giving it a rich, black color. As we all know, the darker the color, the more heat it attracts and holds onto. Dark black asphalt can retain heat from the sun better, which ultimately makes it more pliable than lighter asphalt. 

When the weather gets really hot, the road will loosen up and its pliability will increase, allowing heavy traffic to drive on top of it without it cracking.

A blue car driving on new asphalt parking lot

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6. Easy Maintenance

When coating an asphalt surface, sealcoating can fill small voids. The end result is a surface that is much smoother and more evened out, which makes it much easier to maintain throughout the year. 

If you are building a parking lot in a place where it snows often, it’s important to note that it is much easier to shovel or plow snow off of a smooth and even surface compared to one that is bumpy and uneven.

7. Easier To Wash

If your parking lot is next to a restaurant, then you more than likely have a dumpster in the area too. With trash floating around, parking lots often need to be pressure washed to maintain a fresh and clean look. You can’t simply sweep grease and food waste away.

However, pressure washing, after many times of doing it, can be damaging to an unsealed parking lot. With proper sealcoating, you can protect your asphalt from pressure washing with high volumes of water and detergents. 

How To Sealcoat a Parking Lot? 

In the United States, you’ll find two major types of sealcoating, including:

  • Asphalt-based emulsion sealcoating
  • Coal-tar emulsion sealcoating

Once you choose the right parking lot sealer, you will use a hydraulic tanker truck to keep the mixture churning as you prepare to lay it down. 

During the mixing process, you will also add anywhere from two to four pounds of sand per gallon of sealcoating emulsion. It’s worth noting that with one gallon of sealcoating emulsion, you can cover around 50 to 60 square feet. 

You can then apply the thin layer of sealcoating with a spray, squeegee, or both. Once applied, you will have to let it dry for around 24 to 36 hours. 

An asphalt parking lot in front of restaurants.

How Often Should a Parking Lot Be Resealed?

If you want to provide your parking lot with the best protection, you will want to reseal it every two to four years on average. However, you want to make sure that you don’t reseal it too frequently, or else you can cause coat peeling, which will ruin your job.

How Much Does It Cost To Sealcoat a Parking Lot?

The cost of sealcoating a parking lot depends on the price of crude oil, which, as we know, is in constant fluctuation. However, on average, you’ll only pay a few pennies per square foot to sealcoat a parking lot, making it a very cost-effective method for increasing the longevity of your parking lot.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this little guide to sealcoating was helpful in maintaining your ultimate parking lot. 

As we said before, make sure to perform and major parking lot repair before you begin the sealcoating process, as sealcoating is not meant to fix large cracks. Here are a few helpful articles on Paving Finder that can help you through the repair process:

If you have any other questions regarding sealing your parking lot, make sure to get in touch with us here at Paving Finder. We look forward to helping you with all of your paving needs!

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Pavement Striping – A Guide To Professional Services

There are several reasons why pavement striping is crucial for any road or parking lot project.

Pavement striping ensures the safety of pedestrians and drivers within your premises, controls the way in which traffic flows to help prevent accidents, maximizes parking space, and improves curb appeal.

Of course, there are many considerations to make if you are planning on hiring someone to stripe your asphalt, pavement, or parking lot. Continue reading to learn more.

What Is Pavement Striping?

In its simplest terms, pavement striping is the process of painting lines on the pavement, such as a road, parking lot, or another surface. We pavement stripe to let people know where to go and set boundaries on otherwise wide-open spaces. 

Asphalt and Concrete Striping

There are many reasons why parking lot managers or road builders make a point of the importance of asphalt and concrete striping. 

Let’s look at a few reasons why a good striping job is so important.

A Good Pavement Striping Job Can Eliminate Confusion

A Good Striping Job Can Eliminate Confusion

Try, if you can, to imagine a large parking lot without any lines. 

It would be an incredibly difficult parking lot to navigate. 

If you’ve ever experienced a parking lot that was really difficult to navigate due to the fact that it wasn’t well-marked, then you already know how handy a well-thought-out striping solution can be. These kinds of marks can eliminate confusion and solve any navigation problems.

A Good Striping Job Can Increase Efficiency

Trying to navigate a very busy parking lot can be stressful, especially when there are tons of other vehicles. A good striping job can be an essential part of a well-planned lot.

It’s important that drifters and pedestrians can enter your parking lot, easily navigate it, and exit without getting into any accidents. 

It also saves people from meandering around a parking lot when it’s crowded, wondering if they are even going the correct way, to begin with. If you own a parking lot attached to your establishment, the last thing you want is a bunch of confused customers who are feeling stressed before they even walk through your doors! 

A Good Striping Job Follows Regulations

There are unique rules in each state, ensuring businesses are accessible to all people. Businesses have to follow strict parking lot guidelines so as to not discriminate against any customers. 

Business owners have to comply with these rules and regulations unless they want to face fines. With a striping job from a professional service, you can bet that your parking lot will be up to code. Ensuring the accessibility of your business is not only an issue of compliance, but it is also great business.

The importance of following regulations when painting lines

How Do You Paint Lines On The Pavement?

