Whether you recently had your contractor install new asphalt paving or an overlay, you probably expected it to retain its pristine appearance for quite some time. Therefore, you may have been dismayed to find tire marks on your pavement almost as soon as you opened it to traffic. Initially, most people think that they are seeing skid marks that have been left by hooligans practicing driving maneuvers on your new pavement, or they suspect that their paving contractor did substandard work. Neither of these are the cause of the marks in more than 99.9% of the cases. Instead, they are tire scuff marks.
What Causes Tire Scuffing on New Asphalt Paving?
Every experienced Dallas paving company knows that tire scuffing is extremely likely to occur during an asphalt pavement’s first summer. Potentially, several things can cause tire scuffing on newly installed asphalt overlays or pavements.
1. One extremely common cause is drivers who turn their steering wheels while their vehicles are not moving. Although all vehicles with power steering can cause tire scuffing if drivers turn their wheels while parked or stopped, vehicles with front-wheel drive are much more likely to leave scuff marks than vehicles with rear-wheel drive.
2. The type of tires on the vehicles can also increase the likelihood of scuffing. Typically inflated to pressures that are higher than traditional tires, low-profile tires also tend to have a lower aspect ratio between their sidewalls and treads. The combination of these two factors places additional stress on the pavement, making tire scuffing more likely.
3. On a hot day, vehicles are likely to arrive with their tires already overheated. Driving across a fresh asphalt pavement with overheated tires practically guarantees that some scuff marks will be left behind.
4. When paving Dallas Texas parking lots, most contractors advise their clients to keep vehicles off the pavement for a minimum of 24 hours. It is critical to wait at least as long as your parking lot paving company recommends; the longer you can wait, the less susceptible your pavement will be to tire scuffing.
What Can Be Done About Tire Scuffs on Fresh Asphalt Paving?
In most cases, it is best to do nothing. Tire scuffs are strictly a cosmetic issue. Most scuff marks will soon disappear on their own, and any that do not disappear should vanish as soon as you have your paving maintenance contractor sealcoat your pavement for the first time. Any aggressive attempts to remove them with wire brushes or chemicals can inflict damage on your new pavement that you will need to spend money to repair.
Is It Possible to Minimize Tire Scuffs on New Asphalt Overlays or Pavements?
As mentioned above, waiting as long as you can before allowing vehicles to park or drive on your pavement can help mitigate tire scuffing. Your Dallas commercial paving company may also recommend one or more of the following.
1. Apply sand around dumpster pads, truck scales, loading docks, and other locations that are utilized by heavyweight vehicles, especially if those vehicles are braking, accelerating, or maneuvering.
2. If feasible, flood your pavement with water to reduce its temperature temporarily on extremely hot days.
3. Whenever possible, avoid scheduling your paving work during the months that are typically the hottest and most humid. If you can schedule the work during the spring or autumn, you should have time to have sealcoating applied before your pavement must face the summer heat.
When you need pavement-related services, contact HI-TEK Paving Services for prompt, courteous assistance, exemplary craftsmanship, and reasonable rates. We can install asphalt pavements, concrete, asphalt overlays, and asphalt patches, and we also offer asphalt milling, concrete repair, sealcoating, parking lot maintenance programs, asphalt crack repairs, and parking lot striping. We offer free quotes, so submit your request by filling out the online form, emailing Kevin@HI-TEKPaving.com, or calling 214-908-9641.