More Information

(FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)

 

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WHAT ARE THE SOIL REQUIREMENTS?

PolyPavement Soil Solidifier performs effectively on most naturally occurring, uncontaminated soils. For optimal results, the soil should be free from any chemical contaminants and organic matter and contain a sufficient proportion of fine particles. These fines increase the number of contact points between soil grains, reducing void space and enhancing compaction and strength. Most natural soils meet these criteria and are suitable for PolyPavement application. However, in some cases, specific soil types may not be appropriate. In addition to natural soils, PolyPavement also works well with compatible types of sand and crushed quarry rock that meet the same suitability standards.

 

Before applying PolyPavement, it’s essential to confirm the suitability of the soil, sand, or crushed quarry rock. Suitability depends primarily on the material’s natural cohesiveness. A simple field test can help determine this: moisten the material properly, then squeeze it tightly in your hand to form a clump.

If the clump holds together and, when gently broken, splits into two clean pieces, the material has sufficient self-cohesiveness and is likely suitable for a PolyPavement application. However, if the clump crumbles into several fragments when broken, the material lacks the necessary cohesiveness and is not suitable for use with PolyPavement.

 

In-Place Soil: Most existing in-place soil meets the minimum requirements for a PolyPavement application. However, the in-place soil more often does not meet the architect’s aesthetic requirements. When the in-place soil does not meet the aesthetic requirements, a suitable sand or crushed quarry rock can be imported for the PolyPavement application.

 

Sand: Many commercially available sands—especially those sold by local suppliers—have been washed to remove fine particles. Sand lacking these fines is unlikely to pass the soil suitability test, and if it does, it will likely do so only marginally.

When a sand or soil-like material passes the suitability test only marginally, a practical approach in the field is to blend the sand with a fine-grained soil such as clay. The right combination of sand and clay can create an ideal base material for a successful PolyPavement application.

 

Crushed Quarry Rock: Like sand and native soil, crushed quarry rock must be tested for suitability before a PolyPavement application. If a particular gradation—such as ⅜-inch minus—fails to meet the requirements of the soil suitability test, a finer gradation like ¼-inch minus or ⅛-inch minus can be specified instead. Most quarry operators have the capability to produce a crushed rock gradation that meets the necessary standards for use with PolyPavement.

 

It’s important to note that clean crushed quarry rock—completely free of clay but containing sufficient quarry fines—may not perform well in the basic soil suitability test and could appear to fail. However, such material can still be highly suitable for use with PolyPavement. In fact, clean crushed rock with adequate fines is among the best-performing materials for achieving strong, durable results.

When there is uncertainty about the suitability of a clean crushed quarry product, a soil sample can be sent to PolyPavement to verify that the material contains enough fines to ensure effective binding.

 

Clay Soils: Clay soils typically contain a high percentage of fine particles and often pass the soil suitability test. PolyPavement Soil Solidifier can perform well in certain types of clay soils. However, soils with an excessively high clay content are not recommended for treatment. These soils tend to be highly expansive when wet, making them difficult to work with during application. When dry, they are prone to significant surface cracking, which compromises the finished surface. That said, even high-clay soils can be improved. By blending them with coarse sand or crushed quarry rock, the soil becomes more workable, less expansive, and less susceptible to cracking. A PolyPavement technician can assist in determining the optimal blend ratio for your specific soil conditions.

 

For a copy of our standard SOIL SUITABILITY TEST please request one at our CONTACT US page.

 

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WHAT IS THE DRYING AND CURING TIME?

Drying and curing is a two-stage process. PolyPavement dries and then it cures. Newly installed PolyPavement can be used as intended as soon as the surface dries.

 

Drying time for PolyPavement cannot be predicted with exact precision, as it depends entirely on weather conditions. Unlike concrete, PolyPavement does not cure through a chemical reaction—it dries through water evaporation. On a hot, sunny day, the surface may dry within minutes, while on a cool, cloudy day, it could take up to a full day or more.