While you certainly could paint lines on the pavement by hand, many striping companies will use new technology like striping machines to do a professional job. These machines are far more accurate than painting by hand. 

Here are a few technologies that companies will often use for concrete striping.

Spray Shields

If you’re painting in an area with a lot of wind, spray shields can be helpful. Even high-end striping machines are vulnerable to wind. All it takes is a gust of wind for the paint exiting the machine to change its stream and leave uneven marks all over the surface.

Spray shields are there to protect the paint from the wind to make sure that the stream is uninterrupted with each spray.

Reflective Bead Dispensers

One of the best additions to parking lot stripes is reflective beads. They work to increase visibility for pedestrians and drivers at night. You can attach a reflective bead dispenser to a striping machine, eliminating the need to perform this method manually, which can improve your results and save you tons of time.

Laser Guides

To create a high-quality, professional-looking parking lot, you’ll need to replace faded or dull lines. Of course, without the right tools, this process can be quite difficult. To ensure the best result each time, we recommend utilizing laser guides.

Laser guides work by outlining the location of each new line with a laser beam to make sure things are even and straight.

The different kinds of paints used on pavement

What Kind Of Paint Do You Use On Pavement?

The longevity of your striping job has a lot to do with the kind of paint that you are using on the job.

There are a few different kinds of paint that you can use to paint on pavement. These include:

Oil or Solvent-Based Paint

Oil or solvent-based paint uses oil rather than water. This type of paint is one of the most popular for this application, as it offers supreme durability for how much it costs. Plus, unlike some other types of paints, such as water-based paint, it won’t even freeze in extremely cold weather conditions. 

Water-Based Paint

Water-based paint is mostly made of water. It is the least expensive paint that you can find and the most environmentally friendly. If you’re on a tight budget, water-based paint is one of the best choices. It’s also one of the fastest-drying types of paint out there. 

However, it’s worth noting that it is not very durable.

Thermoplastic Paint

Thermoplastic paint is one of the most durable paint options out there, thanks to the fact that it contains plastics. It is very expensive, however.

Canned Aerosol Line Striping Paint

You can use aerosol line striping paint with a line striping machine to paint your parking lot with ease. With these kinds of canisters, it’s easy to get professional results. If you’re someone who is looking to maintain their parking lot after the initial job is done, having these tools is a great choice.

The duration of pavement paint

How Long Does Pavement Paint Last?

In an ideal situation, striping paint can last for several decades. Of course, this depends on a number of factors, such as the quality of the paint, the volume of traffic, the weather, etc. If durability and longevity are what you’re after, we recommend starting with a higher-quality paint, such as thermoplastic paint. 

Pavement Striping Services

Finding vetted, high-quality striping services can be tough, especially if you’ve never performed a job like this before. Luckily, here at Paving Finder, we have a list of paving companies that you can search through, each of which has been carefully selected.

Make sure to check out these pavement striping companies on our companies page. 

Benefits Of Using Line Striping and Pavement Marking Services

Beyond eliminating confusion, increasing efficiency, and making navigation more manageable, one of the main benefits of using professional line striping and pavement marking services that we want to accentuate is safety.

The last thing you want is to be liable for an accident because you cut corners when designing your parking lot.

Parking lot accidents might seem few and far between, though they can still cost people tons of time and money, not to mention the stress of getting into an accident in the first place.

With clearly marked and professional parking lot striping, you can prevent some of these accidents from happening, keeping your customers and employees safe. Of course, the adjacent benefit is that you save yourself from potential litigation in the case of an accident. If you have a parking lot that is marked clearly, then you can ensure any accidents that take place are not your fault.

It’s also important to note that a professional line striping job can increase curb appeal.

Parking lots that have crisp and clear pavement striping look great!

It’s important to be aware of how much first impressions matter in a business. Even before customers walk in through the front door of your establishment, they’ll judge you based on your parking lot. If they see tons of chipping and faded lines, they’ll think about how unprofessional and unattractive your business is before they even get a chance to see it. 

THe importance of good pavement striping for your business

Final Thoughts – Keeping Your Parking Lot In Line

As you can see, pavement striping is crucial for making sure people have a positive experience in your business. Hiring a professional paving service can ensure that people continue coming back again and again. 

It’s worth noting that pavement striping is not an easy job by any means. A good pavement striper knows about the design and layout of parking lots, ADA requirements, different types of paint, and much more. 

Hiring a competent striper who can provide reliable equipment and professional layout plans is crucial to getting a job done correctly. It’s worth hiring a reputable service if you want to have a positive experience. 
If you have any further questions regarding striping or paving, make sure to get in touch with us here at Paving Finder. You can also check out our long list of blogs for expert paving advice!

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Eco-Friendly Parking Lot – 10 Ways to Be Sustainable

Eco-Friendly Parking Lot

With the growing popularity of eco-friendly vehicles, packaging, clothing, homes, and more, it’s time for us to start considering eco-friendly parking lot construction.

There are many eco-friendly parking lot solutions, including eco-friendly pavers, pervious concrete, and direct paths for water runoff.

Today, we want to take you through a few of our favorite eco-friendly parking lot solutions so you can provide an ample place for parking while doing your part to protect the environment. 

