Create Crown Over New Blacktop Install?
Here’s the problem..
A drainage/grading guy talked me into letting him do the 20″ blacktop apron at the bottom of my gravel drive and left me hanging with virtually a flat pitch–side to side along the width. (He also did other grading on my gravel parking area, including a drainage trench and pipe). Now when it rains the water ponds in a 3-5′ wide swath at the bottom of the drive right inside from the roadway… and where my mailbox is. (Rural setting).
He at first promised to redo the job and give me an obvious crown, but then walked away (after letting me keep an inadeqate hold-back on final payment). Now I’m stuck with a driveway (the gravel part above the blacktop also) without a crown. I’ve researched enough blacktop specs for small roads and driveways which all refer to anywhere from 5″ – 7.5″ crown for a 10 foot blacktop width. The driveway should pitch in three directions… it now pitches only in one–downhill to the bottom of the drive.
This is why I hired the guy in the first place. Winters are a nightmare. We are on the shady side of the hill and when winter hits, rain and snowmelt has been freezing into a 3-6″ thick slab of ice anywhere from 4-8 feet wide. We fell several times last year just getting out of the car to get our mail.
I’m afraid this is going to happen again–right on top of my new, FLAT airport mix driveway apron.
So… the problem now is, this job is too small for any decent blacktop guy to come and look at. I’m thinking of how to fix this myself (next spring, I suppose.
My aproach would be this:
Wait til warm weather. Coat with the course textured “airport mix” with asphalt emulsion for bonding. Order a truck to dump off a load of finer textured mix. Rake the mix toward the center for a rough crown. Use a garden hose, helper and a rented plate compactor/vibrator to grade, shape, compact and crown the area so water drains down and to both sides.
Add up my out of pocket costs. Sue the b*astard.
Any advice? Is my aproach OK for bonding new to almost-new? How thick should the new blacktop layer be? (min & max?)
–Jerry
Replies
Why not saw a swale or trench and line it with PT and a grill of steel over top?
A rain runoff type of deal? Them steel grates are made just for that.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Funny, but a swale or grating were the first ideas I discussed with the guy, but he assured me he could give me a blacktop graded to remove any standing water from the bottom of the drive. It's kind of too late for that now. I'd have to rent a saw to cut out the new blacktop, dig down, etc. I might actually be able to leave a bit of a swale in the final profile of the drive when I add another layer of asphalt. There is a slight downhill grade (left to right) on the main road... so a swale would help remove the water and keep it going past the front of the driveway.
Note to contractors out there: Sometimes you guys forget that the best expert as to how the problem should be solved is the homeowner. After all, we live with the problem for quite a while and become experts at what is wrong. Try and come up with ideas that can help solve the problem--rather than just trying to sell the homeowner on how YOU want to do the job--just for the sake of an easy-in-easy-out-get paid job. Try and see the homeowner as part of your team...
--Jerry
Well, I am inclined to agree with your last paragraph..but NOW you have a sceneario..existing.
Blaming a job ain't gonna fix it. You have a detail that needs addressing..either the water is getting there from else where and needs to be addressed from its inception, or you have a piss poor site job applied to the not adressed drainage situation. Or both.
Grab a shovel..buy some gravel, lay a pipe..whatever it takes.
I don't think a speed bump would solve the problem ( I know you mean a crown applied, not a crossways diverter)..but it will probly not adhere, without a roller to bond to the old layer. Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Actually, I'm not talking about a "speed bump" at the bottom. I'm talking about crowning the 20 length of the driveway apron along its 10' width. Right now, it's pitched downhill toward where it joins the edge of the road, but it's virtually flat--along the 10' (widening to 20' or so) width.
So... water collects on the entire width of the asphalt and ponds at the last 4-8 feet or so where it's flat. No pitch left, right or toward the road.
--Jerry
Yer hosed..a crown can't be added to the wear course ( my ex wife was a civil eng in that dept) without greatly going to extremes.
I'd focus on drainage plane and evacuating the water via subterrainian ducting.
but that's me. Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
>> Yer hosed..a crown can't be added to the wear course ( my ex wife was a civil eng in that dept) without greatly going to extremes.
Yea. That's what I thought from the beginning... that the crown needed to be graded with the base material and the blacktop would be a consistent thickness along this curved base. If this still creates a frozen flood pan like I think it will, I would consider getting someone in to dig it up, do it right and then sue the b*stard.
BTW... I've got a lot of stuff in writing from him about the materials, grade, crown and even his promise to re-do and fix the problem. Although I consider courts to be a hassle and colossal waste of time, I've got a solid case--especially if I get someone else in to fix his mistakes and put THAT all down in writing.
Best of luck, no matter what course you choose. I'd still try to head it off up hill. Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks