Looking at cracked, fading asphalt out there in the relentless San Fernando Valley sun and wondering if you can handle the paving yourself over a long weekend? Majestic Asphalt Company gets calls all the time from people around Van Nuys trying to figure out where the boundary lies when it comes to asphalt work. Between our brutal summer heat baking the Valley and the heavy traffic rolling over residential extended driveways and multi-family parking areas, Asphalt Paving is not a project you want to guess your way through.
Here is the straight truth about what you can tackle yourself and when you need to bring in a proper crew like ours at Majestic Asphalt Company.
Before the First Spade Hits the Ground: Planning and Prep
Before anyone pours a single ton of hot mix, you have to look at what is underneath. Soil conditions around Van Nuys tend to be heavy clay or sandy loam that shifts quite a bit when we finally get those rare winter downpours followed by months of dry heat. If your sub-base is not graded and compacted right, your new Asphalt Paving is going to crack or sink no matter how good the top layer looks.
What you can do yourself:
- Map out your drainage patterns and check where water pools after a hose test.
- Clear out weeds, roots, and debris from the edges.
- Call 811 before you dig so you do not take out your own gas or internet lines.
What you leave to the pros:
Heavy excavation, sub-grade compaction with industrial vibratory rollers, and grading calculations. If the foundation is off by even a fraction of an inch, water will not drain properly, shortening the lifespan of your asphalt drastically.
During the Paving Process: Hot Mix and Heavy Machinery
Once prep is done, timing is everything. Asphalt arrives hot—around 300 degrees—and you only have a limited window to rake, shape, and roll it before it cools down and sets up. Trying to lay hot mix with garden tools and a rented hand tamper just does not work for anything larger than a patch. Asphalt Paving needs heavy steel-wheel rollers to achieve the density required to support cars without rutting.
What you can do yourself:
Stay out of the way and keep your neighbors and pets clear of the heavy machinery. You can also handle minor cold-patch bucket work for tiny isolated potholes, but that is strictly a temporary fix.
What you leave to the pros:
Everything involving the paving machine, truck coordination, and professional compaction. At Majestic Asphalt Company, we make sure the seams are tight and the thickness is uniform across the entire surface so it does not crumble under vehicle tires.
After the Paving: Curing and Upkeep
You survived the paving day, but you are not done yet. Fresh asphalt needs time to cure. In the Van Nuys heat, that process can actually take a little longer than you might think because the sun keeps the binder soft. If you drive a heavy SUV onto fresh asphalt too soon, you will leave permanent gouges.
What you can do yourself:
- Keep all vehicle traffic off the new surface for at least three to five days, sometimes longer if it is a scorching week.
- Park your cars on the street and walk on the edges.
- Watch out for oil leaks from vehicles once you do start parking on it again, and clean them up right away.
- Plan for a quality sealcoat application about six to twelve months down the road to lock out UV rays and gas spills.
Majestic Asphalt Company provides Asphalt Paving services for homes and businesses in Van Nuys, CA.