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NVM Paving & Concrete, Inc.

Northern Virginia Paving Company

Commercial Property Parking Lots

How the Chesapeake Bay Weather Impacts Your Parking Lot

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All types of weather can have a negative impact on infrastructure, specifically parking lots. However, it’s the variance between different types of weather that can cause the most significant damage to asphalt or concrete roads and parking lots. The relatively quick change from scorching summer days to freezing winter nights can accelerate parking lot damages. Coastal areas along the Atlantic also have their own unique concerns when it comes to the lifespan of a parking lot. There are a few ways that the Chesapeake Bay weather can impact your parking lot.

Cracking

Cracking is the most common type of weather-related damage to parking lots. Cracking is especially prevalent in areas that experience both hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Cracks will appear in asphalt when water gets inside of the asphalt and then freezes when temperatures drop. Because water expands when it freezes smaller cracks will become larger.

Potholes

Similar to cracking, potholes can be created when there is contraction and expansion of water that turns to ice. This is accelerated when there are rapid changes in weather. One of the primary differences between cracks and potholes is the rate at which potholes can worsen if not repaired quickly.

Faded Markings

Parking lot markings will fade over time; it is inevitable. However, prolonged exposure to extreme sun in the hot summer months will hasten this occurrence.

Saltwater Deterioration

While asphalt isn’t impacted by saltwater, concrete is. This is because the bonds used in concrete are different than asphalt, and salt can break down the concrete bonds over time. If you have a concrete parking lot, the saltwater that constantly blows in from the ocean may cause eventual degradation.

The Chesapeake weather will impact your parking lot, but NVM Paving & Concrete helps with repairs, maintenance and seal coating to help prolong its life for as long as possible. Give us a call at 703-423-0471 or send an email to contact@nvmpaving.net to find out more about our services.

6 Steps To Take Before Concrete Paving

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Effective and long-lasting concrete paving depends on proper preparation. To ensure your commercial lot is paved in a way that meets your expectations, discuss preparation strategies with your contractor. There are at least six steps a contractor should take before concrete paving begins:

1.    State a Start Date

Concrete planning, preparation, and paving require multiple days. Discuss a start date with the contractor so you know when the area will not be accessible. This allows you to make alternative access arrangements for any employees and customers in advance.

2.    Define Project Outline

Crew members will delineate the physical area that is being paved or repaired. It is important that the squared edges meet your specifications while also appearing neat and professional. 

3.    Evaluate Former Surface

Before initiating new paving on a commercial lot, the contractor must evaluate the condition of the old surface. Sometimes it is possible to treat and pave over former concrete, while in other cases asphalt must be broken up and removed.

4.    Construct Base Layer

Once the project plan is in place and the former surface is addressed, it is possible to create the base pavement layer. This includes cutting into the existing surface and placing up to 8 inches of project specific crushed base material, such as crushed stone or concrete.

5.    Establish a Drainage System

When constructing the drainage system, the finished grade, the placement of forms and the strength of the base must be considered. This is important to prevent future water damages and flooding problems.

6.    Reinforce With Steel

The strength and effectiveness of pavement is a combination of proper planning, a good base layer and a grid reinforcing steel. Such steel is important to protect pavement against high levels of tension and weight that the pavement will experience in the future.

Contractors at NVM Paving and Concrete are ready to evaluate a potential project on site or to discuss questions and ideas. Contact us today either by calling 703-423-0471 or sending an email.

Picking a Snow Removal Company for Your Commercial Lot

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Whether it is normal for you to have heavy winters or are preparing for the next Polar Vortex, it is important to have a snow removal strategy that keeps your commercial lot safe and accessible. One way to prepare for the winter season is to select a reliable snow removal company. It is important to use a company that both properly takes away the snow and helps prevent potential winter damages to the pavement. When choosing a snow removal company for your commercial lot, consider two questions:

1. How Much Experience Does the Company Have?

A company with a high level of experience knows how to plan for heavy winter storms in an efficient and safe way. Does the company have experience in your locality? Such companies may be more familiar with local snow removal policies and practices. Consider asking neighboring companies for referrals on snow removal companies. Working with an experienced organization in a local area helps shape a convenient snow removal plan for everyone involved.

