20 Tips for Profitable Parking Lot Paving

Regardless of the job, a rubber-tire roller is like a secret weapon out there. The secret is it can manipulate and polish the mat. It kneads the material and brings the fines to the surface, though the mat still needs to be finished with a static roller.

1. Pay attention to water issues. As you get into the planning you might realize the water on half the lot has to flow left; water on the other half has to flow to the right. That will affect how you pave and possibly in which direction you pave. If it's flowing to the right, try to pave high side down or low side up. If you pave low side up the joints need to be perfect so they don't trap water.
2. Make sure all equipment is working. Nothing reduces production rates like a broken down paver or roller.
3. Create your own punch list. When you've done a job, whether it's a parking lot or a driveway, the customer is not going to ask "Did you get the 95% compaction I wanted?" Instead, he's simply going to look at the job. Did the paving butt properly to the road? Does it butt smoothly to any concrete? Is the mat texture different from one area to another? Are there any visible dips in the surface? Quality is key.

John Ball, Top Quality Paving, is a nationally recognized paving consultant and a regular presenter at National Pavement Expo and National Pavement Expo West. Reach John at P.O. Box 4398, Manchester, NH 03108; tqpaving@yahoo.com.