 
When planning a PolyPavement installation, it’s important to allow sufficient time for drying and to prepare for less-than-ideal weather. It’s always safer to assume unfavorable conditions rather than rely on perfect weather.

 

Curing time is longer. PolyPavement Soil Soilidifier contains three basic ingredients. The ingredients are polymers, water and emulsifiers. Of course the polymers are the active ingredients; the water is the transport medium for the polymers and the emulsifiers are surface acting agents that keep the polymers suspended in the water. Emulsifiers are like soap or a detergent. They make the water wetter or give water greater ability to wet other materials. On the plus side, emulsifiers break surface tension and improve the seepage rate of the water through tightly packed soil particles. But on the minus side, an emulsifier draws water to itself. As long as emulsifiers are present in newly installed PolyPavement, the pavement has low resistance to water invasion.

 

PolyPavement has maximum resistance to water invasion after it cures. By design, the emulsifiers in PolyPavement Soil Solidifier degrade and lose their effectiveness. The curing time for PolyPavement is actually the time it takes for the emulsifiers to fully degrade. The complete curing process takes approximately 30 days. However, sunlight and daylight greatly increase the speed of the emulsifier’s degrading process and the emulsifiers that exist at the surface of newly installed PolyPavement degrade almost as quickly as the surface dries. What this means for newly installed PolyPavement is the surface becomes resistant to water invasion rather quickly and an unexpected rain that occurs shortly after installation will probably not be damaging. However, if flooding or total submersion occurs before the PolyPavement has cured, the pavement will not have maximum resistance to water invasion that comes from below and laterally.

 

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WHAT IS THE POLYPAVEMENT WEAR SURFACE LIFE?

Wear Surface: PolyPavement is more than just a soil stabilizer—it’s a true liquid soil solidifier. Unlike typical stabilizers that only improve the base or reduce dust, PolyPavement transforms ordinary dirt into a rock-solid wear surface that rivals asphalt in durability. While it may not match the strength of concrete, it is significantly stronger than asphalt. In fact, when properly installed, a PolyPavement surface is tough enough to leave tire marks—or even “burn rubber”—under aggressive driving conditions, placing it in a category of its own.

Most other water-based polymer products on the market are designed primarily for dust control and cannot support traffic as a permanent surface layer. Similarly, soil stabilization materials like enzymes and additives used in road construction are some what effective at strengthening the sub-grade or base layers, but they lack the ability to create a durable, load-bearing wear surface. PolyPavement stands apart as a complete solution for natural soil paving.

 

Surface Life: For the most part, it is impossible to predict how long a mix-in application of PolyPavement will last before maintenance is required. This is because the life of a PolyPavement surface depends on several factors other than time. The other factors are:

 

1. How the surface was treated with PolyPavement in the initial application.
2. The actual wear (abrasive action) the surface is subjected to as it is used.
3. The friability (lack of hardness) of the particles of the soil that is used.
4. The actual weather conditions the surface is subjected to.

 

When we are asked “how long will the PolyPavement surface last” we say “from 5 to 10 years with no maintenance under normal wear conditions.” This is a good general estimate based on our experience. If the surface is subject to extremes of the factors listed above, the surface will need a maintenance application of PolyPavement sooner than it would if not subjected to extreme conditions.

 

1. How the surface was treated with PolyPavement the initial application is important. Normally we specify a “Toughening Coat” application of PolyPavement to give the surface additional resistance to abrasive wear. However, when the surface is given this treatment for extra strength, the appearance of the surface looks a little less like natural soil than when it does not receive the “Toughening Coat” treatment.

 

2. The actual wear (abrasion) the surface is subjected to as it is used is obviously very important. Abrasive action from foot traffic or rubber tires is cumulative. Ten thousand vehicles causes exactly twice the wear as five thousand vehicles. And one hundred thousand pedestrians causes exactly half the wear of two hundred thousand pedestrians.

