The First 5 Days

• Keep cars off the driveway for a minimum of 5 days. You may walk on the driveway the following day after it has been paved.

Curing Time

• The driveway will need 6-12 months to harden and cure. It can remain soft and pliable especially during the summer months. Your driveway will soften and harden as temperatures rise and fall. Please be aware of this in hot temperatures. If you wish, you may water down your driveway with a hose on hot days to temporarily harden.
•  During the curing time, the surface will be susceptible to indentations due to concentrated loads such as bicycle kickstands, chair legs, tables, dumpsters and ladders to name a few. Please deter from using any of these items on the new driveway.

The First 6 Months

• During the first 6 months and specifically the summer months, vehicle power steering, sharp turns and K-Turns can cause ruts and scuff the pavement.

Ongoing Care

• Large Heavy Trucks will depress your new blacktop. Keep construction and other heavy trucks off your new driveway. Avoid driving off the edges of your driveway.
• The edges will crack and crumble due to lack of side support. You may support the sides by building up the edges with topsoil. Please do not do this until after the driveway has cured.
• It is natural for the texture of your driveway surface to be varied. It is caused by the various sizes of sand, stone and other ingredients that make up asphalt. Also, areas that are done by hand will appear different than those done by machines.
• Snow plowing/blowing can cause scratches and gouging. You can apply rock salt and ice melt generously, as asphalt is resistant to these products and will not affect the driveway.
• Hairline cracks may develop over the winter due to the contraction and expansion of the ground. These should be filled with crack filler in the Spring.

Sealing Your New Driveway

You should seal your driveway 12-18 months after installation. We recommend the following year in September. Sealer will protect your investment. After the first seal, you should seal your driveway every two years.

At Maintain It All, we can help you in the entire process -- from planning to driveway to maintaining it. Contact us to see how we can serve your needs.