Pavement Maintenance Strategies

by Webmaster | Sep 17, 2014 | News

By using two percent of the replacement cost for your lot each year on maintenance, you can extend the life of your pavement by fifty percent, or an average of five years. In order to avoid costly repairs and prolong a full parking lot replacement, defend your pavement from forces that threaten to damage it in the first place. Taking the proper steps to extend the life of your pavement from the day after you perform capital improvements will prevent the parking lot from needing early replacement and save you money.

Pavement maintenance includes traditional methods such as sealcoating, removal and replacement, patching and general repairs. While the traditional approaches are critical, there are also some less traditional strategies that should also be included in a full pavement maintenance plan:

Crack Sealing

The most important line of defense for cracking pavement is proper crack sealing. Cracks left untreated leave pavement vulnerable to external forces–notably water. As water permeates the pavement through these cracks, it washes out the subgrade underneath the pavement and weakens it through excess moisture, causing soft spots in the base. In colder regions, the moisture in these cracks freezes and expands, leaving behind large voids, cracks and potholes in the spring.

An example of Crack Sealing:
One crack totaling 100 LF long in the second year after a resurfacing project may cost $100 to repair. If that crack is left unsealed, by the fourth year it will likely be three cracks (300 LF) – expanding on either side as the pavement weakens below. In the fifth and sixth years it can be as high as 500-700 LF. Unsealed cracks inevitably widen to 4’ -8’ and the same location now requires removal and replacement with a budget of $1,500 (actual costs vary). The cost of filling the crack three times ($300) would have a five-time return on investment over doing nothing at all for five to seven years.

Addressing these cracks is the first step to extending the life of your pavement. Cracking occurs for many reasons, and taking early action helps to slow further deterioration.

Storm Structures and Drainage System

Storm structures and drainage systems are one of the most important aspects of a parking lot to maintain. A properly functioning drainage system can extend the life of your pavement by conveying water off of the pavement to areas designed to handle excess moisture. A drainage system that is not functioning properly can lead to:

• Flooding on the pavement
• Slip and fall hazards
• Traffic, congestion and potentially even accidents as a result of flooding
• Damage to nearby property
• Weakened pavement subgrade from poor drainage
• Liability for freeze-thaw damage

Storm structures degrade when surface water enters the pavement and sits in the gravel base over time, creating holes in the structure that are not always visible. The water slowly erodes the structure and causes a hole to develop, causing damage. When a storm structure is damaged, the reoccurring flow of water passing over the storm structure causes it to deteriorate at a rapid rate. This damage over time enlarges as the pavement settles and ultimately cracks the pavement. When the storm structure becomes too damaged, the entire parking lot becomes exposed to water damage and the structure can collapse. Repairing the storm structure immediately will prevent further damage to the structure while protecting the rest of your parking lot.

An example of structure damage:
When the pavement around the structure cracks in the early stages, a qualified contractor may be able to seal the structure and repair the pavement easily for $1,000 (actual costs vary). If that same damage is left unattended and unrepaired, the damaged pavement surrounding the structure can grow by as much as five hundred percent, potentially needing replacement instead of a simple seal. The cost of not attending to the structure in its early damaged state can raise the cost by three to five times the cost of the original repair to as high as $5,000.

Repairing these storm structures immediately will prevent further damage to the structures while protecting the rest of your parking lot.

Preventing Third Party Pavement Damage

One of the most overlooked aspects of parking lot maintenance is protecting the pavement from third party risk factors such as:

• Careless snow removal
• Delivery trucks and other heavy equipment
• Sloppy pavement removal and repair
• Damage from landscapers, roofers and other contractors

Many causes of pavement damage come from preventable external forces. Your pavement is engineered to adhere to its environment, and in the same respect, third parties should be mindful of your pavement design. Here is how you can avoid unnecessary damage to your pavement:

Choose a Reputable Snow Removal Contractor
In cold climates, snow removal is a must for any parking lot. However, snow plowing can take its toll on your pavement. Using a reputable snow removal company will help protect the pavement during the winter months. Damaging elements of snow removal include:

• Sharp snow removal blades dragging on pavement
• Excessive use of rock salt to your landscaped areas and concrete pavements
• Unnecessary use of deicing chemicals that damage asphalt
• Heavy equipment use on weak pavement
• Damaged storm structures and broken curb and gutter

Snow removal damage leaves behind vulnerable cracks that widen throughout winter and deteriorate once the snow melts. Carefully choosing a snow removal contractor that understands the effects of the equipment and chemicals on your pavement allows you to avoid unnecessary repairs in the spring. As a best practice, we recommend videotaping the condition of the lot prior to the snow season and reviewing the video for any new damage when the season is finished. This can remove your liability to as to whom “caused” the new damage, allowing the contractor to pay for the repairs, not the owner.

Keep Heavy Trucks and Equipment Off the Pavement
Heavy weight from delivery trucks and waste management equipment can cause unnecessary stress on your parking lot. If the pavement was not engineered to withstand the weight of heavy equipment, large trucks can cause the pavement to crack under the weight. Installing signs and pavement markings in your lot banning large vehicles and trucks from weaker pavement areas designed for cars will ensure that your pavement does not buckle under weight it was not designed for.

Ensure Correct Pavement Repairs
When access to sewer pipes or electrical lines located underground requires cutting into your parking lot or sidewalk, the pavement should be removed cleanly and replaced properly. Haphazardly removing or replacing pavement leaves it vulnerable to a multitude of risks, including damage to the overall pavement structure. Never accept temporary repairs or re-use existing materials. Ensure a paving contractor is completing the repairs—not a general labor crew who does not have the experience required to reach the quality standards and total area of repair required. When accessing pipes underground, ensure that the pavement is being properly cared for in the process. When choosing a pavement contractor to complete the work, check the company has an Experience Modification Rate (EMR) of a 1.0 or lower.

Document Pavement Status and Damage
Landscapers, roofers, and other contractors come into frequent contact with your pavement. Always document the status of your parking lot prior to committing to a contractor. This will reduce your liability if any accidental damage occurs to the pavement.

Parking lots are often replaced too soon as a result of avoidable damage. Each market has unique challenges, and knowing the biggest threats to your parking lot’s health is the first step to extending its life.

Choosing a national pavement contractor with experience balancing business goals with local constraints is the best way to guarantee you will get the most out of your budget. By partnering with an experienced pavement contractor from the beginning and following cost-effective maintenance techniques, it’s possible to extend the life of any pavement.

Rabine Group Blood Drive 2014

by Webmaster | Aug 25, 2014 | News

Rabine Group Blood Drive

On Thursday, August 28th, Rabine Group will be hosting a blood drive in the Cafeteria at our headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois. All donors will receive a $5.00 gift card. Give the gift of life!

To become a donor, visit www.heartlandbc.org or contact Kim Brantley at (888) 722-4633.

Chicago Innovation Award Winner Rabine Group Rings NASDAQ Closing Bell

by Webmaster | Apr 1, 2014 | News

April 1, 2014 –Schaumburg, Ill. and New York, NY– Rabine Group, the national leader in facilities management solutions, rang the closing bell for the NASDAQ Stock Market to commemorate its selection as a 2013 Chicago Innovation Awards winner among 10 honorees. The award recognizes Rabine Group’s dedication to world-class innovation through the introduction of a groundbreaking concrete flooring system.

The 2013 Chicago Innovation Awards honored Rabine Group for PrimeComposite a jointless concrete flooring system built for large industrial, cold storage and manufacturing facilities. The PrimeComposite flooring system can be poured for an area up to 65,000 square feet without a single joint, improving productivity for forklifts and eliminating maintenance created by traditional joints. Thinner slab construction requires less cement consumption and reduces the amount of C02 emissions by up to 30 percent, along with the amount of non-renewable resources otherwise needed.

