How to Operate an Asphalt Paver

Laying asphalt is an economical paving approach to driveways, highways and parking lots. This flexible pavement makes a durable long-term solution to paving needs. An asphalt paver is key to laying and rolling asphalt and making it smooth. The paver also has many uses including vibrating and rolling the asphalt mix once it is laid. Asphalt paving operators are required to take training courses in order to operate for a contractor; however, if you desire, you may pave your driveway or parking lot if you own or rent a paver.

Spray paint
100-foot cloth measuring tape
Small bin
Gravel
Asphalt mixture
Gloves
Respirator
Rubber boots

Instructions

- 1
  Mark out the area you are paving. Use spray paint and a 100-foot cloth measuring tape to mark out the appropriate area.
- 2
  Clean the area of any large rocks and excess material you do not need in your base material. Load the unnecessary rocks into a bin and haul it away at your convenience.
- 3
  Lay base material thick enough to hold the weight of the asphalt paver. A layer of 6 to 8 inches of gravel is sufficient.
- 4
  Pour the asphalt into the asphalt paving hopper, only filling it 25 to 75 percent full. Trucks dumping asphalt material into the hopper should let the paver move towards the truck to reduce the chance of truck tire indentations in the base rock. Asphalt material should be obtained from a rock quarry or paving plant to ensure proper mixture of contents and consistency.
- 5
  Turn the paver on to heat the mixture dumped into the hopper. Heat is what melds the materials used in asphalt --- sand, rocks and asphalt cement binder.
- 6
  Lay asphalt onto the desired area. After warming the asphalt in the paver, slowly begin driving the paver from one end of the desired area to the other. Continue laying asphalt approximately two inches thick. This entire process consists of three steps --- heating, pouring and tamping.

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