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The Different Purposes of Rough Grading vs. Fine Grading

November 7, 2022 by Corinne

Twenty percent of car accidents happen in parking lots. Many of these are not the business’s fault. You can, however, prevent a fair amount of them with a high-quality parking lot.

The first step to getting this is to ensure the proper grading of your lot. To do that, you first need to learn what grading is. Read on to get started with this knowledge by learning the difference between rough grading vs fine grading.

What Is Grading?

Grading refers to the construction process where workers change the slope of a piece of land. Usually, this involves making the land uniformly smooth and flat.

There are plenty of different processes, however. Business owners may want to add a slope to their property that directs water away from vulnerable areas. Grading can also be a major step in creating attractive landscaping features.

What Is Rough Grading vs Fine Grading?

Rough and fine grading are two phases of grading. Usually, rough grading happens first, and fine grading follows after. Most of the differences between the two involve how roughly workers work the soil.

How Rough Grading Works

When workers rough grade a piece of land, they shift large amounts of soil around to form the majority of the slope. This is usually done with heavy equipment such as excavators. Workers may also use laser measuring tools or other kinds to make certain that the slopes are at the correct angle.

The workers must create the right slopes. If they don’t, the land could flood due to drainage problems.

How Fine Grading Works

Workers performing a fine grading process are more concerned with making the land smooth and ready for its intended purpose. This can involve shaping the land a bit. If so, workers will only work with the top two inches of soil at most.

Mostly, though, fine grading involves removing debris that makes the surface uneven, such as rock, and adding an appropriate type of topsoil. What kind of topsoil a worker uses for fine grading depends on the final purpose of the land. For example, more plant-nutritious topsoil may be used for a lawn and a regular one for paving.

Why Is Grading Important for Paving?

The best parking lot is a uniformly smooth one. This will prevent your business’s customers from damaging their cars or tripping over divots or bumps. It’s also important that water drains well so that your customers can comfortably navigate the lot without getting their feet wet.

This isn’t possible without effective rough and fine grading.

Get High-Quality Asphalt Paving Services From Us

Now that you understand the difference between rough grading vs fine grading and their importance, you can find a company that offers the best in these areas. Be sure to ask about their grading processes. They may even be able to give you photos.

While you’re searching, consider our full-service commercial asphalt paving. We’ve paved for a vast number of businesses, facilities, and installations all over the East Coast. Fill out this form and get a free estimate.

Why An Integrated Plan Works Best for Commercial Pavement Management

November 7, 2022 by Corinne

NVM Paving and Concrete has been delivering commercial pavement property services to all of Virginia, Maryland, and DC, for over 25 years. NVM is deemed the area’s top professional parking lot construction, maintenance, and ADA compliance expert!

No matter the type of facility, NVM Paving and Concrete has the expertise, skilled crews, and equipment to provide pavement construction and maintenance solutions. This company is built on providing clients with high-quality pavements and outstanding workmanship.

Integrated Plans for Commercial Pavement Management

Integrated Master Schedule

Regarding project management, budget requirements, and timelines, at NVM Paving and Concrete, we have decades of experience providing the highest quality service in the region. Integrated plans for Commercial pavement management are crucial for cities to oversee their pavement networks properly.

Creating a rolling 5-year pavement management plan with an Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) ensures that all project participants stay informed and can track schedules, costs, and risk activity. An IMS helps decision-makers implement the best cost-effective solutions to maximize their budgets.

Prioritization

During the evaluation process, all pavement inventory is assessed for their distresses and associated conditions. The conditions are then documented for analysis. Once evaluated and rated, the pavements are further divided into categories by condition and grouped according to how they are to be scheduled.

Commercial Pavement Management

Preventive Maintenance

The first tendency may be to expend money on pavements with the worst conditions. However, the best practice is to utilize your maintenance budget in the first segment of a pavement’s lifespan. This is because if the pavement degrades below fair condition, most of its useful service life is over. Preventive maintenance or pavement rehab options instead of reconstruction can significantly reduce costs.

Overlays & Resurfacing

Asphalt resurfacing and structural overlay projects are next on the IMS. Maintenance significantly prolongs a pavement’s lifespan by improving or restoring structural strength and protecting the underlying pavement structure. This type of maintenance may often be repeated during a pavement’s lifecycle.

However, the opportunity can be lost if deterioration continues and pavements fall into disrepair; timing can be crucial.

Reconstruction

Once completing preventive and resurfacing, scheduling the reconstruction projects is next. Pavements in advanced deterioration are not good projects for resurfacing/or structural overlays. The cost of reconstruction may not significantly change year over year, so it may be best to maintain serviceable conditions with minor repairs for these candidates.

Once set up, your Integrated Plan for commercial pavement management should help you track and review your pavement inventories and their condition, check for safety hazards and determine if any issues have developed. A three-year re-evaluation program is practical but adjusting should be done accordingly.

Keep each pavement rating updated
Documenting all repairs and maintenance items that need to be completed
Document details of all work completed in the past 5 years
Keep all construction document copies
Set up budgets for the following five years

By maintaining an Integrated Plan for Commercial Pavement Management, you will always be able to look to the future and plan accordingly, cut down unnecessary costs, expedite timelines and increase your company’s profitability. Contact NVM Paving and Concrete today, and let us show you how we can help.

