Nothing beats strong and reliable asphalt paving. Asphalt is the go-to material for parking lots, roads, loading docks, driveways and more, and it’s easy to see why. The material is naturally resilient and cost-effective. Plus, it’s versatile enough to accommodate a wide range of uses.
While asphalt paving in Toronto looks simple, there’s more strategic engineering involved than most realize. One of the most important factors that paving companies consider is thickness.
Why Does Thickness Matter for Asphalt Paving?
Paving must support the weight of whatever sits atop it. But when you think about the wide range of uses for paving in Toronto, you quickly realize that not all pavement requires the same build. For example, simple pathways built for pedestrian traffic have much different load-bearing capacity requirements than paving for heavy-duty trucks and non-stop traffic.
For those reasons, asphalt companies must engineer paved surfaces to be the right thickness. When paving isn’t thick enough, it can quickly buckle under pressure, resulting in major repair work or reconstruction. Conversely, surfaces that are too thick will incur unnecessary costs.
How Do Asphalt Companies Determine the Appropriate Thickness?
The most important thing to discuss with your paving company is the intended use of your new asphalt surface. Planned usage is a crucial factor in the engineering process, and it will help contractors determine how thick to make your pavement. You must also discuss what types of vehicles will use the paving, how much of a load they’ll carry, how intense traffic will be, etc.
From there, asphalt companies will determine the appropriate thickness of the asphalt and the aggregate base. Those details will also guide sub-base prep, allowing asphalt paving companies to perfect every step of the process for maximum strength and longevity.
What’s the Standard Thickness for Residential Asphalt Paving Thickness?
Toronto asphalt paving on residential properties is usually far easier than on commercial, industrial or municipal properties. If you’re investing in a new driveway, you’re likely planning for light traffic. It may only need to support one or two vehicles at a time.
As a result, you don’t need substantial thickness. Your paving company will likely recommend a standard thickness of two to three inches with up to six inches of aggregate underneath.
How Thick Should Commercial, Industrial or Municipal Asphalt Paving Be?
For commercial Toronto asphalt paving, thicknesses can vary based on intended use. Parking lots usually contain about four inches of asphalt with several inches of aggregate. Meanwhile, driveways connecting parking lots to roads may only use three to four inches of asphalt with up to eight inches of aggregate.
Toronto asphalt paving must be significantly thicker if the parking lot intends to support heavy-duty freight trucks. Loading docks may have up to six inches of asphalt with at least three inches of aggregate.
Roads can have varying asphalt thicknesses. It all depends on the amount of traffic they receive. Roadways with substantial traffic can have as much as 12 inches of asphalt! Meanwhile, an experienced asphalt paving company may only use two to three inches of asphalt for light-duty pathways intended to support bikes and pedestrian traffic.
When you need asphalt paving in Toronto, Seal Canada is ready to serve. We’re among Canada’s most trusted full-service paving companies, providing solutions for projects big and small. We have years of experience completing commercial and residential paving projects while offering many maintenance services to ensure the finished product lasts. Whether you need new asphalt paving or fresh sealcoating, we have you covered.
Call the Seal Canada team at (866)-672-2022 for a free quote. We’re available 24/7 to answer your questions and provide more information. If you prefer, you can also submit our online contact form or email dan@sealcanada.com.
