Tag Archives: parking lots

What to Include in a Parking Lot Preventative Maintenance Plan (PMP)

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As a commercial proprietor, you must understand that your parking lot is a vital investment to the overall success of your business. Even if you do not serve customers at your location, your staff and laborers will require a safe and functional lot to park and drive through. For these reasons and more, one of the best methods of investment protection you can take is to incorporate a parking lot preventative maintenance plan (PMP) into your comprehensive facility maintenance program.

Continue reading to learn more about parking lot preventative maintenance, and walk away with a better understanding of what you need to do for your pavements, year round.

Indianapolis Indiana Parking Lot Repair
Indianapolis Indiana Parking Lot Repair 317-549-1833

Parking Lot Preventative Maintenance

The parking lot is the very first opportunity you get to make an impression on your customers. Furthermore, the functionality and safety of your parking lot directly influence your annual costs and ultimately, your bottom line. Not only does unsafe parking lot conditions put your business at risk for being sued under premise liability laws in the case that someone is injured as a result of negligent pavement care or ignored repairs, but it also sets a tone for how you conduct your company’s operations. Customers want to see a nice-looking lot because it speaks to the professionalism and capability of a business.

Sealcoating and Crack Filling Services

The absolute best investment you can make for your commercial property is developing and implementing a parking lot preventative maintenance plan (PMP). Although referred to by many other names, a parking lot preventative maintenance plan basically involves routine sealcoating and hot rubberized crack sealing services. And although there are several other components of parking lot maintenance, these two services are key in abating asphalt damages.

Sealcoating

One of the most common and effective methods for extending the life of asphalt pavement is sealcoating. A properly-applied sealcoat provides long-lasting protection against chemical spills like oil and gasoline, as well as inclement weather and heavy traffic. Once new asphalt pavement is laid, it generally takes at least 4 to 6 weeks for the surface to rid itself of light oils through the process of oxidation. Once this process is complete, sealcoat can be applied. Sealcoat your asphalt parking lot and pavements every 3 to 5 years for optimal protection. Talk to a trusted and licensed paving contractor to learn when is the best time of year to sealcoat asphalt.

Hot Rubberized Crack Sealing

Crack sealing is equally important to asphalt sealcoating because it stops working cracks from becoming worse, and ultimately, causing massive and exponential destruction to a parking lot. A working crack is a crack that is either vertical or horizontal, and is exhibiting movements greater than 2.5 millimeters.  Examples of working cracks include transverse cracks, and in some cases, longitudinal cracks. Crack sealing is applied in a unique configuration to give asphalt less permeability, stopping water infiltration, salt, and other debris. They bend, stretch, and flex along with the surrounding pavement’s movement, preventing further cracking.

Crack Filling

For non-working cracks, or cracks that move less than 2.5 millimeters per year, crack filling is the service required. Examples of such material includes crumb rubber, asphalt emulsion, AC-3, and more. This not only reinforces the pavement, but it also drastically reduces water infiltration which can cause cracks to expand.

Additional Aspects to Include in a PMP:

⛿ Routine Cleaning and Debris Removal
⛿ Pothole Repair
⛿ Winter Cold Patching
⛿ Drainage Inspections
⛿ Culvert Maintenance and Repair
⛿ Bollard Maintenance and Repair
⛿ Line Striping
⛿ Road Marking
⛿ Snow Removal/Ice Management

Indianapolis Indiana Parking Lot Maintenance and Repair Service

Call ACI Asphalt and Concrete at 317-549-1833 for commercial pavement maintenance and repair for parking lots in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our licensed and qualified paving contractors provide several Indianapolis asphalt and concrete paving services, including pavement repair, sealcoating, road work, commercial paving, industrial paving, winter cold patching, and more. We are the industry veterans to trust for skilled craftsmanship and competitive prices! Request a free estimate, today.

Indianapolis Pavement Repair Company
Indianapolis Pavement Repair Company 317-549-1833

Primary Factors Used to Calculate the Cost of Asphalt Sealcoating

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Your pavements, although strong and properly laid, are still vulnerable to a long list of enemies. From inclement weather like extreme heat or cold, to chemical spills, oxidation, salt, freeze-thaw cycles, and more, there are many things that can damage your asphalt. For this reason, it is vital to include sealcoating into your asphalt preventative maintenance plan. Sealcoats work as a protective layer, abating the inevitable damages of natural wear and tear, traffic, gasoline, and everything else your pavements endure.