 

3. The friability (lack of hardness) of the particles of the soil that is used to make the Natural Soil Pavement plays an important role in surface strength that can be easily overlooked. In relative terms, some soil particles are “hard” and others are “soft”. The harder the soil particles, the more resistant the pavement is to wear and tear. Generally speaking, “hard” soil particles are silica sand or crushed quarry rock. “Soft soil particles are limestone screenings or decomposed granite. Ordinary dirt can consist of various proportions of hard and soft soil particles. Decomposed granite is widely used for PolyPavement applications. Sometimes the rocks in decomposed granite and limestone screenings are highly friable and can be crumbled by hand. This “soft” rock can be successfully used for natural soil pavement, however it will not resist wear as well as pavement made using harder soil particles.

 

4. The actual weather conditions the surface is subjected to can be a factor if the weather is extreme. If a properly dried and cured PolyPavement surface happens to be subjected to continuous wet weather for sustained periods of time (two weeks or so), the surface will weaken. In the weakened state, the surface is less resistant to abrasion. Other weather factors, sun, snow, temperature extremes have little affect on the life of a PolyPavement surface.

 

Though many factors contribute to the life of a PolyPavement surface, it is reasonable to expect the PolyPavement surface to last for 5 to 10 years without a maintenance application.

 

It is important to note that a PolyPavement surface never has to be removed and replaced as required with asphalt. When a PolyPavement surface is worn to the point of needing repair, more PolyPavement can be added to the surface for a fraction of the cost of the original application. (See Maintenance & Repair below).

 

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WHAT ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR?

PolyPavement is easy to maintain and repair. A PolyPavement surface is maintained by spraying properly diluted PolyPavement Soil Solidifier directly onto the surface and allowing it to dry. Repairs are accomplished by spreading pre-mixed soil and PolyPavement Soil Solidifier onto the damaged and/or worn surface and compact it onto the old PolyPavement surface. Additionally, a slurry-like mixture of PolyPavement and soil can be poured into place to resurface or repair damaged portions of PolyPavement.

 

Properly installed PolyPavement Soil Solidifier produces Natural Soil Pavement that has more than twice the supportive strength of asphalt. PolyPavement is categorized as a rigid pavement. Under normal conditions of low frequency traffic and moderate weather, a two-inch thick PolyPavement application can be expected to provide a maintenance-free all-weather surface for approximately 5 to 10 years. However, PolyPavement should be given periodic spray-on maintenance applications. Maintenance applications prevent deterioration and the need for maintenance applications is infrequent.

 

Whether or not PolyPavement is maintained, PolyPavement does not deteriorate in a manner that requires it to be removed and replaced. The sun’s UV rays weaken the PolyPavement soil particle bond at the surface. The weakened bond coupled with repeated tire contact tends to abrade tiny particles from the surface and, after a few years, the surface texture becomes rough. Given more time, the surface loses more fine soil particles and becomes rougher.

 

To keep PolyPavement looking as if it is newly installed, a spray-on maintenance application of diluted PolyPavement Soil Solidifier should be completed before the natural soil pavement surface loses any soil particles and becomes rough. The maintenance application will re-strengthen the surface bonding and reverse the damaging affects of the sun’s UV rays. If the natural soil pavement surface has lost a significant amount of soil particles and has become worn and rough, a spray-on maintenance application will toughen the surface but a spray on application cannot make a rough surface smooth.

 

A PolyPavement surface still resists traffic wear when the surface has worn, but the surface will not have the finished appearance that it had when the PolyPavement Soil Solidifier was initially installed.

 

WHAT ARE THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR METHODS?

 

1. MAINTENANCE

Spray-on diluted PolyPavement Soil Solidifier and allow it to dry.
At the first sign of soil loss, a spray-on maintenance treatment should be applied promptly. This involves thoroughly soaking the PolyPavement natural soil surface with a diluted solution of PolyPavement Soil Solidifier. The recommended dilution ratio is approximately 20 parts water to 1 part PolyPavement Soil Solidifier.

 
Apply the diluted solution evenly to the surface using a spray method, taking care to apply the maximum amount possible without causing runoff—typically about 0.20 gallons per square yard. After application, allow the surface to dry completely before allowing any traffic or use.