2. How Does the Company Compare to the Competition?

Companies may vary in the way they charge for snow removal, for example, some may charge per hour while others have a season-based approach. Another aspect to compare is what additional services the snow removal company offers. Snow removal is not the only care your commercial lot requires. In the winter, deicing is an important method for keeping the lot safe. Additionally, companies such as NVM Paving and Concrete can care for the lot over consecutive winters, and when warm weather arrives, repair potholes and cracks that developed during the cold season.

Snow removal runs the risk of damaging surfaces. Paying for reliable services is a way to help you relax when the next snow storm arrives while also protecting against expensive damages in the future. Contact NVM Paving and Concrete by calling 703-423-0471 or sending an email to contact@nvmpaving.net today to discuss emergency snow removal services and management plan options.

Parking Lot Striping: How Much Will It Cost?

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There are about 50 million parking spaces spread out across the US. Each one of these needs a fresh coat of paint every one to two years to give it new life. 

Is your parking lot starting to look dull? Having parking lot striping done will keep your business looking well-kept and welcoming. 

New to striping? Keep reading for a complete guide. We’ll explain what’s involved, costs, and paint options. 

New Striping 

If you have a new parking lot, you need an experienced professional to design a parking lot striping design. They will look at the level of traffic, how to maximize volume and finally, state and federal regulations. 

Prepare for new striping to take some time. Once you approve the design, the stripers can get to work. 

The parking lot design will get laid out through careful measurement. Then the striping will be painted out following the measured out makings. 

Restriping 

Having parking lot striping done isn’t a one and done kind of thing. Over time the striping gets dirty and fades. This creates a dangerous situation in your parking lot. 

The heavier the traffic and more severe the weather the faster your striping will age. Plan to have restriping done every year to two years. 

It’s Not Just the Parking Stalls

You will need to get painted than just the parking stall lines. The handicap stalls will need to have the double line with the handicap symbol in the box in the middle of the stall. 

You will also need the directional arrows, stop bars, and crosswalks painted. These markings help direct traffic and maintain order. 

What Happens If You Don’t Restripe 

Have you ever gone to a business and you pull into the parking lot and there are no lines? How do you know where to park? 

You immediately judge the business for their lack of care for the parking lot. You then have to be on extra alert hoping that there is no one else in the parking lot not paying attention. 

Then there are the ADA mandated markings. When these fade to no longer visible the business responsible could face citations and heavy fines. 

What to Look For

Hiring the wrong company to do your parking lot striping could result in a less than satisfactory job. Your lines won’t look good and won’t last. 

Experience 

Ask potential companies what kind of experience they have. If the company is new ask about the experience of the person doing the striping. 

Find out if the company can give you examples of their work either in a portfolio or other local businesses. 

Warranty 

Any reputable company will offer a warranty for their work. If they aren’t willing to stand behind their work why should you trust them to do good work?

Licensing 

Only hire companies that are licensed and insured. This is the only way to be sure that your business is protected while they work on your parking lot. 

Cost 

Cost shouldn’t be the only deciding factor on which company you choose. But we would be lying if we said you shouldn’t consider it at all. 

We are all professionals with a business to run, so of course, the bottom line is important. Ask any company you speak to for a written estimate for the work they will perform. 

Cost Minimums 

Keep in mind that if your parking lot is on the smaller side, you may be subject to a minimum charge. This minimum charge is to cover the cost of bringing out all of the crew and equipment.  

Those parking lots that have 30 to 50 spaces or less are considered small. Expect the minimum to be anywhere from $300 to $500 for a basic stripe repaint job. A new stripe paint job minimum will be anywhere from $500 to $700. 

The Paint

Cheap and low-quality paint is going to wear off fast. Ask your painting restriper what kind of paint they use. 

If you want your striping to be as visible as possible, then ask for paint that has reflective beads. If your business is open mainly at night, this is a smart idea. 

Colors 

There are a few rules when it comes to the colors you use. White is safe as a general all over color.

It is most commonly used for parking stalls and directional markings. But if you don’t want to use white, then yellow is a good alternative. 

Blue is always for handicap markings. While red signifies a fire lane. 

If you want a custom color for your parking stalls, then check to make sure it complies with regulations. Also, keep in mind that a custom color will be more expensive. 

