Winter and summer asphalt paving in Vancouver are surprisingly, a thing. Most people think that there is only one type of year-round asphalt used for all seasons, but that’s actually not the case. Each type of asphalt serves a different purpose during installation and throughout its use on the road. One of the biggest differences between summer and winter asphalt is the temperature required to install them for peak effectiveness. Although these two types of asphalt look the same on the surface, they have vastly different properties.
Winter Asphalt Paving
Winter asphalt is commonly used from January until March. The winter doesn’t provide us with very ideal circumstances in which to install asphalt. For this reason, we mainly stick to patching, repairing cracks and other types of damage repair during this season. For one, asphalt that’s mixed in such cold temperatures and poured on freezing, wet surfaces take much longer to cure properly. This makes it near impossible to mix large batches of asphalt or perform any sort of driveway replacements, overlays or seal coats. While summer asphalt needs to be constantly heated for use, winter asphalt doesn’t require this and is easy to store away for later use.
Summer Asphalt Paving in Vancouver
Summer asphalt is usually used from April until the middle of December and is commonly referred to as “hot asphalt”. It’s used to pave large areas like highways, roads, parking lots and other big surface areas. It needs to remain at a certain temperature during mixing and application before it cools and sets, which is why need to work very quickly when installing this type of asphalt. The reason it’s called summer asphalt? It can only be installed on surfaces that are warm and dry, which definitely wouldn’t work during the winter.
Which Option is Best For Me?
Knowing which option is best for you entirely depends on your pavement needs and the climate of your place of residence. Considering you live in British Columbia, it’s probably best to get in touch with us now while the season is still warm and dry, as the conditions for working with asphalt are perfect.
Regardless of the asphalt paving in Vancouver that you need, we’re here to help. Whether you require patching, damage repair, an overlay or a seal coat, summertime is the best time to have this done. Sure, patching we can do during the winter as well, but if you’re looking for a bigger job, it’s better to act fast before the summer season ends. Get in touch with us to learn more!