 

2. DAMAGE REPAIR

Batch mix PolyPavement Soil Solidifier with Soil, Spread and Compact into Place.

Once PolyPavement has become worn and rough or in the event that the surface has been damaged and needs repairing, the surface can be repaired by applying a mixture of PolyPavement Soil Solidifier and soil directly onto the worn and/or damaged PolyPavement surface.

 

The PolyPavement Soil Solidifier and soil batches are mixed using only the finer particles of the same soil that was used for the initial application and the same percent of PolyPavement Soil Solidifier. First the surface of the existing worn and/or damaged PolyPavement is cleared of debris and sprayed with diluted PolyPavement Soil Solidifier, then spread the batch mix evenly onto the soil surface and compact with a steel drum roller or hand-held tamper.

 

Batch-mix PolyPavement Soil Solidifier with Soil, Pour or Trowel into Place.

Once PolyPavement has become worn and rough or in the event that the surface has been damaged and needs repairing, the surface can be repaired by pouring a slurry-like mixture of PolyPavement Soil Solidifier and soil directly onto the worn and/or damaged PolyPavement surface and allowing it to dry.

 

The PolyPavement Soil Solidifier and soil batches are mixed using only the finer particles of the same soil that was used for the initial application and the same percent of PolyPavement Soil Solidifier. The slurry-like batch mix is prepared by adding more water to the mix so the mix becomes wet enough to spread or pour. First the surface of the existing worn and/or damaged PolyPavement is cleared of debris and sprayed with diluted PolyPavement Soil Solidifier. Then the batch mix is poured onto the surface and troweled evenly over the entire surface and allowed to dry.

 

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WHAT ABOUT FREEZING WEATHER CONDITIONS?

PolyPavement may be installed in climates where the temperature can dip to below zero with confidence. However, PolyPavement must be installed when the temperature is above 42 °F and the temperature has to remain above 42 °F for a sustained period of time sufficient to allow the newly installed PolyPavement to dry and cure. This means that in a climate that has seasonal changes in temperatures, PolyPavement must be installed early enough in the warm season so that a freeze does not occur before the PolyPavement has thoroughly dried. If a new PolyPavement installation freezes before it has thoroughly dried, the PolyPavement might be damaged beyond repair. Therefore, it is recommended that in the northern states of the USA, PolyPavement applications be completed by the end of August.

 

Once PolyPavement has dried and cured, it is not damaged significantly by freeze-thawing conditions. However, in climates where there is snow and ice, we have to be concerned with the methods and materials that are used to deal with snow and ice. The removal methods a well as chemical deicers might cause damage to a PolyPavement surface.

 

Snow Plows and Snow Shovels:

Normally a snow plow or snow shovel will not damage any kind of pavement whether it be asphalt, concrete or PolyPavement. However, if a snow plow should happen to catch its edge on an already damaged or cracked portion of the pavement or catch its edge on a junction box or manhole cover there is a potential for serious damage. If a snow plow is to be used on any pavement, care should be taken to avoid conditions where the snow plow might catch an edge.

 

Chemical deicers:

Chemical deicers are surface-acting agents designed to break the bond between ice and pavement, preventing ice from firmly attaching to the surface. However, some deicers can also weaken the bond between PolyPavement Soil Solidifier and soil particles. Additionally, if residual chemical deicers migrate into untreated roadway shoulder soil, they act as contaminants that hinder the effective treatment of that soil with PolyPavement Soil Solidifier.

 

Salt, for the most part, is not structurally damaging to a PolyPavement surface. But salt dissolves in water and it tends to build up on the surface and discolor the pavement.

 

The preferred way to remove snow from a PolyPavement surface is with a snow blower. And sand would be preferred over salt to mitigate the hazard caused by ice on PolyPavement.

 

Heaving:

Another type of damaging condition that occurs in cold climates is called heaving. Our understanding is water in the pavement and in the sub grade freezes and expands. The pavement and sub grade expand and move in an upward direction. If the upward force is sufficient, it will crack the pavement. Heaving occurs in asphalt and concrete as well. The tendency to heave can be reduced significantly by managing the flow of water away from the pavement surface and away from the sub grade.

