Asphalt Paving

What is Asphalt?

Asphalt consists of approximately 95% stone, sand, or gravel (called aggregate) mixed with liquid asphalt, a product derived from crude oil. The aggregate forms the wear surface, while the liquid asphalt acts as the glue that binds the material together.

At room temperature, liquid asphalt is solid. Heating it to around 300 degrees Fahrenheit transforms it into a liquid. This allows for thorough mixing of the aggregate and binder. Asphalt plants, also known as “hot plants,” handle this mixing process for asphalt paving projects of all sizes.

Once mixed, trucks transport the hot asphalt to the paving site. The trucks dump it into the hopper at the front of a paving machine. The machine then places the asphalt, and a heavy roller compacts it to the desired density. This entire asphalt paving process must happen while the asphalt remains hot.

As soon as the asphalt cools, it’s usually ready for traffic. In Utah, contractors limit asphalt paving work to summer months because cold winter temperatures cool the base layer too quickly, making proper compaction difficult.

Asphalt Overlay

As your asphalt moves through its effective lifecycle, you will start to notice increased areas of deformation such as settling, uneven surfaces, excessive cracking, and/or the recurring need for patching in isolated areas. These are all signs that your driveway or parking lot may need attention from an asphalt paving contractor.

An asphalt overlay involves placing a new layer of asphalt over an existing surface. This cost-effective asphalt paving solution restores strength, improves ride quality, and gives your pavement a like-new appearance.

In some situations, overlays can help uneven surfaces drain better. However, note that asphalt overlays will not fix all drainage problems.

Overlays are typically applied at a thickness of 1.5 to 2 inches. Traffic volume, the condition of the existing pavement, and your specific needs all help determine the ideal thickness for a successful asphalt paving result.

R C Willey Home Furnishings has used Eckles Paving on several of our projects over the years. Their work is superior to other companies in the valley. Their prices are reasonable and are usually the lowest bids on our projects. They always get to the jobs as soon as possible and are really good at keeping us updated on their schedule and are willing to work with us on our busy parking lots so we don't affect our business or our customers. I would recommend them to anyone. Thanks

Leon D. - RC Willey Facilities Manager
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My parking lot Super Hero's! Eckles paving was Fair, Fast and Friendly! never had so much fun replacing a parking lot! I'm being totally serious. Attention to detail, easy to work with and competitive in price set them apart. I shopped four other companies and I'm so happy I went with Eckles. Amazing experience! They had my 4,000+ sq. ft. parking lot demoed, regraded, paved and striped at Super Hero Speed!

Reed S. - Property Owner
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Our driveway replacement quickly turned into “Misadventures of Improvements” but we were genuinely happy to have Eckles on our side. Conditions of underlying soil made the project more complicated and expensive but Phil and the crew kept their word til the end. Phil took the extra step to navigate PC Building Dept for permits on our behalf and they kept to our tight timeline so no rental revenues were lost. This is the company to use for responsiveness and reliability.

Wendy B. - Rental Home Owner
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