Houston Asphalt Contractors & Subgrade

Working with Houston asphalt contractors to get new pavement for your property is one of the wisest investments you can make. Whether you’re a homeowner wanting a new driveway, a commercial property owner seeking an expansive parking lot for customers or an industry titan needing a durable surface for loading docks, you can’t go wrong with asphalt. But despite the impressive resilience of asphalt paving, it’s nothing without a properly prepared subgrade and reliable service from asphalt contractors.

When you hire local asphalt contractors for your next project, they’ll take time to prepare the subgrade, ensuring the finished surface has what it needs to last. But what is subgrade, and why do asphalt companies use it?

What’s the Purpose of Asphalt Subgrade?

When you hear asphalt contractors in Houston discussing the details of the subgrade, they’re referring to the pavement’s soil foundation. Subgrade refers to what sits below the asphalt. While asphalt pavement is tough, it’s not indestructible. Therefore, it needs a stable foundation like any other structure would.

The subgrade supports the pavements, giving it the durability to withstand years of use with minimal issues. It gives asphalt the stability to hold thousands of pounds of weight from vehicles, pedestrians and more without buckling under the pressure. Without proper prep work from commercial asphalt contractors, your pavement could fail within a few years, experiencing issues like differential setting, alligator cracking, numerous potholes and more.

Why Do Houston Asphalt Contractors Spend Time Preparing the Subgrade?

Asphalt subgrade is important for many reasons, and it’s that critical first step in the paving process that commercial asphalt contractors must take to produce a long-lasting surface.

One of the most important jobs of the subgrade is to provide stability and uniformity to the asphalt. Soil is naturally uneven and typically has high and low points that create inconsistency for pavement. Adequate preparation from local asphalt contractors will even things out, ensuring the asphalt sits on a uniform foundation to prevent buckling.

The subgrade also impacts the surface’s load-bearing capacity. The structural engineering of your project will vary based on the type of traffic your pavement will support. But regardless of how tough it needs to be, the subgrade plays an important role in ensuring that the pavement can support the weight it needs to. A big part of what asphalt companies do when preparing the subgrade is ensuring that it offers adequate support to fulfill your pavement’s needs.

Asphalt contractors in Houston also spend time making sure the subgrade can support your pavement’s long-term resilience against weather. Standing water can degrade asphalt. Therefore, your asphalt needs proper drainage. Asphalt companies use subgrade preparation to create a subtle slope that prevents standing water.

How Do Houston Asphalt Contractors Prepare Subgrade?

Subgrade preparation is an essential but complex process. Every property differs. Therefore, the techniques asphalt contractors utilize will vary based on soil and site conditions.

Generally, Houston asphalt contractors start with soil testing. A thorough evaluation provides insight into the soil’s current moisture content, compaction characteristics, load-bearing capacity, etc. The information teams find will guide the process, allowing asphalt companies to determine your property’s needs to accommodate your new pavement.

Next comes excavation, stabilization and compaction. Asphalt contractors will remove unusable material, such as debris, roots and soft soil. Then, they’ll stabilize the subgrade foundation with stone aggregate and geosynthetic materials. Next comes land grading, where contractors produce a slope for proper drainage.

After compacting the subgrade, asphalt companies will use specialized equipment to test its strength and ensure it has the required density and strength. If everything checks out, asphalt contractors in Houston can proceed with paving.

Pavement Services is among the best asphalt contractors in Houston, and we’re ready to complete your next pavement project. We’ve proudly served property owners in Houston and the surrounding communities since 1980, and it’s our goal to deliver top-quality results that exceed your expectations. We’re trusted commercial asphalt contractors who can provide various services to improve and maintain your property.

You can count on us to provide Houston’s best asphalt paving, repair, sealcoating, parking lot reclamation and cement stabilization services. We also do concrete installation, repairs, commercial foundations and ADA-compliant ramps.

Let us be your go-to local asphalt contractors! Call us now at (713) 661-9295 for a free job quote. You can also email us at info@pavementservice.com or submit our online contact form.