I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday. I stopped home during my lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the middle fo
a gigantic downpour. Later, when I came home, I noticed that the surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional). Some of the driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense). I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like this is
right. Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...n-1175600-.htm

On 9/18/2018 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday.Â* I stopped home during my
lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour.Â* Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional).Â* Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense).Â* I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right.Â* Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???



I've seen it done in light rain, but not in the downpours like we had
today. Sounds like a sloppy job and you have legitimate complaint.

On 09/18/2018 07:57 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 9/18/2018 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday. I stopped home during
my lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour. Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes.
(mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional). Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense). I see
other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right. Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???



I've seen it done in light rain, but not in the downpours like we had
today. Sounds like a sloppy job and you have legitimate complaint.

Did our county road crew contract the job? They seem to prefer saving
paving repairs until it's below freezing and preferably snowing. Then
they do it all over again next year. Job security.

On Tue, 18 Sep 2018 21:57:59 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 9/18/2018 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday.* I stopped home during my
lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour.* Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional).* Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense).* I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right.* Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???



I've seen it done in light rain, but not in the downpours like we had
today. Sounds like a sloppy job and you have legitimate complaint.

When I was a kid, my dad had a concrete driveway installed. They poured
the top part one day and that part was good. The next day they did the
remaining part, (about 30 feet). It poured and they just did a half
assed troweling, then covered it with a tarp, but by the time they got
the tarp on, the surface was washed off and it left a very rough surface
with lots of rocks exposed, and dents where the guys tossed bricks on
top of the tarp to hold it down. My dad refused to pay them, and they
had to come back and break away all that bad cement and replace it. I
imagine asphalt would end up bad too...

On Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 9:58:01 PM UTC-4, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 9/18/2018 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday.Â* I stopped home during my
lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour.Â* Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional).Â* Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense).Â* I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right.Â* Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???



I've seen it done in light rain, but not in the downpours like we had
today. Sounds like a sloppy job and you have legitimate complaint.

IDK what the limits are in terms of rain, but I also see it being put
down, major road work for example, in some pretty decent rain, regularly.
If the rain had an effect, it may be that it limited the performance of the crew,
what they could see while rolling it, etc as opposed to an effect on the
asphalt itself. Or it could be that they would have done a crappy job
anyway.

This is one of those worst case screw ups. If it's hosed, I don't think
there is any easy fix, it's tear it up, remove it and do it again.
I guess the question is exactly how off it is. I'd get them there
immediately, while it's still not fully cured maybe if it's some minor
problems they could still roll it again before it's fully cured. Also
a good example of the kind of job where you should try to have someone
there watching.

On Tue, 18 Sep 2018 21:57:59 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???



I've seen it done in light rain, but not in the downpours like we had
today. Sounds like a sloppy job and you have legitimate complaint.

OP could have taken a day off and supervised the job. I would've.

On 9/18/18 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday.Â* I stopped home during my
lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour.Â* Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional).Â* Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense).Â* I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right.Â* Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???


Hope you haven't paid them yet.

If you did, I'd stop the check- assuming, of course, they didn't run
directly to your bank and cash it as soon as they got their hands on it...

On 9/18/2018 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday.Â* I stopped home during my
lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour.Â* Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional).Â* Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense).Â* I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right.Â* Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???


I would have them back and stop payment until corrected.
If it is still warm enough or weather is hot simply re-rolling might get
out defects and make it acceptable. It should be compacted to squeeze
any water out.

Asphalt and ingredients are not water soluble but it is a composite with
voids and you don't want holes full of water. If water remains in yours
there are voids beyond what you normally get.

Asphalt consists of a mix of bitumen, rocks and sand. The bitumen, the
part that melts, content is only about 5% which is inadequate to
completely fill all voids. After down a few months, surface should be
sealed to keep out moisture otherwise moisture in the winter with
constant freezing and thawing increase voids and leads to failure.

On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 14:30:28 -0400, Frank "frank wrote:

On 9/18/2018 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday.* I stopped home during my
lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour.* Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional).* Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense).* I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right.* Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???


I would have them back and stop payment until corrected.
If it is still warm enough or weather is hot simply re-rolling might get
out defects and make it acceptable. It should be compacted to squeeze
any water out.

Asphalt and ingredients are not water soluble but it is a composite with
voids and you don't want holes full of water. If water remains in yours
there are voids beyond what you normally get.

Asphalt consists of a mix of bitumen, rocks and sand. The bitumen, the
part that melts, content is only about 5% which is inadequate to
completely fill all voids. After down a few months, surface should be
sealed to keep out moisture otherwise moisture in the winter with
constant freezing and thawing increase voids and leads to failure.
The pavement needs to be replaced. The mixture will not properly
compact if cooled too quickly, leaving a pourous "grainy" finish with
lots of voids. The pavement will break up quickly if you are in a
frost region, and will also not stand up to design loads. A
residentialasphalt driveway is usually a slipshod enough job - adding
rain to the mix makes it WAY worse.

A PROPER ashalt driveway is done in 2 stages - 4 inches of coarse road
asphalt layed over the compacted base, and 2 inches of fine "topper"
asphalt laid over that - with the rough base clean and dry - and
usually a spray of asphalt bonding cement (basically a spray of tar)
applied just before laying the top layer. With the proper finish layer
sealing is not required, but it does help repel oil and fuel,
protecting the surface.