 

With regard to heaving, PolyPavement is less likely to be damaged than asphalt or concrete. PolyPavement can be installed so that water cannot penetrate the surface. However, if water finds its way to the sub grade, heaving is more likely to occur. An additional measure to reduce the tendency for PolyPavement to heave is to specify that a crushed rock base be placed under the PolyPavement before it is installed.

 

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ARE THERE ANY FREEZE-THAW PRECAUTIONS?

Though a properly installed PolyPavement wear-surface resists freeze-thaw damage, it should be mentioned as a precaution that freeze-thaw damage will occur and could be very severe if a PolyPavement wear-surface is installed directly on top of a sub-grade that has not been properly prepared to address local ground water levels or surface water conditions.

 

If a PolyPavement wear surface is installed over a sub-grade that is not sufficiently elevated above the groundwater level, moisture can gradually seep laterally from the surrounding soil into the sub-grade and then into the PolyPavement layer. While PolyPavement offers strong resistance to water penetration from above, it is not designed to withstand water intrusion from beneath or from the sides.

 

Over time—days or weeks—this lateral moisture will infiltrate the PolyPavement. Prolonged moisture presence can weaken the bond formed by the polymers, although the strength typically returns once the material dries. However, if water remains trapped within the soil and freezes, the expansion of ice will irreparably break the polymer bonds between soil particles. Once thawed, the PolyPavement-treated soil will lose its solid structure and revert to wet, muddy soil, necessitating reapplication.

 

This potential freeze-thaw problem is prevented by using sound road building techniques such as placing a crushed rock road base material atop the compact sub-grade several inches thick. Next, install a layer of compacted soil on top of the crushed rock and then treat the soil with PolyPavement. A geo-textile material might also be incorporated in the design. Detailed drawings of the basic designs can be requested through our CONTACT US page on this site.

 

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WHAT ABOUT WET CLIMATE OR PERMANENT GROUND MOISTURE CONDITIONS?

Wet climate and permanent ground moisture conditions are a potential problem for a PolyPavement installation. Though PolyPavement works well in wet climates, when PolyPavement is first installed it must be allowed to dry. If the climate or the ground moisture conditions do not have alternating cycles of wet conditions and dry conditions that allow naturally existing wet muddy soil to dry, then soil treated with PolyPavement will not have conditions that allow it to dry. It can rain daily on a PolyPavement surface that has been allowed to dry without damaging it, but it must first be allowed to dry.

 

PolyPavement can be used successfully in wet climate conditions where the surface soil remains continuously damp due to a high water table. In this case, the trail or roadway surface must be elevated above the ground moisture level. This can be done by first installing a supportive bed of gravel road base material and then installing the soil that is to be treated with PolyPavement on top of the supportive road base material. A supportive bed of gravel road base material will prevent groundwater from seeping into the PolyPavement treated soil from beneath. Obvious areas where a supportive gravel road base material should be installed are swamps, marshes and rain forests.

 

PolyPavement Soil Solidifier is a water based polymer emulsion. The presence of water in the emulsion prevents the polymers from polymerizing or solidifying. When PolyPavement Soil Solidifier is applied to soil to make natural soil pavement, it is mixed into the soil wet, compacted and allowed to dry. Drying is absolutely essential for a successful PolyPavement application. If a PolyPavement application does not dry, it remains as nothing more than wet dirt until it dries.

 

PolyPavement cannot be installed during a rain. After PolyPavement is properly installed, it remains resistant to water invasion in its cured state. Prior to drying, water will adversely affect the application. Precautions should be taken to avoid wetting newly installed PolyPavement before it has had the opportunity to dry.

 

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ARE THERE DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS?

Properly installed PolyPavement resists water invasion in a manner that is more like asphalt than concrete. Concrete has water-resisting characteristics that allow it to be used to channel flowing water continuously with little or no damage. However PolyPavement cannot be used to channel flowing water without eroding. But PolyPavement has high resistance to sheet-flowing water.

 

Since PolyPavement’s water-resistance characteristics are like asphalt and does not do well with channel flowing water, there is a need for good drainage design and water management. A PolyPavement surface should be contoured and sloped to drain in a manner that allows every drop of water that hits it to sheet-flow off the surface using the shortest route possible. The PolyPavement surface should not be sloped to drain using the pavement surface to carry the water a long distance before it finds its way off of the surface. At locations where a naturally flowing rainwater run-off channel has to cross the PolyPavement, there could be a need to install a sub-surface drain to prevent the rainwater run-off from damaging the PolyPavement surface.

 

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WHAT IS THE STRENGTH OF THE TREATED SOIL?

The strength of soils that have been treated with PolyPavement Soil Solidifier depends on these factors:

 

1. The amount or degree of natural cohesiveness of the soil (soil suitability).
2. The amount or the percentage of PolyPavement Soil Solidifier that was added to the soil.
3. Whether or not the treated soil has fully dried and cured.
4. The actual hardness or strength of the soil particles themselves before treatment.

 

Though all of these factors affect the strength of the treated soil, the factors that have the greatest affect on the actual end results are: 1) the soil passing the soil suitability test and 2) the PolyPavement Soil Solidifier is applied at the level of concentration specified/required according to the application instructions provided by PolyPavement’s technical staff.

 

If the soil passes the soil suitability test and the concentration of PolyPavement Soil Solidifier is specified at 2% by volume of compact soil; then the unconfined compressive strength of the treated soil will be in the range of 800 to 2,200 pounds per square inch (psi). If a relatively soft rock such as limestone or decomposed granite is used in the PolyPavement mix, the resulting strength will be at the lower end of the range. If a relatively hard crushed stone is used in the PolyPavement mix, then the resulting strength will be at the higher end of the range. The strength of all other treated soils will fall somewhere in the middle of the range.

 

The strength measures are appreciated when the strength of PolyPavement is compared to the strength of asphalt and concrete. The unconfined compressive strength of asphalt tests in the range of 250 psi to 300 psi. Concrete, on the other hand tests in the range of 4,000 psi to 5,000 psi. From these comparisons, soil that has been treated properly with PolyPavement Soil Solidifier is more than twice the strength of asphalt. However, concrete is more than twice the strength of PolyPavement.

 

PolyPavement is classified as a rigid pavement. It has more flexibility than concrete but not enough to be regarded as flexible pavement like asphalt. Though PolyPavement is classified as rigid, PolyPavement is not affected by heat expansion and contraction like concrete and PolyPavement does not need any expansion joints. The polymers that comprise PolyPavement Soil Solidifier are very flexible in the dry/cured state. The polymers coat each soil particle and bind them with a flexible material that acts like an expansion joint between each and every soil particle. This allows sufficient room for the soil particles to expand and contract without affecting the pavement structurally.

 

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WHAT ABOUT BASE AND SUBGRADE REQUIREMENTS?

The Base and Subgrade Provide the Foundation:

PolyPavement is a natural soil surfacing material. Asphalt and concrete are also surfacing materials. In order for a surfacing material to support a vehicle, the surfacing material must have a supportive foundation. The foundation of a pavement surface is referred to as the “subgrade”. The subgrade is at the bottom of the roadway section and the material that is placed between the subgrade and the pavement surface is called the “base”. The base and the subgrade work together to provide support for the pavement and to mitigate problems caused by various weather/climate conditions.

 

The existing soil compacted to +90% is normally specified for the subgrade material for low-traffic roadways. Compacted soil will support any weight of rubber tire vehicle as long as the soil remains dry. The base material that is normally specified for low-traffic roadways is crushed quarry rock. The crushed quarry rock provides a buffer between the subgrade soil and the pavement that helps prevent damage to the pavement surface. However, in dry climates with “good soils”, the sub-grade soil is often used as the base material without crushed quarry rock.

 

With asphalt and concrete, water often enters the base and/or the subgrade from above by seeping through cracks in the pavement surface. Water also enters the sub-grade laterally (from the sides) and from beneath as a result of poor drainage or a high water table.

