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When you look out at your driveway that is worn down, cracked, or still made of gravel, you wonder what the best time of the year to pave it is. There is a good reason why driveways can only be paved under certain weather conditions.
The best time of the year to pave or resurface your driveway is going to be during the late spring and throughout the months of summer. There is such a thing as a best temperature to lay asphalt or concrete, and that’s when the outside weather is warmer. It makes the mixture that you are using more manageable to work with, and while it has the time to cool properly, it’s going to do so more evenly giving you a smoother surface.
What is the Best Temperature to Lay Asphalt?
The best temperature to lay asphalt is going to be when the temperature outside is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s going to hit the southern states earlier than it will the northern states, so the mid-spring to summer is just a guideline. The temperature for installing a new driveway or merely doing an overlay is the same.
It is possible to
pave your driveway when the weather is colder, but you’re going to have to work differently. You can get the job done in the 50 to 60-degree range, but these aren’t going to be ideal working conditions.
Can You Pave A Driveway in the Rain
While the minimum temperature for laying asphalt is important, there are other factors to consider as well like the precipitation in the air. You can pave a driveway when there is a light sprinkle. However, you shouldn’t try to complete the project when there is more rain than that. The base layers can become damaged from the water. Additionally, it can cause the asphalt to cool too fast. A dry summer day is always going to be best.
Why It Matters What Temp is Too Cold to Lay Asphalt
There are a plethora of reasons that go along with why picking the best time of the year to
resurface a driveway or pave one is essential. Your mix is going to show up to your home inside of a truck in a heated liquid state. When it’s warm outside, it can easily be poured, spread out, and leveled off. When the temp is too cold to lay asphalt, the temperature of the mixture drops quickly as soon as it leaves the truck. The combination ends up getting too thick, and then the pour is uneven. In a worst-case scenario, the material can start to harden up before the work is done.
The result is a driveway that lets water in, a look and feel of unevenness, and the structure breaking apart or becoming damaged before its time. That is why the best time to pave a driveway is never going to be suggested in the winter or colder months.