“We are thrilled to be named a Chicago Innovation Awards winner for our PrimeComposite flooring solution. All of the NASDAQ listed companies are innovators in their own industries, so we are very honored to be here,” said Gary Rabine, CEO of the Rabine Group. “PrimeComposite is one example of how Rabine is ‘dematerializing’ the status quo with a concrete solution that harnesses science, technology and creativity and proves that less material can lead to more effective products.”

Accompanying the PrimeComposite flooring system, the team developed PrimeQuality SM to offer transparency into the concreting production process. This system provides real-time information, tracking and quality control as the product is made. Integrating PrimeComposite into building designs also contributes points to most projects qualifying for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification rating system.

In addition to ringing the closing bell, winners were invited to formally share their innovations with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. All 10 honorees also received recognition at an awards ceremony and invitations to the prestigious Disney Institute’s innovation and training program.

“This annual event is an excellent example of how the Chicago Innovation Awards celebrates the spirit of innovation in organizations across all industries, sizes and sectors,” said
Tom Kuczmarski, co-founder of the Chicago Innovation Awards.

About The Rabine Group
Rabine is committed to delivering quality, innovation, and exceeding our clients’ expectations. Rabine Group is provider of pavement, roofing, snow removal, flooring, fuel, and other construction services. Rabine Group companies include: Rabine Paving, Rabine Paving America, Pavement Solutions, Crawford Roofing Experts, Rabine Snow Pros, Pipe View, and Rabine PrimeComposite as well as the Rabine Group Foundation.

Pipe View Featured on Cover of Cleaner Magazine

by Webmaster | Mar 28, 2014 | News

A View From Above

By Marian Bond

When licensed civil engineer Nick Mathey first heard about televising sanitary and storm sewer lines he had just completed designing a subdivision, complete with roads, retention ponds, and sanitary and storm sewer lines. The reviewing engineer said the plan looked great, but noted in the specifications that the contractor should have sewers televised before acceptance by the municipality.

“My thought was, ‘What does this mean?’” Mathey says. “I didn’t know about this, but I went and found out, thinking what a cool thing the technology was — somebody playing with a robot collecting data. I knew this was something I would enjoy doing. I thought I would be able to add an engineering flair, and perhaps give clients more value. As an engineer I would be able to talk with people at a different level and hopefully provide an edge to the process.”

Pipe View was born. The young entrepreneur already had a full-time job, so his new endeavor was often overwhelming in those first years as he gathered clients and subcontracted televising jobs in his off hours.

In the beginning, Mathey televised storm drains and worked on pre-construction projects where he inspected lines under roadways to document conditions. Although he initially targeted contractors, opportunities soon opened up with municipalities, and he eventually expanded his services to include sanitary lines. In 2013, the company branched out into gas and power line inspections for several utility companies, which became a major part of the business.

Mathey initially designed and used his own camera and transport systems, which performed satisfactorily, and he ran the business on his own. However, he soon realized that for Pipe View to succeed, he would have to focus solely on the business. The comfort of a full-time job had to go, and the equipment would have to come from established CCTV manufacturers.

By 2010, Mathey had partnered with Gary Rabine, whose group of companies offered complimentary services. Pipe View subcontracted for those operations, and Mathey secured office space with Rabine and shared supporting services in their Schaumburg, Ill., facility.

The transformation was in full swing, and by the end of 2013, Mathey had four NASSCO certified technicians and five Aries Industries CCTV vans on the road traveling as far away as Colorado, Mississippi and Illinois to provide TV inspections. Staff also included three team techs, and office assistant Grace McCafferty. Mathey’s father, Jim Mathey, works for Pipe View, and initially, his grandfather, Paul Goralka, went on some of those early service calls.

Mathey also credits his supervisor, Bill McCafferty, who oversees his own CCTV van and two others.

Mathey’s many long hours doing nighttime inspections and running the operation were paying off, and he was able to turn his attention to estimating, servicing existing clients, setting goals, promoting Pipe View and, most important, pushing his team to a high standard of excellence. He also began exploring new avenues for advancement in pipeline inspection technology.