On 9/19/2018 3:36 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 14:30:28 -0400, Frank "frank wrote:

On 9/18/2018 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday.Â* I stopped home during my
lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour.Â* Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional).Â* Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense).Â* I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right.Â* Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???


I would have them back and stop payment until corrected.
If it is still warm enough or weather is hot simply re-rolling might get
out defects and make it acceptable. It should be compacted to squeeze
any water out.

Asphalt and ingredients are not water soluble but it is a composite with
voids and you don't want holes full of water. If water remains in yours
there are voids beyond what you normally get.

Asphalt consists of a mix of bitumen, rocks and sand. The bitumen, the
part that melts, content is only about 5% which is inadequate to
completely fill all voids. After down a few months, surface should be
sealed to keep out moisture otherwise moisture in the winter with
constant freezing and thawing increase voids and leads to failure.
The pavement needs to be replaced. The mixture will not properly
compact if cooled too quickly, leaving a pourous "grainy" finish with
lots of voids. The pavement will break up quickly if you are in a
frost region, and will also not stand up to design loads. A
residentialasphalt driveway is usually a slipshod enough job - adding
rain to the mix makes it WAY worse.

A PROPER ashalt driveway is done in 2 stages - 4 inches of coarse road
asphalt layed over the compacted base, and 2 inches of fine "topper"
asphalt laid over that - with the rough base clean and dry - and
usually a spray of asphalt bonding cement (basically a spray of tar)
applied just before laying the top layer. With the proper finish layer
sealing is not required, but it does help repel oil and fuel,
protecting the surface.


You sound more knowledgeable than me. I was thinking if soft enough it
could be compacted properly. I guess if they need to remove it it would
be remelted and reused.

My familiarity was my own drive over the years and having it redone half
dozen years ago. They added a couple of inches over the old one but
removed some sections of the old one that were badly cracked. I also
had it widened a couple of feet and they added base gravel with maybe 4
inches asphalt over it.

Asphalt drives may be done other ways but around here it is just asphalt
with no spray and sealing is required every few years. I know a bit
about composites and there is not enough bitumen to make the product
void free. Over twice as much would be needed and asphalt might be
sticky and soft.

On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 18:39:40 -0400, Frank "frank wrote:

On 9/19/2018 3:36 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 14:30:28 -0400, Frank "frank wrote:

On 9/18/2018 9:44 PM, KH wrote:
I had a asphalt driveway installed yesterday.* I stopped home during my
lunch
to check on the progress to find them installing the driveway in the
middle fo
a gigantic downpour.* Later, when I came home, I noticed that the
surface is
uneven and there are a lot of areas that I can see uneven stripes. (mainly
down the middle...but not like it was intentional).* Some of the
driveway is
nice and smooth, other parts are super rough with bigger rocks (too
rough for
the kids to be able to draw with chalk...if that makes sense).* I see other
black asphalt driveways that look nice and even...so I don't feel like
this is
right.* Is a driveway supposed to be paved in a downpour???


I would have them back and stop payment until corrected.
If it is still warm enough or weather is hot simply re-rolling might get
out defects and make it acceptable. It should be compacted to squeeze
any water out.

Asphalt and ingredients are not water soluble but it is a composite with
voids and you don't want holes full of water. If water remains in yours
there are voids beyond what you normally get.

Asphalt consists of a mix of bitumen, rocks and sand. The bitumen, the
part that melts, content is only about 5% which is inadequate to
completely fill all voids. After down a few months, surface should be
sealed to keep out moisture otherwise moisture in the winter with
constant freezing and thawing increase voids and leads to failure.
The pavement needs to be replaced. The mixture will not properly
compact if cooled too quickly, leaving a pourous "grainy" finish with
lots of voids. The pavement will break up quickly if you are in a
frost region, and will also not stand up to design loads. A
residentialasphalt driveway is usually a slipshod enough job - adding
rain to the mix makes it WAY worse.

A PROPER ashalt driveway is done in 2 stages - 4 inches of coarse road
asphalt layed over the compacted base, and 2 inches of fine "topper"
asphalt laid over that - with the rough base clean and dry - and
usually a spray of asphalt bonding cement (basically a spray of tar)
applied just before laying the top layer. With the proper finish layer
sealing is not required, but it does help repel oil and fuel,
protecting the surface.


You sound more knowledgeable than me. I was thinking if soft enough it
could be compacted properly. I guess if they need to remove it it would
be remelted and reused.

My familiarity was my own drive over the years and having it redone half
dozen years ago. They added a couple of inches over the old one but
removed some sections of the old one that were badly cracked. I also
had it widened a couple of feet and they added base gravel with maybe 4
inches asphalt over it.

Asphalt drives may be done other ways but around here it is just asphalt
with no spray and sealing is required every few years. I know a bit
about composites and there is not enough bitumen to make the product
void free. Over twice as much would be needed and asphalt might be
sticky and soft.
Around here it's dump it and tamp it and run, half the time. A few
guys will do it right - like doing a road. Highways don't need
sealing, do they? A PROPERLY done asphault driveway will last 30 years
or more