How Do Parking Lots Affect The Environment?

Did you know that the environmental costs of a parking structure can exceed the environmental costs of cars?

Creating and maintaining a parking lot requires a large amount of energy and produces an even greater amount of emissions over the course of its lifetime. Beyond that, parking lots often accumulate pollutants, including grease, oils, sediment, and heavy metals. 

When it rains, the water washes these pollutants off into waterways, creating a significant environmental impact. 

Furthermore, the more parking lots we have, the less green space we have room to maintain.

A cars parked on eco-friendly parking lot

How Do You Make an Eco-Friendly Parking Lot?

Use Eco-Friendly Paint

Paint is one of the most common air pollutants. Many types of paint contain Volatile Organic Compounds, such as xylene, toluene hydrocarbons, ammonia, and glycol. These paints are far from eco-friendly and can wreak havoc on the health of humans, animals, and plants.

Consider bio-degradable paints for your parking lot, containing little to no VOCs.

Direct Water Runoff

Focus on where the rainwater will go when constructing your parking lot. Water will go its natural course if you don’t, eroding soil, damaging your asphalt, and bringing pollutants. Therefore, it’s a good idea to construct some type of drainage system that directs rainwater to an area that’s appropriate, such as a lake, swamp, or stream.

Use Eco-Friendly Pavers

The best solution for an eco-friendly parking lot is permeable locking pavers. These unique pavers allow for water infiltration, unlike your standard asphalt or concrete tarmacking. With these kinds of pavers, you don’t need to worry about flooding nearly as much, as rainwater slowly seeps into the ground to recharge local streams and groundwater supply. 

Use Pervious Concrete

While not as green as the pavers mentioned above, pervious concrete provides an element of infiltration when well-maintained. Similar to a plastic pavement system, pervious concrete provides natural rainwater filtration and reduces the number of pollutants found in runoff. 

Plant Grass

Not only do grass parking lots look great, but they are also wonderfully sustainable. Of course, you can’t just plant any only grass, as regular grass attract rut and mud. Instead, we recommend planting plastic pavers to stabilize the grass you plant, thereby improving drainage while keeping your infrastructure intact. 

DO NOTE: Grass is best for parking lots with light traffic. Heavy traffic can kill the grass, leaving you with a bare, ugly, and dead parking lot.

A plants and trees on asphalt parking lot

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Plant the Correct Plants

It’s a good idea to plant plants native to your parking lot’s region, as these plants should be well-adapted to the moisture of the soil and the local climate. For example, consider planting trees and shrubs for islands or planting long flower beds or strips atop raised curbing. Not only will this make your parking lot more eco-friendly, but it will also make it far more inviting. 

Use Recycled Concrete or Asphalt

You can produce an eco-friendly parking lot with recycled concrete and asphalt. The beauty of this process is that it is far less resource-intensive compared to using new materials. In addition, it’s often easy to recycle these materials from old roadways on-site as well, getting rid of the need for environmentally impactful outsourcing. 

Use a Bio-Based Asphalt Sealant

Regular asphalt can take a mighty toll on the environment, which is why it’s a good idea to find ways to make your asphalt as eco-friendly as possible. We recommend finding PAH-free, low-VOC bio-based asphalt sealants. Not only do these work wonders in repairing and resealing surfaces, but they are also much better for the environment than standard products. 

Maximize Shading

Not only do shade trees and landscaping make for a more aesthetically-pleasing parking lot, but they can also lessen ground heat, enhance air quality, and reduce rainwater runoff. With pervious ground materials and proper shading, you can mitigate the negative impacts of the “urban heat island.”

Use Sustainable Lighting

While you should absolutely have lighting in your parking lot to provide safety and security for pedestrians, it’s important that you choose the correct type of lighting to retain energy-efficiency. We often recommend energy-efficient exterior LED lights, as they last a long time (up to 50,000 hours) and have far less impact on energy sources. 

You can even implement an efficient lighting layout that maintains higher brightness levels in areas with more traffic while placing other lights in low-traffic areas on a motion system.

A constructor visit the place where build an eco-friendly parking lot.

Factors to Consider

Costs

Modern eco-friendly parking lot construction costs around $69 per square foot, while a simple asphalt paving job costs around $3.85 per square foot. Beyond that, you can expect a few other standard costs for building a sustainable parking lot:

  • Operation and Maintenance – $0.15 per square foot
  • Drainage System – $45 to $60 per linear foot
  • Striping – $346,000 for a 500-vehicle lot

Of course, the main benefit of building an eco-friendly parking lot is that you can reduce your maintenance and energy costs over time. 

Location

It’s important to select the right location to build your parking lot, as it can significantly impact cost, safety, durability, and effectiveness. Make sure to consider a few things:

  • Accessibility – How easy it is to reach the site
  • Topography – The higher ground your parking lot sits on, the better your natural drainage will be
  • Quality of Earth – Don’t build on hilly topography or muddy areas
  • Soil – Find soil that is dry and compact enough to build on

Final Thoughts

With the right amount of research and proper planning, constructing an eco-friendly parking lot can be cost-effective. Environmental protection and conservation start at ground level. YOU can make the change today.

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