A Guide: Effective Commercial Sidewalk Snow Removal Equipment

October 4, 2022 by Corinne

Nearly 70% of the population lives in areas that get more than five inches of snow each year, which can be beautiful but can also cause some safety hazards. Those safety hazards are especially dangerous when no one removes snow or ice from roads or walkways quickly, making it difficult to travel through. That’s why having the right commercial sidewalk snow removal equipment is so important.

Clearing sidewalks is especially important for businesses that want to keep their customers safe and able to come to visit their store or office. Commercial sidewalk snow removal equipment will help with this.

The right tools can make any job much more manageable and easy to accomplish. In the middle of a snowstorm, the last thing you want to be doing is trying to work with ineffective tools or scrambling to find tools at all. Read this guide for everything you need to know for a great snow removal strategy.

Determine the Size of Sidewalks

As you’re considering what your snow removal plan is going to be, it’s a good idea to start by making note of how big your sidewalks are. This measurement will include how much sidewalk you have and how wide it is.

It can be tempting to choose to buy equipment in the biggest sizes offered, but this can make your job harder in the end. Finding the right fit for your sidewalks will ensure snow removal in a clean fashion without causing problems to other areas of your commercial space.

Quick De-Icing Application

The actual removal of any snow accumulation is only the first step in a snow removal strategy. It’s equally as important to figure out how to prevent ice from forming and making your walkways a dangerous trap. Applying deicer quickly is a great way to melt that away and clear the path more effectively.

Don’t forget this step as you make your equipment choices!

Think About a Backup Plan

Sometimes our best-laid plans don’t work out for one reason or another, which is why it’s a good idea to have a backup plan in place. Obviously, the larger, more powerful equipment is an easy way to get the job done, but those can run into their own problems. Consider alternative ways to remove snow and ice so you can collect those tools to use in case of an emergency.

Effective Commercial Sidewalk Snow Removal Equipment

When you live in a snowy climate, the best thing you can do is be as prepared as possible before the storms roll in. This includes finding the best commercial sidewalk snow removal equipment for your business.

Many business owners find it helpful to employ a professional company to handle all snow removal tasks for them. Instead of having to figure out how to get the job done before the office opens, they can rely on a team to come out and make all the entrance points safe for anyone coming in that day.

If seeing what our team of pavement professionals can do for you interests you, contact us today!

How to Properly Sweep Snow From Your Commercial Pavement

October 4, 2022 by Corinne

During the summer of 2022, many places across the US experienced record high temperatures. Because of that, it’s hard to believe that the winter will be cold and snowy.

However, the Farmers’ Almanac predicts precisely this outcome. Virginia can expect to see “unreasonably cold” and “snowy” temperatures. The same holds for Maryland and Washington, DC.

When this weather comes, it’s best to have a commercial pavement sweep plan in place. Otherwise, your company could become blindsided when the snow comes.

The South doesn’t always receive heavy snow. As such, business owners may not know how to sweep snow from their company pavement. Fortunately, you can discover the best tips in this guide, so read on to learn more!

Create a Fall Prevention Plan

First, consider how to prevent snow from causing damage to the property. This damage can come from a few places.

First, there’s potential property damage. When snow coats your parking lot, it can cause people to slide and wreck their vehicles. This threat could also damage property in the lot, such as street lights.

Second, there’s the threat to your foot traffic. You could face responsibility if people slip and fall because of snow on your property.

There are a few solutions. First, ensure you place weatherproof floor mats and warning signs for your foot traffic. Then, purchase the necessary insurance policies for these threats.

Regularly Sweep Snow on Commercial Pavement

The next step is to sweep snow on commercial pavement frequently. The longer you allow snow to settle on your property, the more it accumulates. For this reason, it’s crucial to maintain this practice regularly.

How frequently you sweep snow depends on how often snowfall comes. If it only snows once every few weeks, you can snow once or twice to remove it all. However, if it snows more often, it’s necessary to sweep more frequently.

Find a Commercial Company for Sweeping Snow

Sweeping snow without the appropriate tools can endanger your workers. It can also take more time to clean away the snow.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do this alone. Instead, you can hire a commercial sweeping company. These professionals know the best approaches for clearing snow off your property.

Finding a commercial company requires several considerations. These include:

ensuring they have the necessary licensures to sweep snow
searching online reviews to learn their reputation
comparing rates to other companies
ensuring they have the manpower to clean snow on the commercial pavement

These considerations can help you find the best company available!

Consider Working with Us

Many business owners struggle to sweep snow from their property. If that describes you, don’t worry! Instead, consider working with us.

Our company provides comprehensive snow sweeping services. We manage parking lots and concrete maintenance. We also offer additional maintenance services beyond snow removal.

Finally, we service locations in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. We’re happy to provide services to any commercial property in these areas. Contact us today to learn more about how you can prepare for winter!

5 Pavement Maintenance Tips for Commercial Property Owners

September 15, 2022 by Corinne

Have you been thinking about how to improve your business and commercial property? You’ve improved the appearance of the building itself and love how it looks, but there’s something else you feel needs to happen.