 

When water finds its way to the sub-grade, it weakens the sub-grade soil immediately upon contact. If a crushed rock base is present, the water will not weaken the crushed rock. When water weakens the subgrade, the weight of the traffic that passes over the weak spot causes the pavement to “pump”. Pumping is an up and down action that is caused to happen repeatedly directly over the weak spot as vehicles pass. Soon afterwards, the pavement breaks and crumbles and a pothole forms.

 

PolyPavement Base and Subgrade Requirements:

Of course PolyPavement requires a supportive foundation. And like asphalt and concrete, the existing soil compacted to plus 90 percent provides an excellent subgrade for PolyPavement. But most often, a PolyPavement surface does not need a crushed rock base. Instead, the subgrade soil can be used as the base material for PolyPavement most of the time. PolyPavement is practically impermeable to water and it is extremely resistant to cracking. It does not form any structural cracks due to expansion and contraction or due to normal wearing or weathering. As a factual point, PolyPavement does not crack unless it is loaded excessively over a weak sub-grade or structurally stressed by physical forces strong enough to crack it. Because PolyPavement does not develop structural cracks, there is a very low probability of water seeping through a PolyPavement surface and weakening the subgrade. Therefore, a PolyPavement road design does not require a crushed rock base to protect the subgrade from water that might enter through the surface.

 

However, in wet areas where the water table is high and the natural drainage is poor, water management design precautions are recommended and/or required. Proper drainage should be utilized to manage rainwater away from the sub-grade. If the water table is high, the roadbed or the sub-grade should be built up above the water table. Crushed rock is recommended for building up the roadbed and providing a base in areas that a high water table.

 

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HOW DO I FIND PolyPavement INSTALLERS?

PolyPavement is easy to install. There is no need for specialized equipment or certified installers. PolyPavement is most often installed by professional landscape contractors and grounds-maintenance personnel. Landscape contractors, grounds maintenance workers, grading contractors and paving contractors are capable of becoming competent PolyPavement installers after reviewing our written application instructions. PolyPavement Application Engineers are available to discuss the installation details and answer any installation questions.

 

PolyPavement may also be installed by competent do-it-yourselfers. They too need only to review and follow written application instructions after discussing the application instruction details with a PolyPavement Application Engineer.

 

FINDING A CONTRACTOR:

If you are a Landscape Architect and want to find a contractor in your area to install PolyPavement, just specify PolyPavement in your construction plans and put the plans out to bid. The bidding contractors will call PolyPavement technical department for information about bidding the job. If you have already identified one or more contractors for the job, and they do not know about PolyPavement, direct them to this web site. If they have additional questions, you canput them in contact with our office. When they call our technical department, they will be given a detailed overview of the installation process and they will be shown how to bid the labor, the equipment and the materials.

 

If you are not a Landscape Architect and you want to find a local contractor, the Blue Book for Building and Construction is an excellent resource for all types of contractors, large and small. When seeking a contractor located in a given geographical area, visit www.thebluebook.com and select the desired geographical area and enter the type of contractor. Normally, PolyPavement is installed by Landscape Contractors, however Paving Contractors, Excavating Contractors and Road Construction Contractors certainly have the skills required to install PolyPavement. The Blue Book website will generate a list of local contractors with names, contact information, and information about many of the contractors’ specialties and experience.

 

No special equipment is required for a PolyPavement installation. A spray rig, a rotary tiller and a steel drum compactor are basic. Most of the above mentioned types of contractors and grounds maintenance professionals already have the basic equipment. If they do not have the basic equipment, it is readily available at equipment rental yards.

 

For smaller projects, first identify several potential installers (local contractors) and ask them for a quote on a natural-soil-pavement installation project. When the contractor indicates that he has not used PolyPavement, direct the contractor to this web site and give him/her our phone number (323 954 2240). If they visit the web site and call our technical department, they will be shown how to cost-out the labor, equipment and materials for a PolyPavement installation project.