Circle of catalysts

The winning team includes Mathey and his employees, Rabine and the Rabine Group, and Aries because Mathey considers the manufacturer an essential part of the circle. He continually consults with Aries engineers on equipment performance and innovation. He also depends on family support, even down to his little daughter, Hannah, who named the Aries camera “Buddy.”

When Mathey committed to investing in the camera system in 2010, he invited several top manufacturers to visit his facility, and after careful evaluation, he settled on Aries.

“My plan was to bring a new level of expertise using these neat tools in verifying the conditions of pipes and finding obstacles,” Mathey says. “But I wanted the tool to be chiseled out of engineering basics or standards, explaining why we do things, such as by providing summaries at the end of a project. That is kind of what engineers do in determining a goal. You look at something, and put together a conclusion or summary as to what you found with the data. This is why we send our technicians to become NASSCO certified.”

In 2011, Mathey realized lateral launching was an opportunity to expand service for his customers. The company had primarily televised mainlines before that point, but the technology has been a boon for Pipe View and now represents up to 95 percent of the business.

“When we offered this, I wasn’t that surprised that it took off so quickly,” he says. “But I did see it as a risk in the beginning. This has proven to be profitable for us, and gives us an area where we can use our expertise and our ability to document — to give that engineering flair I looked for, to use all of our tools. It has been a great fit for us.”

The NASSCO training and standards offer more than just guidelines for inspecting pipe; they provide parameters for proper documentation.

“We want to document, diagnose — and if requested — design the solution,” Mathey says. “We don’t just say what is going on, but why it is going on. We offer to design solutions. To simply document is like a flat soda.”

World of pipes

Pipe View has inspected miles and miles of storm and sanitary sewer lines in the past few years. In Colorado, the company is televising lines running under roadways scheduled for surface improvements.

“Wherever you have hard surfaces, there will usually be sewers underneath. If a company is improving the surface, why not know what lies beneath?” Mathey says.

Mathey says they have televised 4- to 72-inch lines, but pipes are typically 8 to 18 inches. They find everything from collapsed and broken pipe to roots, cracks and even animals that have moved in. Some pipes are no longer round, some are underwater and some have dips that hold water. For the team in the field, his goal is to share the vision and show the big picture.

“I want them to have instant connectivity and transparency for the work of the day. That is what is important,” Mathey says. “Our customers do not want to know this week what was done last week. They want real time. We want real-time activities, real-time connectivity.

“Part of that is listening to the ideas of the technicians,” he says. “We are always changing our standard operation or procedure. Not big changes. Little changes. Somebody comes up with how to do something differently. We implement it. That is a big deal to us. These are the guys doing the work. This is like a suggestion box. My guys are always sending a text or an email to make a suggestion. They have ownership. Part of our quality control process is giving rewards. When we are looking for something in a pipe, and they find it, we give a bonus. Something like a utility that crosses the pipe, that’s an instant bonus. We don’t reward for the number of units televised, but for the quality of what they find and accomplish. The last thing our clients want is the numbers. They want results.”

Motivational management

Because Mathey sends his technicians away on one- or two-week assignments, he describes his management style as that of a leader with a vision who inspires his employees to follow. As a manager, he sees that his job is creating strategies and implementing goals. Basically, he wants to have the right people in place, people he can depend on during these assignments.

“Typically, we will have one box truck with a two-man crew on a site to service a job to inspect 12,000 lineal feet of pipe in a week,” he says. “A two-man crew will consist of the lead man and a technician. Each position is important, but the truck belongs to the lead. It is his truck. The goal for each technician is to achieve a lead position. We want our people to have a sense of wanting advancement, and this becomes a ladder they can climb to their full potential. This helps us achieve a good cohesive team. Furthermore, when we add a new truck we will have a lead in waiting.”

Mathey visits remote job sites if there’s a new job or client, or as the project demands, but he has complete confidence in his team. Additionally, daily report cards for each truck show the quantity of work done or the footage in lineal feet – whatever the project requires.

