With paving season starting, you might be restocking the mechanic’s truck, the deck of the paver, and the all-important work truck. As simple as it may seem, be sure you include a four-foot-long 2 x 4 (or two) in the restocking plan.
When the paving crew has an unsupported edge to roll or a new lane to take off from, a set of 2 x 4s could save the day. Make sure you have a couple on hand.
If you have an unsupported edge along a parking area, you can place the board against the uncompacted mat prior to rolling. If you need to roll off the mat for re-fueling or re-filling the water tank(s), put the 2 X 4 on the unsupported edge to keep from destroying the joint you’re building.
The boards you keep on the back of the paver can also serve as starter plates if you don’t have one of those on hand. You want to make sure the board thickness matches the fluff factor you require, place them perpendicular to the transverse joint so they fully support the screed plate when it’s set down, and let them act as the “existing mat” to match—existing mat plus fluff. (Whether you’re using a starter pad or boards, do your math to add the quarter inch per inch compacted to figure the height.)
I bet you have a few other uses for a 2 x 4 on the paving job. Let’s talk about it and brainstorm the ways this simple tool helps your crew get the job done right.