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What type of routine maintenance does my parking lot require?
- Sweeping - Spring cleanups are a "must" to remove heavy sand from Winter.
- Striping - Maximize the number of cars you can safely park in your lot.
- Signs - STOP, DO NOT ENTER, Handicap Parking - we do it all.
- Crack Repair - Should be done to prevent water getting under the asphalt.
- Sealcoating - Extends pavement life and keeps it looking like new.
- Patch work - Fix potholes and other distressed areas while still small.
- Plowing and Sanding - Critical for safety and access during the Winter.
SWEEPING
Why Sweep?
A clean parking lot looks good. It is the first thing people see when driving by or entering your property. You never get another chance to make a first impression. Secondly, you can avoid having sand and dirt tracked inside, reducing maintenance bills, slips and falls. Also, traffic repeatedly traveling over sand will shorten the life of your asphalt, sealcoating, and any existing pavement markings.
How often should my parking lot be swept?
Spring clean ups are a "must" to remove heavy sand from the Winter. Regular maintenance sweepings can be scheduled at your convenience as necessary to keep you looking good.
How is the work completed?
Whether the area is large or small, we have the equipment to handle it. We have large, powerful street sweepers, mid-range sweeping capabilities, down to hand blowers and brooms. We can do it all.
Where does the dirt go?
Arrangements for disposal are made in advance of sweeping. If you want to hang on to the sweepings and have an area for us to dump it - great. If not, we can handle the disposal for you.
STRIPING
How often should I paint new stripes?
In higher traffic areas (such as fast food drive throughs or shopping malls), new stripes are painted every year. For moderate to low traffic areas, stripes may last 2-3 years.
What should I expect from new Zebra stripes?
Customers using Zebra Striping to apply new paint can expect a high quality application and clean, straight, smooth lines.
What if I want to change my existing parking lot layout?
If you would like to change your layout, Zebra Striping can help you both modify or completely redesign your parking area. Stripes can be ground away, painted over, painted a different color, etc. and your parking lot will still look good. After sealcoating is a particularly good time to make changes to your parking lot layout. Existing lines can be painted over or ground away, the sealer applied, and new striping completed.
What do I need to do to prepare for striping?
Simply arrange a time for us to come when there are no cars in the way.
How long will my business be interrupted for striping?
With proper planning, there should be no business interruption. It takes anywhere from 20-60 minutes (depending on temperature and other factors) for the paint to dry. We work 7 days a week, including early mornings.
How important is the actual layout of the parking lot?
You can benefit from our 25+ years of experience to insure you get the maximum number of parking spaces, the traffic flow is efficient, and you meet applicable safety laws. Plus, it will make both your traffic area (and you) look great.
PAVING
How do I care for my new asphalt?
Asphalt is soft, particularly when it is new. No matter what the age, parking cars repeatedly in the same spot creates indentations. Try to vary parking routines if possible. Other objects that can damage asphalt are kickstands on motorcycles and bicycles, car jacks and trailers.
How can I protect my asphalt investment?
Properly designed and constructed asphalt pavement rarely wears out just from traffic. Surface deterioration is primarily caused by weathering, oxidation and the destructive softening effects of gasoline, oils and de-icers. Filling any cracks and sealcoating can protect the surface and extend its useful life.
Once new asphalt is installed, a year-round maintenance schedule is required in order to protect your asphalt investment. This includes: plowing and sanding in the Winter; sweeping and re-striping in the Spring, sealcoating in the Summer; and, crackfilling in the Fall. Potholes can be fixed all year long, rather than just during warm weather.
SIGNS
What if I need signs?
Zebra Striping can provide and install the parking area signs you need:
- Traffic flow (STOP, DO NOT ENTER, EXIT ONLY, NO PARKING, etc.)
- Handicap signs to meet ADA requirements
- Custom signs for your business.
CRACKFILLING
Why fill the cracks?
Hydraulic pressure (water freezing and thawing) causes small surface cracks to enlarge until the pavement actually separates. Cracks allow water to penetrate to the subsurface and rupture the pavement. Damage occurs faster under heavy traffic and/or during freeze-thaw cycles. Cracks ultimately lead to pot holes.