“With these reports I know in an instant how a job is going,” he says. “We work in harsh conditions, and maintenance of equipment is always on our minds. When we have a problem with our equipment, there is always a backup camera, and Aries also has plants in Atlanta, California and Wisconsin should such a need arise. But this is where our training comes in. Every van has a toolbox, and our crews are trained to handle the most critical issues that can come up on this equipment. There is not much our guys have not seen, and they know how to adapt. There is a lot about our business that is not cut and dried. You have to have adaptability to be successful.”

All comforts on the road

Pipe View utilizes three dedicated inspection vans with climate-controlled control rooms. Cameras include the Aries Pathfinder Zoom, used for mainline inspections, and two Aries Lateral Evaluation Television Systems (LETS). They also use two Aries Seeker Portable Pipeline Video Inspection Systems, and a RIDGID SeekTech SR20 for locating.

A significant portion of Pipe View’s work comes through the Rabine Group, which handles maintenance, asphalt and paving. Pipe View also gets referrals from Rabine for other contractors.

While providing a solution in each situation is one of Mathey’s goals, it’s not always part of the project. He says they do suggest options and strategies, and generally consult with clients right in the field.

“We don’t bring data back to the office because most often we are on site to discuss the job. For us, it is all about timing. Real time. Real-time connectivity in the field. Providing the information our clients need. That sums up our goals.”

A View from Above was originally published as the cover story in Cleaner Magazine’s April 2014 issue. For more information on Pipe View, visit www.pipeviewamerica.com. 

Rabine Group to Host St. Baldrick’s Event

by Webmaster | Mar 24, 2014 | News

Rabine Group Employees Shave Their Heads for Charity

Rabine Group Foundation is hosting a St. Baldrick’s Foundation event on April 29th, 2014 at the Rabine Group headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois.

175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. St. Baldrick’s is a charity which holds head-shaving events with the goal of raising money to fund research to help find cures for childhood cancer. St. Baldrick’s is dedicated to research, prevention, and early detection of childhood cancer.

Rabine Group employees have participated participated in past St. Baldrick’s events, shaving their heads in the name of charity. The Rabine Group Foundation is proud to continue supporting such an amazing cause.

To sign up to shave your head or to donate to the cause, visit www.stbaldricks.org/events/rabinegroupfoundation.

Chicago Fills Over 240,000 Potholes & Counting

by Webmaster | Mar 12, 2014 | News

The snow is finally melting, revealing thousands of potholes left behind by the worst winter we’ve seen in years.

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced that as of March 2014, over 240,000 potholes have already been filled, with at least 25,000 potholes still tormenting drivers and pedestrians alike.

CDOT filled 625,000 potholes across Chicago in 2013, and it looks like they’ll have their work cut out for them this year. CDOT currently has 36 crews working to finish filling the currently reported potholes.

Potholes damage cars, present trip hazards and cause further deterioration to your pavement. For the safety of your patrons and to extend the life of your lot, it is vital to fill potholes and seal cracks immediately to prevent further pavement damage and to keep moisture out of the pavement. For more information on how you can extend the life of your pavement, contact us at (888) 722-4633.

UltraLot Whitetopping: The Future In Parking Lot Pavement Is Here

by Webmaster | Mar 6, 2014 | News

Concrete’s Rock Solid Prices are Winning the Battle for Millions of Square Feet in Parking Lots.

By: Gary Rabine

Asphalt prices increased by 400% between 2006 and 2009 and have continued to rise since. Asphalt prices will continue to rise because the material is dependent on oil. Asphalt requires annual maintenance and has a relatively short life span—usually about 12-16 years assuming the lot is maintained each year.

Commercial property managers and building owners have known that asphalt prices rise and that asphalt parking lots require maintenance for years. So why have asphalt parking lots dominated the capital paving projects for so long?