Although vital to a property owner’s overall investment, sealcoating is often put to the wayside when it comes to asphalt and parking lot maintenance. If you are considering asphalt sealcoating service soon, you might want to educate yourself of how much you can expect to pay, and compare that potential cost to your overall business objectives.

Continue reading to learn which kinds of factors will have the most impact on the total cost of your sealcoating work.

Indiana Commercial Sealcoating
Indiana Commercial Sealcoating 317-549-1833

Coal Tar and Asphalt Emulsion Sealers

Coal tar and asphalt emulsion are the two primary types of sealers used in commercial paving. They generally have the same price points, between $0.15 and $0.25 per square foot. However, there are a number of factors that can increase or decrease this price range, including lot size, lot layout, preparation, and the cost of raw materials.

► Lot Size – The total square footage of your paved asphalt lot is usually the base factor to evaluating the total cost of a sealcoating job. You can get the average idea by multiplying your lot’s total square footage by the median price per square foot for sealcoat work, or $0.20.

► Lot Layout – The size of your lot is one factor that will impact the total cost of sealcoating, while layout is another. The construct and layout of your paved asphalt lot can influence the cost of sealcoat work if it is particularly tricky to access or complexly designed. More open lots tend to be easier in terms of labor, which speeds up project completion and reduces cost of labor.

► Preparation Work – A paved lot is not ready to go as far as a new sealcoat goes. There is always work involved in preparing a lot for sealcoating, including cleaning and clearing debris. The extent of cleaning and preparation needed for your lot will impact your total sealcoat cost.

► Raw Materials – Recently, there has been a drastic increase in cost for areas of the pavement construction industry. Prices have gone up for insurance, fuel, and coal tar and asphalt emulsion raw materials. If you are quoted work for less than $0.14 per square foot, you are likely going to get inferior work.

Where to Get Trusted Asphalt Sealcoating Work in Indianapolis, Indiana

Call ACI Asphalt and Concrete at 317-549-1833 for trusted sealcoating and asphalt paving in Indianapolis, Indiana. We are your leaders in asphalt and concrete pavement and road construction services. We serve commercial and industrial clients in Indianapolis and all throughout Central Indiana. Get started with parking lot sealcoating service for your commercial property now, before the harsh winter weather sets in and it’s too late! Contact us today for a free quote.

Indianapolis Pavement Repair Company
Indianapolis Pavement Repair Company 317-549-1833

A Comparison of Concrete and Rubber Wheel Stops for Parking Lots

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Wheel stops are a common and vital safety feature in parking lots. They are intended to inhibit a vehicle from passing beyond the parking space allotted to them when pulling into the spot. This in turn prevents the parking car from damaging the vehicle parked in in front of them. Also known as curb stops, tire stoppers, and parking blocks, wheel stops are made from a variety of materials, such as plastic, rubber, metal, and concrete. However, rubber and concrete are by far the most common, as they are environmentally-friendly and economically priced. So, these two materials will be your primary options to choose from when considering wheel stops for your commercial complex.

But which material is better? Concrete or rubber? Is there an advantage to choosing one over the other? What’s the real difference between concrete and rubber wheel stops? As a commercial proprietor looking to renovate or enhance your parking lot performance and safety, you might want to consider these very same questions.

Indianapolis Parking Lot Pavement Services
Indianapolis Parking Lot Pavement Services 317-549-1833

Concrete Wheel Stoppers

Concrete tends to take the cake when it comes to leading choice for wheel stops among consumers. Concrete is heavier than rubber, so wheel stops tend to secure strongly in place once installed. Furthermore, concrete parking blocks are made from organic material, and will last a very long time. They can also be installed inside or outside, regardless of climate or region. These are the primary advantages of concrete wheel stoppers.

There are some disadvantages of choosing concrete wheel stops too. For instance, concrete is a porous material, which means it will be subjected to the damages caused by winter and spring freeze-thaw cycles. Water freezing, expanding, and then thawing in the pores of concrete will lead to cracking and loss of stability. When concrete stoppers are installed indoors, such as in parking garages, they withstand the effects of freeze-thaw conditions much better.