Cracks in your pavement even 1/4" wide allow water and debris to penetrate and ultimately leads to erosion of the asphalt foundation. Sealing the cracks protects your investment and extends the life of your pavement.
What causes cracks?
Unprotected surfaces oxidize (bleach out), while gasoline and oil drippings soften the asphalt surface and cause localized pavement failure. These petroleum stained areas give the parking lot a dirty, uncared for appearance. As a result, unprotected pavement loses flexibility, aggregate levels are removed from the surface, and the pavement becomes rough. The surface becomes brittle and cracks develop. Once a small crack develops, water penetrates. Add freeze/thaw cycles of the New England weather, and a crack will widen, causing increased damage (and eventually pot holes).
How are cracks filled?
Using specialized equipment, we clean and dry the cracks, removing grass and debris. We then apply a hot poured rubber sealant directly into the crack. A anti-tacking agent is then applied to help keep the rubber in place.
SEALCOATING
Why is sealcoating so important?
Not only does sealcoating dramatically improve the appearance of older asphalt, timely sealcoating applied by professionals will help protect your asphalt investment from gasoline, oil or solvent damage, water intrusion, ultraviolet rays and oxidation.
The heavy duty sealcoating products we use are of the highest quality and made from a blend of emulsified high temperature coal tar and selected mineral fillers developed fur use as a flexible, tough, and long lasting protective coating for asphalt pavement. Sealcoat bonds firmly to the surface to provide an even-textured durable coating. Sealcoating will extend the life of your asphalt and restore the black, "new pavement" look at a fraction of the cost of new pavement.
How often should sealer be applied?
We recommend sealcoat be applied every 2-3 years, depending on traffic conditions.
PAVEMENT REPAIRS
How do you repair asphalt?
There are a number of ways to successfully repair asphalt.
- Using infra-red technology and equipment, asphalt can be warmed up to a point where it is "workable" again. Once warm, the old asphalt is reworked with new asphalt, thereby resulting in a proper repair that will last.
- Sawcutting around the edge of a pothole, removing the damaged asphalt and reinstalling new asphalt to the affected area renders satisfactory and "clean looking" results.
PAVEMENT STAMPING AND COLOR COATING
What exactly is pavement stamping?
Pavement stamping is an innovative pavement treatment. This process provides a way to replicate the look of hand-laid brick, cobblestone and other decorative paving products. Using infra-red technology, we heat up asphalt and imprint it with chosen designs and then apply color. Some projects could potentially be completed from start to finish in one day. Call us for more information and options.
Why would I want to do this rather than install bricks?
Pavement stamping provides many benefits over other traditional paving products, including bricks. Besides being more cost effective, the product offers flexibility of design, speed of installation, low maintenance and proven performance under extreme freeze/thaw conditions.
Does Zebra Striping handle just commercial stamped asphalt projects?
Offering versatility and durability, stamped asphalt is the ideal choice for a wide variety of municipal, commercial and residential applications (such as driveways, patios and walkways).
PLOWING AND SANDING
How often will Zebra plow and sand?
Contracts are available for both "Per Season" and "Per Storm". Per Season customers (homeowner associations, condominium associations, etc.) sign up for the season at a contracted amount and are plowed and sanded with a sand/salt mix each time approx. 2" or more of snow has fallen. Sidewalks are typically cleared of ice and snow by hand and with snow blowers. Per Storm customers receive the same high level of service, but are billed monthly according to the number of plowings/sandings necessary.
In addition, "On Call" services are often available for when the customers require assistance only from time to time.
Often times icy conditions are present, and only sand/salt is required (customers handle the snow themselves). You can arrange for our sanding trucks to service your lot automatically, or whenever pavement is slippery.
This can increase safety give you some peace of mind.
Why hire Zebra Striping for Winter Maintenance?
Zebra Striping has been plowing and sanding for customers since 1981. Our crew is dependable, careful, fully insured, and will do the best they can for you. |
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