The first reason is data. As more data about the true cost of maintaining an asphalt parking lot has become available over the last ten years, property managers and building owners are becoming more sophisticated in the way they evaluate capital spend and it’s impact on the ensuing maintenance of the lot. Second, the construction industry has made critical improvements to the equipment used in the placement of concrete. Finally, The Rabine Group invented UltraLot® Whitetopping giving property managers and building owners the option to convert an asphalt lot to a concrete lot at a lower cost than a full concrete replacement.

Pavement companies with national scale are relatively new and organizations like the Rabine Group have dramatically improved the industry’s ability to use data to forecast price increases and measure the cost of maintenance for asphalt lots. The standard methods of crack sealing, seal coating, striping, patching (removal and replacement), and asphalt overlays (resurfacing) will extend the life of an asphalt lot for an additional 5-10 years. However, these maintenance methods are subject to the same price increases as the initial asphalt parking lot! To make matters worse, the equipment required to maintain the asphalt consumes large amounts of oil and gas making the process even more sensitive to persistent oil price inflation. If any money is saved during the initial installation of an asphalt lot, those savings are undoubtedly lost during the maintenance phase of the asphalt parking lot’s life.

Unlike the oil dependent asphalt, the price of concrete placement has fallen due to advances in technology and the construction process. Concrete material by volume is less expensive than asphalt, but until recently, the process of pouring concrete has been much more costly. Equipment used to place asphalt has made dramatic improvements in accuracy, efficiency and accessibility—not to mention the implicit cost savings that a parking lot that lasts more than 40 years delivers to the bottom line. Concrete, on it’s own, has become more price competitive, sustainable and easier to work with while maintaining it’s integrity as a material that will last more than four decades.

It wasn’t until recently that concrete started replacing asphalt overlays in parking lots around the country. The catalyst for this shift is Rabine’s UltraLot® Whitetopping.

The UltraLot® Whitetopping process is similar to an asphalt overlay. The existing asphalt or concrete pavement must be ground down (milled) to the minimum thickness of the overlay application at all the areas of transition between existing asphalt and concrete pavements as well as drainage critical locations. The remaining existing pavement is ground to a minimum thickness, typically 1⁄4-inches to create a rough grooved surface for the concrete to bond when placed. If existing curb and gutter is not present, the perimeter edges must be framed and supported to define the limits of the whitetopping application. At this point, the parking lot is properly prepared and ready for concrete placement.

In years past, concrete parking lots would be poured using non-productive hand tools and truss screeds. While commercial concrete paving equipment has been on the market for over ten years, it is not until recently that technological advances in the form of 3D Laser Screeds have allowed it to be productively used on parking lots. 3D Laser Screeds allow for concrete to be placed quickly, accurately and at precise elevations to ensure proper drainage and construction. Upon completion of the UltraLot® Whitetopping, early-entry saws are utilized to cut control joints in a tight, controlled spacing pattern. By cutting joints in this configuration we provide the necessary flexibility in the completed surface for proper expansion and optimal pavement life over time. These advances in technology, combined with rising asphalt prices have made concrete paving and whitetopping a great option for parking lots.

For the first time, newly constructed concrete parking lots and whitetopping of existing lots are competing with new or overlayed asphalt parking lots. The real savings and value for concrete paving and whitetopping begins after the work is completed. The average lifecycle for a properly constructed asphalt parking lot is 12 to 16 years with normal annual parking lot maintenance. The average lifecycle for a newly constructed concrete parking lot is 30 to 50 years and a whitetopped concrete parking lot is 25 to 35 years. That is an average lifecycle increase of over 100%, not considering the reduced cost of maintenance overtime (no seal coating required) compared to a typical asphalt parking lot. Now that concrete and asphalt parking lot construction are comparably priced, serious consideration is being given to concrete options for any new parking lot construction or resurfacing project.

Engineers and architects very seldom design parking lots with concrete options for new construction and even less often for reconstruction and overlays. Make a practice of asking for concrete options when building or repaving a parking lot. If you struggle to get clear specifications feel free to call me, Gary Rabine, on my cell phone at (815) 693-9706. In the battle between concrete and asphalt, we only care that the customer wins.