Have you taken a look at your pavement? Is it in good shape?

As a commercial property owner, it is crucial that you stay up-to-date with pavement maintenance. Here are five ways to do that!

1. Have Regular Inspections of the Asphalt Pavement

One of the best ways to maintain the condition of your asphalt is to make sure that there is nothing wrong with it in the first place. To know that, you need to make sure you are having regular inspections of the pavement.

While you can look at it and decipher if there are cracks on the pavement, a professional will be able to do much more, which can help with maintaining the pavement as well as saving you money in repairs if the damage gets worse over time.

2. Keep It Clean for Optimal Pavement Maintenance

The last thing you want is for your payment to be dirty, grimy, or stained. It looks and hurts the pavement’s lifespan.

Keeping your pavement clean is a great way to make sure it lasts longer. When you clean the pavement, any harmful elements or chemicals will be removed from the surface.

To ensure that you keep the pavement clean, hiring professionals is the best way to do it. It can be difficult to clean in the cracks or get rid of stains that can damage the pavement even more without the proper tools and techniques.

3. Be Timely With Repairs

When it comes to maintaining pavement, you want to be timely with any repairs that need to be done.

If you notice a tiny crack in the pavement, it is crucial to have that crack fixed sooner rather than later. The longer you wait, the more likely that tiny crack can become a much bigger problem, costing you a lot of money down the road.

4. Always Remove Snow

While this may not be common sense, snow removal off of your pavement is vital to maintaining it. Snow can cause damage to the asphalt pavement if left too long.

Not only that, but your business will be inaccessible. Your business is also responsible for anyone that falls or slips on the snow on your property as well – which you don’t want to happen!

5. Sealcoat Asphalt Pavement

If you want to make sure your pavement lasts as long as possible, sealcoating it is a great way to do that. With a sealcoat, you won’t have to worry about the preventative maintenance as much, either.

This sealcoat is a protective layer that protects again damage from UV rays, snow, salt, chemicals, stains, and more! With the sealcoat, you don’t have to worry about the cleaning as much, and it is much easier to clean as well.

The pavement will also look amazing with a sealcoat on it! This is a great way to improve curb appeal.

The Importance of Pavement Maintenance

Knowing how to maintain pavement will ensure that your business always looks good and is in proper working order. Maintaining the pavement will also save you money in large repairs over time!

If you are looking for pavement maintenance services in Virginia, Maryland, or North Carolina, we have your backs! At NVM Paving and Concrete, we want to ensure that your pavement is in the best shape possible! Contact us today to discuss services and book.

Sealcoating and Striping Commercial Property Parking Lots

September 15, 2022 by Corinne

Parking lots first emerged in the 1920s when commercial and retail associations allocated space for parking lots. One of the first municipality-owned parking lots was constructed in Los Angeles in 1922. By 1927 there were parking lots in Pittsburgh that could park 900 cars and charged ten cents per car for those visiting or working downtown.

These days parking lots are everywhere. Modern parking lots require modern protection and maintenance.

When it comes to sealcoating and striping your parking lot, it’s crucial that you hire professionals to do the work for you. So, keep reading to find out why you should hire a professional sealcoating service for your commercial property.

What Are Sealcoating and Striping?

Parking lots are made from asphalt, and over time the binding cement in the asphalt breaks down. This breakdown is due to regular use, the weight of the vehicles, as well as sun and rain. Not only does the surface begin to crumble over time, but the color also fades to a light grey that stains easily.

Sealcoating a parking lot is one of the best ways to extend the lifespan of a parking lot. To sealcoat a parking lot, a crude oil-based solution is painted on the existing asphalt to restore the color and integrity of the asphalt. This coating also solidifies any areas that were beginning to break down.

By sealcoating a parking lot, you’re preventing water from penetrating the surface of the asphalt and breaking it down. Once the asphalt is sealed, a professional striping service will paint lines on the asphalt to safely direct traffic and help prevent vulnerable areas of your pavement from sustaining more damage.

Helps Parking Lots Look Brand New

Not only does sealcoating your parking lots extend their lifespan, but it also helps the parking lot appear brand new. The sealcoating causes the asphalt to appear darker, and traffic markings stand out more.

A well-maintained and clean parking lot will appear more inviting. As a commercial property owner, you’ll understand how important first impressions are. You’re competing with all the other parking lots in the area, so the curb appeal of your lot is crucial to your success.

It Makes Them Easy to Clean

Cleanliness is crucial to a successful parking lot. After the sealcoating is applied, your parking lot will be much easier to clean. The smooth surface you’re left with after seal coating doesn’t allow dirt or debris to get trapped.

Sweeping machines are also much easier to operate on sealed parking lots. So if you’re considering investing in a sweeping machine to help with cleanup, then sealcoating is a must.

Choose Professional Sealcoating and Striping Services

When you own a commercial parking lot, it’s important to protect it from deterioration. Professional sealcoating and striping services can help prolong the lifespan of your parking lot.

Feel free to contact NVM Paving & Concrete for any sealcoating and striping queries you may have.