Using high-quality equipment increases your speed and accuracy. Professional paving tools, such as cold milling machines, pavers, screeds, and rakes, help you lay asphalt correctly, compact it well, and prevent aggregate segregation. Purchasing the right equipment for your business is critical to success. Consider these factors when choosing the right asphalt paver for sale: the size of the paving job, type of surface, and budget.
Maintenance
The asphalt paver you select should meet your project needs regarding power, size, and speed. But it also must be easy to maintain and clean. While cleaning equipment may seem tedious, avoiding cold asphalt particles from getting mixed into the new pavement or damaging vital parts of the machine is essential. Daily maintenance checks should include measuring plate thickness, performing ultrasound tests, and examining the screed, heating system, and feeder augers.
Moreover, keeping your paver clean can help you achieve higher-quality results. Taking these steps ensures that you get the best asphalt paver for sale. With a high-quality paver that offers top performance and low operating and maintenance costs, you can accomplish more jobs in a day and quickly earn back its initial cost. You’ll also save on fuel and repairs as your crews can work more efficiently.
Size
The size of the paver affects how much asphalt can be laid in a single day. The larger the machine, the more material it can produce. However, a paver’s size also impacts how long it will take to complete a job. A quality paver will be able to maintain its integrity for long periods. However, it is essential to inspect the condition of its various components to ensure that they are in good working order.
Damaged heater units, for example, indicate rough use of the paver and may cause other parts to break down earlier than usual. Pavers can operate on either tracks or tires, and each type of equipment has pros and cons. A contractor’s choice will depend on the types of jobs they plan to do and how quickly they want to expand their business. Additionally, a contractor’s budget may limit their product options.
Power
Asphalt pavers funnel hot mix asphalt (HMA) from a truck into a hopper, then direct the HMA to a screed that lays the asphalt onto a surface. The type of paver contractors choose depends on the kind of jobs they take on and how much pavement they need to apply each day. Contractors, primarily paving driveways, will want to consider a tilt-hopper or gravity-fed paver. At the same time, those who work on highways and airport runways should opt for a conveyor model.
Conveyor-fed pavers don’t need to stop and have the hopper refilled, as gravity-fed pavers do, and they offer more precise control over the quality of finished asphalt. It’s also important to decide between a tracked or wheeled machine. Track models suit inclines and rough terrain and generally offer more traction and stability than wheeled machines. However, some contractors need a device with wheels to get between job sites quickly.
Weight
Many pavement maintenance contractors start small, offering seal coating, crack sealing, and striping services. As their businesses grow, they may want to add paving to their list of services and will need a paver that can meet the demand. Pavers come in various sizes, ranging from smaller, wheeled pavers that require towing to larger, track-mounted machines capable of transporting themselves independently.
If your business will be working in confined areas, it’s best to consider a smaller tracked paver that can maneuver within its footprint. Whether you choose a tracked or wheeled asphalt paver, look for one in good overall condition. Check the hopper and distribution augers for signs of wear, damage, or clogging. Also, pay attention to the heating units, as a damaged heater can affect other components and reduce the machine’s efficiency. Lastly, check for worn drum roller scraper bars, as this can affect the quality of the paved surface.
Speed
Asphalt pavers come in various sizes and power levels to suit different jobs. Choosing the right one is essential for meeting strict project deadlines, optimizing performance, and prioritizing safety. An asphalt paver that runs well can help contractors accomplish more daily work and move on to the next job sooner. This means a more profitable operation and happier customers. Whether an asphalt paver has tracks or wheels, it should be able to run at a consistent speed throughout a project.
This minimizes interruptions in the paving process, which can affect pavement quality. Short interruptions to paving, such as truck exchanges and material transfers, are unavoidable on long projects. Still, they should be kept to a minimum to maintain optimum paver efficiency and improve ride quality. An excellent mobile reference system can be used for this purpose: a contact device that physically touches the road surface or an ultrasonic unit that doesn’t handle it.
Controls
The right tools make paving projects more accessible and more efficient. Paving contractors rely on high-quality asphalt pavers, rollers, rakes, and tampers to ensure accurate work produces the best client results. For example, the quality of a paver will determine how even and smooth an asphalt surface is laid. It will also influence the quality of compaction, a crucial aspect of any paving project.
Choosing the correct type of paver depends on the contractor’s needs and a few other factors. For instance, a contractor who only does small jobs may prefer a tilt-hopper model, while those whose job size is primarily larger will want to opt for a conveyor-fed machine. This choice will affect production rates and the quality of the finished product. It will also impact whether the paver needs to be manually loaded or has an automatic system.