Rabine Toolbox: 3 Ways to Extend the Life of Your Pavement

by Webmaster | Feb 27, 2014 | News

Maintenance is key to extending the life of any pavement. External forces such as weather and traffic can take there toll on your pavement—but there are steps you can take to avoid any further deterioration and extend your pavement’s life.

We’ve put together a list of the three most important tips for maintaining a healthy parking lot or driveway. These are basic but vital steps towards keeping your pavement looking clean and pothole free for years to come.

Ready to protect your pavement? Contact a Rabine representative today

Protecting Your Asphalt Investment

by Webmaster | Feb 27, 2014 | News

By John Butler, Managing Partner of Pavement Solutions

Replacing asphalt pavements can be an expensive, inconvenient and time-consuming headache for property managers and building owners alike. By utilizing proper pavement maintenance principles, you can double the life of your pavements and save thousands of dollars in the process.

Proper Crack Sealing

The most important component of proper pavement maintenance is crack sealing. Crack sealing prevents the infiltration of water into your pavements and aggregate base. Proper crack sealing is your first line of defense and helps eliminate pot holes and buckling pavements.

Crack sealing preparations start with the existing cracks being routed to a consistent width and depth of 1/2” by 1/2”. The routing forms a reservoir or a saddle for the sealant to bond in. The heat of the router cutters also seals shut the bottom of the crack and eliminates the possibility of the hot sealant running into the aggregate base. Rabine Pavement Solutions feels so strongly about the positives of routing that we do not offer non routed crack sealing in our service lines.

High-pressure compressed air is then used to completely clean the reservoir of dirt and debris. In the event that the reservoir is damp, a heat lance should be used to dry the area to insure the proper bonding of the sealant. The hot rubberized sealant is then injected in the reservoir and struck off with a squeegee. The finished material should dry approximately 3/8” below the existing asphalt to insure that the material isn’t hooked by a plow or heavy vehicle.

Routed crack fill that is still in the reservoir can do its job after 8 or 9 years. Non routed or over banded cracks can fail after the first winter and can be a poor investment for the owner. Spend more money up front and demand cracks are repaired properly.

Choosing a Coating

The two most basic and affordable coatings are coal tar and asphalt based emulsions. Commercial based coal tar emulsions have been on the market since the 1950’s and are still regarded as the most durable and cost effective product for sealing asphalt. Coal tar is resistant to water, gas, and chemical infiltration. The negatives for coal tar are a strong creosol odor and the burning of skin if you are around the product for an extended amount of time.

Asphalt base sealers have many of the same qualities as coal tars and dry a very dark, rich black color. The negative for asphalt is that it is hard to place in cooler temperatures and wears a little quicker than conventional coal tars.

Rabine Pavement Solutions has started to shift away from predominately using coal tar sealers. We are finding that some of the hybrid polymer modified asphalt sealers are wearing great and drying super black in color, which accents the striping.

Pavement Markings

There are dozens of paints offered for many different installations. The most common paints used over seal coats are water based or latex based paints. Latex paints are inexpensive, easily applied with airless equipment and easy to clean. The big downside is that the paint dulls soon after placement. Acetone paints on seal coat are solvent-based paints with more pigments and the color stay crisp longer.

Another very versatile paint we like to use on oxidized asphalt or concrete surfaces is chlorinated rubber. This paint is flexible and last a long time. It works great for painting concrete curbs or car stops.

The Proof is in the Pudding

A great customer in northern Illinois who owns a large car dealership and who is a real proponent of asphalt pavement maintenance recognized early on that he had to protect the huge investment he made in his parking lots when he built the dealership. We meet every year to discuss a comprehensive plan to protect and extend the life of his pavements. By following the principles in this article the owner has replaced less than 5% of his 20 year old pavement to date.

Any property manager or building owner can share in the same success by committing to a yearly review of the property and stick to a maintenance plan with a trusted pavement maintenance partner.