Current Projects - September, 2008

September was a busy month, but there's no rest for the weary...we're in a sprint to the finish line for 2008. With only a few weeks of sealcoating weather left, our crews are running at full capacity to meet demand. Don't worry though - if you haven't called us yet...there's still time!

Here is a quick snapshot of some of the projects we worked on this month.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Current Projects - August, 2008

August 2-3, 2008 - New Country Mercedes /BMW /Mini

Last Saturday's rain didn't seem to affect us too much. We still managed to seal about 200,000 square feet...not bad for a partial weekend.

Current Projects - July 2008

Welcome to our newest blog addition - Current Projects. We'll be posting pictures of work that we're actually in the process of completing, or have recently completed. Nothing older than 30 days, guaranteed!

It seems like these days, anyone can post a bunch of photos on their site of projects that they have done...and call it something like, "Professional Portfolio". Often times, these photos are from projects done years ago and long forgotten (for example, please visit our site Professional Portfolio).

Well, we figured, why not let people see what we're working on...right NOW?

Please note, some of the pictures posted here are aerial photos of the project themselves, and not the actual work. Obviously, as you'll see, most of these are photos before work had commenced. Stay tuned for updated "after" shots. In addition, I should note this in not a COMPLETE representation of our current portfolio...only a sample...

ENJOY!

Tackling asphalt maintenance: There’s no ‘pot’ in the hole

OK … got your atten­tion yet?

As real estate and property owners and property managers, it is your obligation to maintain the integrity and condition of your parking lots, not only for “curb appeal” and possible rental space, but also for the value of the real estate investment. Deferred mainte­nance of asphalt ends up being a disaster later in time. From an asphalt maintenance com­pany’s perspective, as the old saying goes, “Pay me now, or pay me lots more later.” It is no different than telling your dentist that even though you have a cavity in a tooth, do not fill it now – and then lose your entire tooth in a couple of years, due to lack of effort, money or desire to remedy the problem when it first became apparent.

Webster’s Dictionary dis­closes that the word “pothole” originated in approximately 1926. The primary definitions are: “(1) a sizable rounded often water-filled depression in land; (2) a pot-shaped hole in a road surface.” So, you see, there is no cannabis in “potholes”!

Potholes are created when pavement or material beneath it, called base, subbase, or subgrade, cannot support the weight of traffic. Likewise, there is always water associated with the creation of potholes, as described above.

Proper asphalt maintenance includes sev­eral efforts, and some amount of money. You must maintain it, like your teeth, your vehi­cles, your houses, etc., or you will pay dearly later. The primary things needed to be done on a regular basis (either every year, or every other year, or sometimes a bit longer) are the fol­lowing:

1. Crack-fill cracks every year – otherwise, they get much worse, and then they can ruin an entire asphalt surface, over time.

2. Fix potholes every time they appear, and do not delay! Otherwise, as in cracking, they will cause the entire asphalt surface around them to dete­riorate to a condition known as “alligatoring” (which looks like alligator skin – asphalt crack­ing up everywhere).

3. Seal coat every two or three years to increase the lifespan of your asphalt.

For surface blemishes only, use infrared patching, which is a giant heater-like device that heats up only the top inch or so of asphalt and replaces it with replacement asphalt. This is a superficial fix, and does not address pothole problems or subgrade issues. It is widely overused because it is cheap­er than a proper “repair-and-replace” method of repairing potholes or larger alligatored or cracked areas, but it will last only temporarily when improperly used in such situ­ations.

In warm weather, the proper “fix” for a pothole is to have the hole cleaned and dried, and “sawcut” for clean edges, then having new hot-mix asphalt used to fill the hole. This is a permanent repair. In cold weath­er, the hole can be cleaned out and “cold-mix” asphalt can be installed to temporarily fill the whole, until it is warm enough (in the ground) for a proper hot-mix repair. Another new alternative, and there are a couple of products now being created, is to use a product like EZ STREET cold asphalt, which is a special cold mix that can be used in any temperatures to permanent­ly fix the potholes or cracks. These products are a bit more “pricey” at first blush, but they save money in the long run, in that they eliminate the need for two repairs on one hole (i.e., first cold mix, then later replaced by hot mix in warmer weather).

by H. Wayne Leiser

EastCoat sponsors Masonicare Quality of Life Walk!

For the second year in a row, we proudly sponsored the Masonicare Quality of Life Walk in Hartford on Saturday May 17, 2008 .

Each year, the event helps the Masonic Charity Foundation provide for the greatest needs of residents and patients at Masonic Healthcare Center, Ashlar of Newtown and Connecticut VNA.

It was a great day once again- the weather was certainly better than last year!

Hundreds of people showed up to enjoy the day...and of course drank some water and gatorade courtesy of EastCoat! (shameless plug).

Here's a re-cap from '07:

EastCoat at the the National Pavement Expo

National Pavement Expo

Nashville, TN

January 30 - February 2, 2008

NASHVILLE, TN- For the third year in a row, Clinton based EastCoat Pavement Services, represented the shoreline Connecticut region at the National Pavement Expo (NPE) in Nashville.

The event, held each year in Music City, is the most prominent national event for the pavement industry. It's an opportunity for pavement contractors and vendors throughout the country to network with each other, and preview new equipment on the exibit floor.

But the highlight of the show for brothers Andrew and Lyman McWain, Co-Owners of EastCoat, are the seminars and workshops that are held each year. "They're a great resource," says Andrew. "They represent an opportunity to take something real away from the show, to bring back and help our customers." The four day event includes seminars and training classes on the latest techniques and advances in the pavement industry. "These seminars give us an advantage in the field when we get out there and utilize the techniques we learned at the show to help solve problems for the customer," adds Lyman. "It's an invaluable experience."

For EastCoat, the NPE also keeps them up-to-date on current issues within the industry. Whether it's talking with manufacturers about raw materials and production, or learning about a new products to help customers meet their needs, the NPE provides a good "refresher" during the slower winter months. "Sometimes it's just nice to get out there and get motivated for spring!" adds Andrew. The NPE also offers several networking events during the four day blitz, giving contractors from across the country a chance to meet each other and discuss similar opportunities or issues.

Sponsored by two of the industry’s leading publications, Pavement and Asphalt Contractor, the NPE works closely with these publications to keep contractors informed with event details and industry news year-round. Thousands of industry professionals rely on NPE as an annual resource for new products and paving technology.