Cooper Paving offers professional driveway grading services in the Annapolis, MD area. The purpose of driveway grading is to ensure the ground is sloped away from the house and garage so that any rainfall will run away from your foundation.
If water can drain and pool around your foundation, this could result in many issues, including foundation damage, leaks, or mold under your home. Proper grading will also create a safe and stable surface for your vehicle. If rainwater and runoff pool on your driveway, this could create a slick, unsafe driving surface and eventually damage your drive.
Driveway Grading Services in Anne Arundel County
You might notice that your gravel driveway becomes bumpy or uneven over the years. With regular use, this is normal and unavoidable. This is why grading is an important part of the maintenance process for gravel and stone driveways.
Over time, loose gravel can cause portions of the driveway to settle, resulting in unwanted potholes and ruts. Grading can maximize the longevity of your gravel driveway and help cut down on long-term repair and maintenance costs.
One of the most essential parts of new construction is grading for the new parking lot. Most driveways and parking lots will connect with public sidewalks and roadways. Driveways must have the correct slope. This ensures that water drains safely and doesn’t put motorists and pedestrians at risk.
Driveway Grading FAQs
Grading your driveway before installing it is the most important step, yet not many people understand how it works. Read through our frequently asked questions about grading, and contact us if you have further questions.
What is the standard degree of slope for a driveway or parking lot?
The degree of the slope is dependent on the location of the property. A general rule is that no more than four inches of water should pool on the surface of your driveway fifteen minutes after it rains. The professionals at Cooper Paving in the Annapolis, MD, area can determine the correct slope degree. The slope must drain water but not be so steep that it’s difficult to drive on.
There will typically be a minimum and maximum range we will adhere to based on where you live. We will direct the water flow toward the nearest sewer for proper drainage. Any type of new driveway will require proper grading to ensure water flows away from the home and doesn’t pool.
What does “grading the driveway” mean?
A “grade” in engineering and landscape architectural construction is the angle of slope or gradient of a leveled base. Our paving experts precisely calculate the amount of vertical inclination of a given surface in relation to that surface’s horizontal length to ensure your driveway or parking lot meets project standards.
What is the difference between paving and grading?
Grading is the process of ensuring that your driveway is level and even. Grading is done after paving has been laid. Paving is the process of laying asphalt down.
How often should you grade a gravel driveway?
Driveways should be graded once or twice annually. This ensures that your driveway is even and safe to drive on.
How do you grade an asphalt driveway?
To grade an asphalt driveway, you must first level the land. This is done by filling or cutting land to level out the degree of your driveway so that water run-off is appropriate.
Can I provide my grading, DIY style?
It is possible to grade your gravel driveway or parking lot by hand using a heavy metal rake or similar tool to even out the gravel. This is at least a short-term solution. However, it is far better to grade your driveway using more professional and precise methods, as this will produce the best and longest-lasting results.
The most common way of grading a driveway is to attach a large grading blade to a truck or heavy tractor. These tow-behind devices are similar in many ways to a large metal rake. Drive up and down the driveway with the blade attached to the back of a vehicle. The tool’s blades will dig into and redistribute the gravel, evenly layering it on a flat surface.
This, in turn, fills holes and strengthens weakened areas. It will also help make your driveway drainage work more efficiently. Always remember that while grading your driveway does cost money, it is still far lower than the expense of costly repairs.
Driveway Paving Services
We offer driveway paving in Maryland for residential and commercial customers. Our paving contractors go through a paving process that consists of several phases. The first phase is asphalt or concrete removal. Our machines and workers will remove all the asphalt or concrete in this phase. We will haul all old material off-site. Next is our sub-base preparation.
This means we may need to replace the gravel underneath the old pavement. We grade and pitch the base for water drainage. Once the base is graded, it is condensed before asphalt or concrete installation.
Lastly, the asphalt or concrete is installed over the condensed gravel base. We install asphalt using our standard paving machine. We pour concrete onto the pavement, roll and condense asphalt, level it, finish it, and allow it to settle.
Why Choose Cooper Paving?
At Cooper Paving, we know the importance of proper driveway drainage and a safe, stable surface for vehicles. We have been providing driveway grading services since we opened for business, and we guarantee the quality of our grading work.
We’re family-owned and operated, a paving company in Maryland you can trust. The team at Cooper Paving provides unbeatable customer service, no matter how big or small the job.
With nearly 50 years of grading services and on-site estimating experience, you can count on Cooper Paving to deliver superior quality that will stand the test of time. We value your time, so we provide fast, free estimates!
Whether you need a complete driveway grading or a simple touch-up, our experienced operators can handle both large and small areas. We ensure that we grade your driveway properly. Contact us for a free estimate online.