Prevent Winter Damage to Your Patio and Hardscaping

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snowy patioWhen it comes to the wear and tear of your hardscaping and patio, most people think of every season, but winter. The majority of damage usually ends up happening during the winter! Between the temperature changes, moisture and treatment of your patio is what will affect your hardscaping the most. Driveway Specialists has a few suggestions to protect your hardscaping and patio this winter.

  1. Most people think that because snow and ice are made up of water that they aren’t harmful. However, water can make its way into the cracks of your hardscaping and if the temperatures get to below 32°F, it will freeze. As it freezes, the water will expand cause the cracks to expand in size. If you live in an area where you see this type of weather a lot, this will continue to happen during the winter. Not only will it be more safe to walk on, but clearing snow and ice from your hardscaping can help to prevent the expansion of cracks.
  2. Some de-icing products contain chemicals can be damaging to concrete or stone. Check with the manufacturer of your hardscaping materials before applying these types of products.
  3. To prevent slipping and falling, often, people will wear spikes to gain traction as they make their way through snow and ice. This can be especially damaging to pavers, concrete and stone. Metal shovels can also damage hardscaping by leaving scratches. To prevent damage and scratches, use a plastic shovel or a metal shove with plastic edging.

If you find that you have damaged your patio or hardscaping this winter, contact the experts at Driveway Specialists. Receive an estimate for our hardscaping services by filling out our online contact form or by calling one of the following phone number(844) 244-4249

Different Types of Asphalt Patching

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Asphalt patching becomes a necessity when your parking lot, driveway or road becomes so damaged that the end result is potholes. This can happen without a pavement maintenance plan to take advantage of sealcoating. By utilizing sealcoating, you can help to prolong the life of your asphalt parking lot, driveway or road.

Ways to Complete Asphalt Patching:

  • When paving companies use a cold patch, it is normally used as a temporary fix. Contractors will use cold patches to fill pot holes and fix any hazards that could cause someone to trip and injure themselves. Cold patches are a less expensive and easy solution as you only need a shovel and tamp for installation.
  • Another temporary fix is skin patching. While this method will last longer than a cold patch, it shouldn’t be used as a permanent solution as it is not as effective. Typically, skin patches are used for emergency repairs when a cold patch isn’t a viable option.
  • Another temporary patching solution that can outlive cold and skin patching is infrared patching. With infrared patching, the area in need of repair is heated to 400º with an infrared heater then cut with a rake for asphalt. New asphalt and liquid rejuvenator is then applied to supplement and compact the area. This is considered a temporary solution because it will only fix the surface of the asphalt.
  • For a more permanent fix, we recommend the cut, remove and repave method. This will fully replace the distressed area.

Depending on the damage done and your budget, there are plenty of residential and commercial asphalt repair methods available. To request a paving quote, contact Driveway Specialists by filling out our online contact form or calling us at:

Middlesex County:
(844) 244-4249

Paved Sidewalks and Parking Lot at CVS

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The Driveway Specialists team was recently at the CVS in Quincy, MA for the installation of new ADA sidewalks and parking lot.

For more information about our commercial paving services or to receive a quote, fill out our online contact form or call us at the following phone numbers: (844) 244-4249

What Causes Driveway Cracks?

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Cracks in a driveway are an inevitable part of being a homeowner. They typically begin to crack when the material breaks down and separates. Finding cracks in a newer driveway can be infuriating, but understanding why they occur can help you to prevent and correct them.

Asphalt vs. Concrete Driveways

Asphalt and concrete are the most popular types of materials used for driveways in the United States and both can crack for the same reasons. Because driveways made from asphalt are usually set up as a long surface, they can crack more easily. Concrete driveways won’t crack as easily because they have controlled joints spread throughout. Regardless of the material you use for your driveway, large cracks should not occur for several years.

Poorly Installed Driveway Base

One of the most common reasons for cracks in your driveway is poor installation. This is usually from an incorrect construction of the base or subbase. Because of this, it’s important to find a highly ranked paving company. Good paving contractors will construct a driveway subbase from crush stone, ensure it’s packed tight, install an aggregate base then pour concrete or asphalt over it.

Lose the Salt When Melting Ice

For some surfaces, salt is great for increasing traction, but it can do some serious damage on asphalt and concrete. When you spread salt on your driveway, it is speeding up the process of thawing, causing water to make its way into the surface. Here, it will refreeze, put pressure on the driveway and cause it to crack. To prevent cracks in the winter, try spreading sand. Sand will give your vehicle the traction it needs, but won’t cause the snow to melt and result in a crack.

Control Tree Roots

Much like melting snow, growing tree roots can create pressure on your driveway. As roots of trees grown, irregular amounts of pressure are put on the driveway and foundation, causing it to crack. When installing a new driveway, take into consideration the placement of your trees.

The best way to prevent driveway cracks is by hiring the right paving company for a residential installation. For more information or to request a quote, contact Driveway Specialists today! We can be reached by filling out our online contact form or by calling (844) 244-4249

Should I Use Hardscaping Services for My Yard?