Rubber Wheel Stops

In contrast to concrete wheel stops, which are made from organic material, rubber wheel stoppers are made from synthetic rubber, which can render several benefits and downfalls. As for benefits, they are useful indoors or outdoors, and cause less damage to a vehicle in the case that the driver pulls up too far and comes into contact with the rubber stopper.

Furthermore, rubber parking blocks are lighter, easy to install, and highly-resistant to chemical spills, UV rays, oil, moisture, and even inclement weather. However, they are not entirely resistant to the sun. Rubber is a malleable material, which can be subjected to softening, melting, and warping under the hot sun. So in regions of the country that experience high heat for extended periods of time, such as the Southwest, they may not be the best fit.

Parking Lot Repair 317-549-1833
A Standard Rubber Wheel Stop

Parking Lot Repair and Renovation Services in Indianapolis, Indiana

Call ACI Asphalt and Concrete at 317-549-1833 for paving, repair, and maintenance of parking lots in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our licensed commercial paving contractors provide a wide range of asphalt and concrete services for commercial and industrial properties, including inspections, installation, replacement, repair, and more. We also offer free estimates and consultations, flexible scheduling, references upon request, and more. Best of all, our work is backed by our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, so you can rest assure that your investment is sound. Request a free quote, today.

Indianapolis Pavement Repair Company
Indianapolis Pavement Repair Company 317-549-1833

Common Colors for Parking Lot Striping and Road Markings

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Parking lots, and the roads that lead up to them, require specific types of painted pavement markings in order to be safe, functional, and efficient. As a bonus, properly applied striping and markings enhance property appeal, which in turn can increase overall real estate value. It is important to outsource professional road marking and parking lot striping services so that you can feel confident about the quality of your results, and the overall meaning of your investment. Furthermore, a parking lot requires a specific approach to markings and striping in terms of ADA compliancy and similar municipal codes.

Continue reading to learn more about parking lot striping and road markings, including one of the most important factors, which is the common colors used for such applications.

Indianapolis Line Striping and Road Markings
Indianapolis Line Striping and Road Markings 317-549-1833

Parking Lot Paint Colors

Traditionally, parking lot paint colors have remained the same across the board. However, what many property owners might not realize is, they can pretty much choose whatever parking lot paint colors they want, so long as a specific color isn’t required by a particular legal or local code. The most common parking lot and road striping colors used include white, blue, red, and yellow.

White paint is often used to indicate crosswalks, directional road markings like arrows, and sometimes parking spots. Yellow is another paint color that is commonly used indicate and define parking spots. Blue paint is mostly used indicate handicap accessible areas, such as parking stalls, curbs, ramps, entry and exit points, and more. Red paint is used to indicate fire lanes, as well as prohibited parking areas.

With consideration of all of the modern technologies available on the market today, commercial proprietors will often incorporate electric car charging stations in their parking lots. Typically, green paint is used to label such spots. Green paint is also used indicate bus stations, shuttle stations, and directional arrows for entries and exits. Uncommon paint colors that you can incorporate into your parking lot include purple, which is often used for passenger loading and unloading zones, as well as orange, which is used to signify cautionary areas like curves and turns.

It is wise to stick to tradition and communal perception when it comes to choosing your parking lot paint colors. For example, you wouldn’t want to use red paint to indicate an electric car charging station or designated parking stalls for extra-wide vehicles, since many people associate red paint with no parking or prohibited parking. On the other hand, it is a great idea to incorporate company logos and other modern artistic effects into parking lots when done properly. Talk to your local Indianapolis commercial asphalt company to learn which line striping and road marking paint colors are right for your lot.

Leaders in Indianapolis Commercial Line Striping and Road Markings

Call ACI Asphalt and Concrete at 317-549-1833 for professional line striping and road markings in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our team of licensed and insured contractors provide a wide range of asphalt and concrete paving services for commercial, industrial, and municipal properties. Most importantly, we always offer our services at the right price for all commercial property owners and companies. Don’t choose a rookie concrete company! Instead, trust our licensed commercial pavers to meet all your pavement needs. Request a free estimate, today!