WHEN DOES THE PAVING SEASON END?
The season ends when the ground freezes for all paving companies, and they can no longer work on it. This is especially true in the case of asphalt, the most popular paving material. It paves best in summer or warm weather.
During the winter season, the ground stiffens up so much that the labor cannot work with the asphalt anymore, let alone get it right. If you attempt to lay asphalt in the winter season, it will set in long before you have had time to smooth it. Hence, the result will not be high-quality and neat.
Incorrect paving means your pavement will soon suffer more wear and tear, especially in uneven areas where there is more concentration. The bad weather will even render the seal coating finish incapable of doing its job. Do you know why? Because seal coating is a water-based sealer and it does not set incorrectly when the weather is inappropriate.
If you’re paving asphalt on your driveway and don’t want it to crack or spoil, then a temperature above 45 degrees F is ideal.
So, what is the best season of the year to complete your concrete paving project? The cool and moderate months of the year are best for concrete pouring. Spring and early summer can make for a good option but Fall is deemed to be the best season. This is because variables such as base, ambient, and air temperature are stable during this season.
Additionally, during Fall, the days are moderately warm, the nights cooler, and the levels of humidity in the air are lower than in summer.
Once the asphalt mix is exposed to the cold condition, it hardens much quicker and is more difficult to pour. If the ground is already semi-frozen, the asphalt will crumble and break free from the binder.
Precipitation Implications
Aside from temperatures, precipitation is another thing to be worried about. Early springtime usually means melting snow and rainfall. Those wet conditions cause water to seep down into your new driveway, which negatively effects the structural integrity of the pavement . Also, paving over wet ground can damage the base layers of the asphalt and cause it to cool down too fast. It’s best to put off your paving project until the weather conditions are dryer, later in the year.