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The difference between a beautiful and an eyesore of a yard can really set you apart in your neighborhood. A beautiful yard can improve your home’s curb value and provide a space that can be enjoyed by family and friends. Some yards can be more challenging to maintain than others and thinking of an attractive solution can be a challenge. For homeowners with difficult yards, Driveway Specialists recommends hardscaping services.

What Is Hardscaping?

A hardscape is any type of inanimate object that can found and incorporated into a yard. These objects can be anything from bricks to wood and can be used for walkways, retaining walls and driveways.

When Can I Use Hardscaping?

  1. If there is a spot in your yard that sees a lot of foot traffic, you should consider a walkway for people to get from a to b. If you’re a big fan of backyard gatherings, a patio would be great for you!
  2. If your home has a drainage issue and there is some flooding after rain or melting snow, hardscaping is for you. In ground pipes covered by stones are a great fix for flooding while still looking nice.
  3. If you find that your home is a bit too close to your neighbor’s, a privacy wall is a great way to get back from of that privacy. Typically, privacy walls are made from wood or brick.
  4. For yards damaged from soil erosion, a retaining wall will help to prevent runoff. These cement, brick or stone walls help to keep soil from leaving your yard.

For homeowners that are interested in learning more about our hardscaping services, contact Driveway Specialists today! To request a quote, fill out our online contact form or reach us at the following number (844) 244-4249

Brick Walkway in Needham, MA

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Recently, the paving contractors of Driveway Specialists were at a home in Needham, MA. We installed a new walkway and done over step with brick and granite. Check out our photo below!

brick walkway

If you are interested in our residential paving services, contact Driveway Specialists today by filling out our contact form.

Paver Driveway in Weymouth, MA

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Recently, the Driveway Specialists team was at a home in Weymouth, MA for a paver driveway. View photos below from our day on the South Shore!

To request a free quote for residential paving, contact us by filling out our online contact form!

Benefits of Driveway Pavers

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For homeowners that are sick of their concrete driveways cracking and staining easily, we have the perfect alternative for you: driveway pavers. Below are a few advantages of choosing driveway pavers over a concrete driveway:

  • The paving stones used are extremely strong and are built to manage the weight of cars without damaging. Paving stones can last for years without having to be replaced or repaired.
  • Paving sealer will prevent stains that concrete driveways would see from rubber or oil leaks. Any marks left on a driveway paver can be removed with water.
  • If you find that there is damage to an area of your paver, just that area can be removed and replaced. There isn’t a need to waste money on replacing the entire thing.
  • Paving stones come in a variety of colors and can be arranged in various shapes and patterns.
  • Within a couple of days, a professional contractor, like Driveway Specialists, can install your driveway pavers.

To get started on adding curb appeal to your home, contact Driveway Specialists today to learn more about our driveway paver services. To request a quote, fill out our online contact form or reach us at the following number (844) 244-4249

Don’t Hassle with Paving Permits, We’ll Take Care of Them!

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As with any kind of construction, asphalt paving projects often require paperwork that must be filled out, filed, and approved by appropriate agencies. The requirements for approval are different from town to town in Massachusetts– and sometimes it’s a headache to even find what the requirements are in your particular town.

Fortunately, we already know all of that. We’ve been operating in Massachusetts for nearly thirty years, in Boston and many towns nearby, and have learned the ins and outs of each town’s permitting requirements. As a result, we take care of all permitting requirements for you, as much as we can. There are a small handful of towns that require the customer do certain tasks, but we’ll handle everything else!

You have plenty to handle already. So let Driveway Specialists take care of your paving needs. We’ve established a reputation of excellent service and quality, built on the testimony of delighted homeowners and business owners. And we’ll take care of the permits, no hassle, no stress!

The Two ‘Pothole Seasons’ in Massachusetts

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It’s been said there are only two seasons in Massachusetts:

Pothole making season, and pothole fixing season.

We think that’s a pretty fair assessment. Asphalt may be the best option for paving in Massachusetts, but it still gets quite a workout during the winter and the wet season.

Winter rain and snow do their part to damage asphalt… and so do some of those snow plow drivers, whose blades can scrape up asphalt. A snow plow blade usually doesn’t cause too much damage to flat asphalt, but there’s potential for serious scraping where asphalt meets concrete and a lip forms. Does your parking lot have a concrete driveway? Check it for a suddenly craggy, damaged area where the asphalt and the concrete meet.

Old asphalt that has gone through several years of freeze/thaw cycles, poor maintenance, and three-day-at-a-time storms that Massachusetts likes to throw at us has likely gained a nice alligator-scaled appearance, or worse. Parking lots can get especially bad, as soil shifts beneath, depressions form, and entire chunks of asphalt disappear courtesy of daily traffic and periodic rainfall.

Putting off repairing or repaving your asphalt driveway or parking lot can create more headaches than the cost itself. A shabby appearance turns customers off, and potholes can cause serious damage to cars, bringing another set of troubles that take up time better spent running your business.

Contact Driveway Specialists today and schedule an inspection of your parking lot or driveway. With three generations of experience backing us up, you can know our assessment will be accurate. As for the work– we’ll let our reviews speak for themselves.

(844) 244-4249