BENEFITS OF OVERLAY Restore Parking Lot to New Condition - A typical overlay would place 1 to 1 ½ inches of new asphalt over your existing parking lot. The parking lot would have the same appearance it had when it was new, at a fraction of what it cost to have the original parking lot installed. Cost Effective - Overlaying has a less expensive unit cost per square yard than patching. For this reason it may be more cost effective to overlay. If more than 15% of your parking lot is suffering from "fatigue" or "alligator" cracks, a cost benefit analysis should be conducted and it may be determined that an overlay would be the most economical solution. THE OVERLAY PROCESS Preparation - Surface areas are cleaned and cleared of loss aggregate. Cleaning methods are dictated by the condition of the pavement. All road edges, curbs, etc. are milled to a minimum depth of 1 inch. Risers are installed to bring existing manhole covers and water valves to the new asphalt level. Asphalt is dispensed in low areas to build a level and uniform surface. Any structural patching necessary is completed at this time. Tack coat is applied to ensure good adhesion between the old surface and the new asphalt. Application - Hot mix asphalt is applied at a depth specified in the contract. The asphalt is applied using mechanical paving machines and compacted to the proper density with rollers. All edges and ends are sloped to create a smooth seam between old and new pavement surfaces. New asphalt surfaces are reopened to vehicular traffic as weather and conditions permit.