Download Commodity

Acquire nearly cobblestone drying and curing times—and how to keep your new driveway looking fresh

Download Article

  • How long does asphalt take to dry vs. cure?
    • |
  • When can you drive or park on new asphalt?
    • |
  • How to Protect Your New Asphalt

A new asphalt driveway tin can really spruce your home or function. The clean look and smoothen driving experience can arrive well worth the cost—merely how long should you expect before driving or parking on new cobblestone? It'due south an important question. Drive on it too soon, or park in 1 spot for too long, and you'll damage your driveway before it'south had a gamble to dry or fully cure. Do things correct, though, and your driveway could stay in swell shape for years to come up. Looking to have care of your new asphalt driveway? Continue reading to acquire the essentials, including how long to wait before driving on asphalt and how to maintain it to make it last.

Things You Should Know

  • Asphalt takes up to 5 days to dry and half-dozen-12 months to fully cure. "Dried" cobblestone is no longer sticky and soft, while "cured" asphalt is fully hardened.
  • You can safely drive and park on cobblestone after nearly 5 days, simply the curing process volition continue for several months.[one]
  • Ask your contractor for an guess of the curing time. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and assume it'll have 12 months.
  • To prevent indentations and cracks, park your car in a slightly different spot every solar day for the beginning vi-12 months. Use fillers and sealers to make full in cracks and holes as they announced.

  1. 1

    You can safely drive and park on asphalt once it'southward dry. You lot'll know it's dry when information technology's no longer soft and sticky to the affect. This usually takes about 5 days. At this bespeak, y'all won't risk leaving tire marks or dissentious your new driveway.

    • Y'all can usually walk on asphalt 2 days after it's applied. However, you'll however have to look v days before driving on it.[iii]
    • Your contractor may give you specific instructions for when information technology'due south safe to walk, drive, and park on your new driveway.

  2. 2

    Park your machine in different spots each twenty-four hour period for the start six-12 months. This prevents indentations from forming in a unmarried spot due to the weight of the car. Later 6-12 months, the asphalt will be fully cured—that is, fully hardened—and y'all tin can park wherever you lot like.

    • If you have a narrow driveway, effort parking your automobile farther upward or down the driveway each 24-hour interval.
    • If you tin can't avoid parking your auto in one spot (for example, if you park it in a very pocket-sized driveway), try parking information technology on large wooden planks. This volition distribute your car's weight and prevent indentations in the cobblestone.
    • If you lot park in a parking lot, choose a slightly unlike spot every 24-hour interval.
    • Avoid turning your tires while your car is stationary, equally this could leave impressions in the asphalt.[4]
    • Try not to leave kickstands, barbeques, and other items on your cobblestone for long periods of time. These tend to exit indentations.[5]
    • Your contractor can requite you a specific estimate for the curing time. When in dubiousness, err on the side of caution and presume it'll have 12 months.

    3. Advertisement

  1. 1

    Keep your asphalt clean. Gasoline, oil, antifreeze, or other chemic spills tin corrode your cobblestone, then be sure to mop these up when y'all see them. Remember to bank check your usual parking areas regularly for leaks and spills.[6]

    • Try to clean up whatsoever chemicals equally soon as possible.

  2. 2

    Fix cracks and holes as they appear. While they're a nuisance, cracks and holes occur naturally as your cobblestone settles and cures. You lot can prevent them from spreading by filling them in with fillers and sealers.[7]

    • Put a "servant" on the edges of the asphalt to prevent it from over-expanding and cracking. A retainer can be made of gravel or a combination of soil and grass seeds.

  3. 3

    Adding a sealcoat helps your asphalt final longer. Sealcoating fixes cracks and prevents chemicals, rain, and debris from penetrating the cobblestone. Your contractor will give specific advice, but by and large speaking, a sealcoat should first exist practical at to the lowest degree 90 days later on your cobblestone is installed, one time the ambient air temperature is below lxxx°F (26°C).

    • Use another sealcoat one twelvemonth after the asphalt is offset installed, then every 2-4 years after that.[viii]

    4. Advertisement

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Ad

Cheers for submitting a tip for review!

References

Most This Commodity

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 224 times.

If you lot buy through links on our site, we may earn a committee.

Did this commodity help y'all?