Paving and Sealcoat FAQs

Commercial property owners commonly inquire if a parking lot can be asphalt paved during the colder months.

 Asphalt paving can be done during the cold months as long as the ground is NOT frozen. When asphalt arrives to a job site it is extremely hot and if it’s applied while the ground is frozen it will not roll to grade well, instead the asphalt will immediately begin to stiffen or freeze up as it’s poured onto the frozen ground.

If by some chance your asphalt is put down on a commercial parking lot by a commercial paver and is rolled to grade while the ground is frozen it will result in a poor quality job that will break down rapidly.

If the temperature outside is above 40 degrees and the ground isn’t frozen and has a proper water/clay free sub-base, your asphalt paving contractor can still successfully install new asphalt for a commercial parking lot. The surface air temperatures will not affect the rate of hardening of the asphalt material in the same manner that a frozen ground below the asphalt will. Therefore you asphalt contractor will be able to roll the asphalt to grade and achieve the right level of compaction.

Bottom line is that if the ground is frozen please do not allow your asphalt paving company to apply the asphalt.