Your new blacktop will soften and harden as temperatures rise and fall. Watering down your driveway with a hose on hot days will cool and temporarily harden the blacktop. This is helpful but not mandatory. If soap suds appear do not be alarmed. This is a reaction between the diesel fule in the blacktop and a high cholrine content found in some city water. Although every effort is made to avoid puddles in your driveway, some small ones are inevitable depending on the natural slope and drainage of your ground.
Blacktop is scarred by automobiles starting out too fast, pulling in too quickly and just plain driving too fast.
During the first 6-12 months while your driveway is curing don't park in the same spot every time. Do not turn your steering wheel back and forth when your car is not moving.
Avoid using jack stands or car ramps unless a piece of plywood is placed under them to help distribute the weight.
Excessive weight from large heavy vehicles can depress your new blacktop. Keep oil trucks, concrete trucks and any other heavy trucks off your driveway. When storing campers or boats for long periods of time, place a piece of plywood under the tongue jack and also under the tires.
Lawn chairs, bicycle and motorcyle kickstands exert weight on concentrated areas and will creta holes and depressions in your driveway. Especially watch out for those pointy high heels during warm moths when your driveway is new.
The edges are the weakest part of your driveway due to lack of side support. Avoid driving on the edges since they will crack and crumble in time. We suggest building up the side of your driveway with topsoil. This will support the edges and enhance the appearance after grass is grown.