Paint Types 

The most common type of paint used is water based. It’s easy to work with, easy to clean, and produces fewer fumes. 

Chlorinated rubber is more expensive but also provides more durability. It also performs better in cold temperatures. 

Thermal plastic paints are typically used on highways. It’s that super thick raised paint. It is the most expensive paint but will give the most durability. 

This paint contains plastic and is not typically used for parking lots. It requires heating so that it will melt and then applied.  You can’t seal coat over it either. 

The final type of paint you will see is oil based paint. It’s banned in many places though due to environmental concerns. 

Plan Your Parking Lot Striping

With a little planning, you can keep your parking lot striping look fresh and bright. This will give your business curb appeal and make a positive first impression on your customers. 

It will also keep them safe as they navigate the parking lot. By maintaining bright parking lot striping, everyone knows where the parking spaces are. 

Get in touch today and let our paving experts help you plan your next paving project. 

3 Ways Snow Plows Impact Pavement Lots

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It is necessary to plow commercial pavement lots during the winter season to allow employees and customers access to a facility. Being aware of how snow plows impact pavement lots creates a discussion with your snow plow removal company about damage prevention measures. Three potential ways snow plows damage pavement lots include the following:

1.    Removal of Top Asphalt Layer

When the blades of a snowplow are too low, they may scrape against the top of a pavement lot and remove the upper layer. This may occur on pavement lots with variations in grade surface and when a plow is used without some form of rubber protection on the blade. The loss of the top layer means the removal of important surface sealing applications, making the damaged lot more vulnerable to crack formation throughout the winter.

2.    Damage to Curbs and Speed Bumps

To organize traffic and general vehicle flow, it is common to use speed bumps and other concrete structures. An inexperienced snowplow driver may not notice such barriers or even an experienced snowplow driver may accidentally damage these obstacles with snow conditions making it challenging to see. To avoid this issue, work with a snow plow company familiar with your lot and use bright colors to mark barriers in the winter time.

3.    Encourage Potential Future Damages

When a snow plow runs over rocks and other debris during regular plow sessions, the overall weight may push the small debris into the asphalt and damage the surface. This may seem minor at first. However, small cracks can become inconvenient damages such as potholes due to water melting and re-freezing throughout the season.

Winter can be a brutal season for infrastructure. This includes pavement lots that are maintained by snow plows. It is possible to prevent the impact pavement lots take toward some of these damages with proper seal technology and intentional snow plow management strategies. Contact NVM Paving and Concrete today by calling 703-423-0471 or sending an email to NVM Paving & Concreteto discuss emergency response and seasonal approach snow removal plans.

3 Reasons To Get Asphalt Sealcoating

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Everyone who has gotten asphalt sealcoating done knows that it vastly improves an asphalt surface. A fresh sealcoat makes everything look clean and new and glosses over any imperfections. Since the parking lot is often one of the first things people see upon coming to a multi-family residence or business, it makes sense to have it looking really nice. Cracks in the asphalt, crumbling edges and weeds sprouting from the surface all make a bad impression. There are many good reasons to get sealcoating, but these three might be the most important.

  1. Sealcoating extends the life of your surface.While a new asphalt parking lot is good value, it still is a significant expense. Sealcoating can extend the life of your property by several years. A professional sealcoat should be done once every 1-5 years. It will protect the surface from the damaging effects of sunlight, water, chemicals, and oxidation. It’s much less expensive to sealcoat regularly than it is to replace the entire surface.
  2. It looks great. In little more than 24 hours, a parking lot goes from appearing old and worn to looking bright and shiny. It’s a quick and painless way to improve the curb appeal of a place of business. If a business is holding a big event such as an open house or big sale, a fresh sealcoat has a big impact.
  3. Sealcoating is overdue. Many people neglect to keep up on regular maintenance. With an asphalt surface, it’s never too late to get back on track. If a parking lot has cracks, a little repair work ahead of time will make the surface smooth for the sealcoating. Once the process is complete, the parking lot will look great for a few years.

Find Out More

To get a free estimate, or to learn more about how the process works, contact NVM Paving & Concrete. Call 703-423-0471 or send an email to NVM Paving to talk to a company representative and schedule your asphalt sealcoating.

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