Imagine walking into a neighbor’s home to see the new ceramic tile
he has installed. So far, so good. However, in this case, the neighbor has put
the new ceramic tile directly on top of existing deep pile carpet. Such a
horrid scene of uneven and wobbly substrate is easy to visualize.
If we all had the capacity to anticipate similarly bad results when dealing
with outdoor substrates, pavement experts would see fewer outcomes that make
them groan. Yet, if board members and managers can understand why carpeting can
be installed on top of a wood floor and not the reverse, they can grasp the
range of paving options that exist and choose the one that best fits their
needs.
Getting up to speed demands nothing more than a willingness to
learn. When 11 of the 17 communities at Riverbridge in West Palm Beach, joined
forces last year to contract for road paving, education came first. “Three
different contractors came in to present processes,” says Joan Bramm, president
of the board of Hammocks Trail at Riverbridge.
An important consideration for Joan and her colleagues was “to not limit options
in the future.” Whichever sort of road improvement was done, they wanted it to
be long lasting and provide flexibility for subsequent repairs and maintenance.
Assured that it retained the option of putting down a sealer later, the
community ultimately decided to rejuvenate its 13-15 year old asphalt.
Next to roofs, roads are generally the most expensive capitol expenditure for
communities. Of course, the paving requirements extend well beyond roads to
patios, decks and pool areas.
Once a paving choice is made, an experienced contractor ensures the job is done
correctly. Otherwise, mistakes can be costly in multiple ways. Uneven pavement
anywhere in the community becomes a liability issue. On masonry around pools,
coping is essential to reduce slippery areas and prevent seepage that can
degrade structures.
A covering applied over the surface of a road or outdoor area
constitutes a pavement. It can be concrete, brick, asphalt, macadam or any
other sort of adhering application. Although roads and footpaths are sometimes
covered with wood, natural fiber is usually not labeled a pavement.
Most communities make choices from an array that excludes concrete (too
expensive) and wood (too expensive, too weak for heavy road traffic). Still,
they have to consider much more than whether they are using brick or asphalt,
such as what lies under the pavement and whether to add sealers like acrylics.
“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all option,” says Fred Bekemeyer, former vice
President of Asphalt Restoration Technology. “The real issue in paving is
preparation, getting ready for the overlay. We would also recommend good,
quality repairs to be made before the overlay.”
Patches often look like
short-term cost-savers for aging pavement, but they are anything but. Putting
on a patch of asphalt that is one-to-one and one-half inches thick allows
milling and leads to toe-catching bumps. If someone trips and falls, or the
patch pops out on a super-hot day, it immediately becomes a less-than-good
economic decision.
Fred continues, “An association needs to be able to think of the project 15-20
years out, the bigger picture. Most are only thinking five or ten years out.”
The prudent course Joan’s community followed is just what Fred hopes to observe.
“ We always appreciate it when an association takes time. It is important for
each community to realize they are unique in their requirements.”
“One of the most important things a community association should
consider when formulating its pavement needs is the development of a pavement
maintenance plan over the expected targeted life of the pavement,” says Bob
Hanna, owner of Hanna Pavement Services.
Bob explains that managers and board members should work with a maintenance
specialist to establish a 20 year plan to protect the investment in pavement.
He says that issues such as base setting/failure, surface cracks and potholes
may require immediate attention to prevent unnecessary costly expenses in the
future. He explains the goal for any community that wishes to get the most from
its dollars should be an overall strategy that contributes to extending the
life of the pavement.
David Tristram of National Brick Paving and Waterproofing says there are many
special considerations when working on docks and especially suspended decks. If
the deck is free floating, it moves more, which puts additional stress on the
covering. Pavers need to be sealed to lock in sand, lock in joints and protect
from ultraviolet light. David says a two-coat acrylic sealer is essential to
accomplish those things. Any deck being paved around a pool must have coping to
allow for proper water run-off and cold joints need to be waterproofed. In
short, says David, never install pavers without waterproofing. Absence of
waterproofing might not be noticed in the early years of pavement life, but as
water builds around metal supports, oxidation will slowly begin, leading to
rust.
Project scope, approach of contractor, value predicted, and
expectations are the parts of the evaluation equation a community should use
before it contracts for paving.
Project scope is something to be determined by the association. It should be
quite firmly defined before contractors begin to make presentations to board
members. “Communities need to set up a scope of work and then pass it on to
contractors,” says Connie Lorenz, supervisor of operations at Asphalt
Restoration Technology.
Connie says it is imperative when advice and bids are solicited from paving
professionals for every contractor to be comparing the same variables. The
community should be handing out specifications to contractors, not the other
way around. David says he sometimes sees contractors win bids who have not
included crucial components, such as waterproofing pavers. Since the
association did not ask specifically to have the sum included in the bid, there
is nothing misleading, except the lower bidder happens to be one that bid only
on part of the job, given a sealer will need to be applied
later.
Approach on contractors varies within certain norms. When weighing advice and
bids from contractors, a community should be sure it has good, professional
advice. Too often, says David, a manager with a suspended deck project will be
persuaded to remove the top-ping slab, also known as the sacrificial slab,
before putting down pavers. Some structural engineers recommend the tactic, but
he says as many structural engineers say it is not necessary. Obviously,
removal contributes to a longer job, more construction waste to remove from the
site, and a higher cost. On the road side of paving, Fred says the contractor
should be including in the estimate the cost of repairs for cracks, fixes to
defective asphalt and leveling of low spots. Only by taking care of that
preliminary work will a covering achieve its maximum longevity.
If paving is being done on a new road, the fill is just as important as the
covering. It requires a specific match for the composition and natural drainage
of the substrate. In some cases a granular mix of something like recycled
concrete and asphalt is used. In other instance, fine asphalt is applied over
coarse asphalt. The choices are staggering and a reputable contractor can
explain which is best for your community.
Value predicted is important. Get a guarantee from the contractor, in writing. A
contractor that stands behind their work will do the job correctly. To realize
full value, a community ultimately needs to uphold its responsibilities
regarding maintenance. Bob says, “Once a maintenance plan is in place, it
should establish all the necessary criteria on how to proceed, whether it is
protection or corrective measures that are required.”
Expectations should be in keeping with the 21st century. Technology keeps
changing and improving. Connie says, “It’s the new millennium, and there are
better options now than there were just a decade or two ago. A leap to sealing
on virgin asphalt may be a leap too soon when rejuvenation is a possibility.”
Whichever option a community chooses, confidence in the selection comes from
knowing more. So be sure to P-A-V-E before you pave.