Asphalt Thickness Calculator – What’s The Minimum Thickness Of Asphalt Paving?
Planning to repave your driveway or commercial parking lot? Asphalt thickness is one of the most common areas of question and uncertainty. Many homeowners and commercial property owners just don’t know the best thickness. Deterioration can occur if your asphalt is laid too thin or too thick. The asphalt thickness calculator scale will vary for residential driveways vs. commercial properties.
There is also an appropriate asphalt calculator scale for the thickness of the base. Even asphalt installed at an appropriate thickness will fail if the base is too thin or if laid improperly.
So how do you know what asphalt thickness is appropriate for your project? Let’s start with the base.
- A residential base is constructed of 6-8”of granular base aggregate. The base is then compacted and installed on top of the subgrade.
- A standard commercial lot will require an aggregate layer of 8”.
- The appropriate asphalt thickness calculator for a commercial base will vary. One factor that contributes is how much traffic. Also, the type of traffic.
Is 2 Inches Of Asphalt Enough For A Driveway?
This is another common question we see. Once the aggregate base is installed, asphalt needs to be laid to the right thickness. For residential driveways, the answer is generally yes. However, a 2” asphalt thickness is the minimum for asphalt driveways.
After the 2” binder layer of your commercial lot, you will need a 1.5” thick layer of smoother compacted asphalt. This is a total of 3” thickness. However, heavy duty traffic lots should get at least a 2” layer of asphalt in addition to the binder. For a total of 4” asphalt thickness.
What If My Asphalt Is Too Thin?
If asphalt is too thin, weight will not be distributed appropriately. This will cause compression of the material under a tire. This will often result in premature fatigue cracking. Resulting in a structurally compromised pavement.
Issues To Damaged Asphalt
If your asphalt thickness is incorrect, you will see issues quickly.
- Cracking asphalt
- Stripping is the debonding of aggregate and binder
- Rutting is surface depression alone wheel path
- Failure is the loss of adhesive between layers
Firstly, you can ensure that your pavement does not deteriorate prematurely with proper installation. As part of the installation process you want to not only make sure that asphalt thickness is appropriate for the situation but also that base installation and thickness is correct. Following proper installation, regular maintenance and repairs are key. By maintaining and repairing asphalt, you can ensure your investment lasts as long as it should. Well-maintained asphalt should last 15-30 years.
Asphalt thickness calculator questions are very common. Residents and property owners do not need to understand asphalt thickness. However, being educated is a good way to avoid an improper installation. Make sure your paving contractor is very clear in what you are getting. Additionally, hiring reputable is so important! You can trust EastCoat Pavement Services to provide you with a great product. Our years of knowledge and experience in commercial paving allows us to provide you with the best paving plan and thickness for your unique project! Contact us today for your consultation!