Most asphalt surfaces last between 15 and 25 years.
While your new asphalt surface won’t last forever, there’s a general life cycle you can expect it to fulfill — so long as you treat it well, maintain it, and perform repairs as they are needed.
Let’s take a closer look at the different stages of an asphalt parking lot’s lifespan, as well as some actionable items for maximizing its life!
Phase 1 (0 – 5 years)
During the first five years of your new asphalt surface, you’ll enjoy relatively little maintenance and repair work. For the most part, your surface should have no issue withstanding heavy traffic and inclement weather, so long as it has been paved well and there is proper water runoff and drainage.
Of course, you’ll still want to make a habit of keeping your parking lot clean and clearing it of any debris or vegetation. This will go a long way towards preventing issues that could otherwise arise prematurely.
Phase 2 (5 – 7 years)
The next two years are critical for keeping up with routine maintenance on your asphalt parking lot. There are all sorts of ways to take care of your asphalt — from regular sweeping and weeding to sealcoating and cracksealing.
The more proactive you are in maintaining your lot during this stage of its life will help determine its overall life.
Phase 3 (7 – 15 years)
As your parking lot reaches roughly half its age, it’s likely that you’re going to need to start doing some repair work. Of course, your asphalt will have plenty of cracks at this point, but you may also find that some of these cracks tend to expand and form holes.
It’s important that you tackle repairs as they arise. Otherwise, you’ll find that small cracks turn into large cracks and small holes turn into potholes. Not only do these issues potentially endanger customers and vehicles but they also directly impact the life of your asphalt if neglected.
Phase 4 (15 – 25 years)
As your parking lot approaches the twilight of its lifetime, you’re going to find that repairs become more and more common. In all likelihood, you’ll be dealing with large cracks and potholes that require frequent cracksealing and patchwork.
At some point — and particularly if you’ve neglected maintenance and repairs for any amount of time — you might need to consider resurfacing your asphalt in order to help your asphalt parking lot cross the finish line.
Phase 5 (25+ years)
Generally speaking, an asphalt surface is only expected to last between 15 and 25 years. If you made it to year 25, you should be pleased with the value you’ve been able to get from your asphalt surface to date.
By year 25, you’ll find that your asphalt has been weakened significantly and is prone to greater damage. At this point, the cost of maintenance and repairs will be roughly equal to or greater than the cost of a new parking lot. You will need to consider a complete reconstruction of your asphalt surface, starting over with a newly paved surface.
If you need professional asphalt paving services for your parking lot, get in touch with Empire Paving today. Our team has a track record of delivering top-notch asphalt surfaces that last and often outlast their expected lifespans!
We were very pleased with the professional job done by Empire Paving this fall.
Luciano and his team were very reliable, knowledgeable and able to handle all issues that arose during completion of this project. We would highly
recommend Empire Paving for any paving job!