For over 50 years, road construction experts worldwide have relied on Perma-Zyme, a powerful enzyme soil stabilizer that creates strong, long-lasting dirt roads and subbase for paved roads. Perma-Zyme is an eco-friendly formula that binds soil particles together to strengthen soil up to 13 times, so it resists erosion while saving you time and money on maintenance.
We’ll teach you the basics of building a strong, long-lasting road with Perma-Zyme in 10 easy steps.
Soil varies from place to place, with different blends of clay, silt, sand, and rock. Since every type of soil reacts differently to different stabilizers, it's good to know how yours will work with Perma-Zyme.
Typically, soil that works best with Perma-Zyme contains about 15-80% clay and at least 20% coarse particles (exact percentages vary by project). Clay is essential for the enzymes to bond properly, while the coarse particles increase the soil’s shear strength.
A sieve analysis will reveal your soil’s clay content and particle size distribution. And it’s easy and free! With our complimentary #200 Finder Soil Evaluation, U.S.-based public and private commercial customers get a comprehensive report and tailored recommendations to make your Perma-Zyme application as smooth as possible.
U.S. homeowners and international customers can request a free at-home soil evaluation kit. We’ll ship it to you for free, and once you do the evaluation, we’ll help you understand the results and how to use them for an effective application.
If your soil has too much sand, gravel, or silt, Perma-Zyme won’t work properly. But don’t worry—you can fix it with a few simple, more affordable amendments than traditional soil stabilization. For more information, check out What If My Soil Is Incompatible With Perma-Zyme?
Every project requires one gallon of Perma-Zyme per 160 cubic yards of soil. (For perspective, that’s five gallons per acre or 15 gallons per mile of two-lane road.) Determine how much Perma-Zyme you need with our handy Perma-Zyme Usage Calculator.
This one’s a no-brainer: if you’re going to apply Perma-Zyme, you have to buy Perma-Zyme. When you’re ready to take this step, contact our soil stabilization experts, or reach out to your sales rep directly. They’ll walk you through the process and help prepare you and your crew for a successful application.
Good planning is essential for every Perma-Zyme treatment to work well. You'll need to consider design parameters, equipment, water sources, timing, weather, and traffic management. Let’s break it down.
When designing your project, focus on depth, drainage, and grade:
For most applications, you’ll need:
Sometimes, you can substitute equipment if necessary. For example, a tractor with grader and ripper attachments can replace a motor grader, and a full water truck can substitute for a padfoot compactor.
For more information about why we recommend certain equipment—and what to do if you’re missing a machine—read our blog, Equipment You Need to Apply Perma-Zyme.
Water is crucial to Perma-Zyme’s success. It helps the enzymes move throughout the soil and allows proper compaction. Choose a water source as close to your jobsite as possible to minimize costs and keep the soil from drying out during application.
Applying Perma-Zyme can take as little as one day, depending on your project size. After application, allow 72 hours for curing before allowing regular traffic or adding a topcoat.
For best results, apply Perma-Zyme when temperatures are between 40°F and 115°F and there’s no rain in the forecast for at least three days after the planned treatment, as precipitation can interfere with the curing process.
During the 72-hour curing period, limit traffic on the treated area. Ideally, keep roads closed for the first 24 hours, followed by 48 hours of light traffic. If a full closure is impossible, reduce speeds and detour heavy vehicles to avoid damage.
When you're ready to start your project, you have two options: complete the entire application in one day, or prep the soil on day one to speed up construction on day two. Whichever method you choose, the first steps are ripping up and presoaking the soil on day one.
Use the motor grader’s ripper attachment to rip the soil to the proper treatment depth. Break up any large clumps for a smooth surface.
Presoaking brings the soil close to its optimum moisture level, meaning it’s damp enough to stick to itself but not so wet that it turns muddy. Optimum moisture is essential for compacting soil, which is the most critical step of the construction process.
If you’re completing the application in one day, presoak the soil to about 80% of its optimum moisture content, then move on to Step 6.
If you're spreading the work over two days, presoak the soil to 100% of its optimum moisture on day one. Then, use a motor grader to place the soil into windrows to prevent it from drying overnight. On day two, spread the soil evenly over the project area’s surface, double check that it’s near 80% of its optimum moisture, and then move on to Step 6.
You can hire a geotechnical firm to identify your soil’s exact optimum moisture. But if you prefer to do it yourself—or if you need a quick estimate onsite during construction—try a simple hand test. Grab a handful of soil and roll it into a ball. Here's how to judge the results:
The amount of water you need will depend on your location, soil type, and climate. Let’s consider two examples:
|
Mark’s Project |
Jeff’s Project |
|
|
Location |
Mojave Desert |
Michigan |
|
Season |
Summer |
Fall |
|
Distance to Water |
40 minutes |
5 minutes |
|
Number of Water Trucks |
2-3 |
1 |
As you can see, Mark is working in a hot, dry climate with a far-off water source. He will need more water, more time to haul it, and more money to pay for hauling. (Now you see why having a good water source is so helpful!) Jeff needs less water because he’s working in a humid climate during a cooler season with a nearby water source. That means he can use fewer water trucks.
To estimate how much water you’ll need, try our Perma-Zyme Water Consumption Calculator.
Fill the truck with water first, and add Perma-Zyme second to prevent foaming. While pouring, PPE is optional since Perma-Zyme is non-hazardous, but safety glasses are still a good idea if it splashes. If Perma-Zyme gets on your skin, wash it off. And be careful about spills—they can be slippery.
Once you’re ready, here’s how to apply the Perma-Zyme solution:
There is no set dilution rate for Perma-Zyme. The amount of water varies depending on your soil’s moisture needs. But, you’ll always need one gallon of Perma-Zyme per 160 cubic yards of soil. Stick with that, and you’re good to go!
Compaction is the most critical part of the Perma-Zyme treatment process! It presses the soil particles closer together for a stronger bond and longer-lasting surface. There’s no shortcut—compaction takes time.
Start with the padfoot compactor on vibratory mode to aggressively compact the soil. You’ll achieve most compaction this way. Once your soil nears maximum compaction, switch to the smooth wheel compactor, also on vibratory mode. For the final few passes, turn off the vibratory setting to create a smoother surface.
Pro Tip: You can add one to two inches of gravel to unpaved roads during compaction. The Perma-Zyme will bond around the gravel, creating a durable topcoat for better traction and greater shear strength.
Pay extra attention to areas where traffic speeds change, like steep grades, driveways, and turns. These spots are prone to issues like washboarding and ruts, especially under heavy vehicle traffic, but thorough compaction can help prevent these issues.
Compaction works best when soil is at optimum moisture. Perform hand tests often and at various places on the jobsite to ensure that the soil’s moisture is still ideal. Be sure to dig into the soil a couple of inches to get a more accurate reading of the moisture content throughout, not just the top layer.
Here’s how to correct too little or too much soil moisture:
You’ll know compaction is done when small rocks on the surface break under the compactor’s drum instead of sinking into the soil. At this point, your soil is fully compacted and ready to cure!
Perma-Zyme must cure for 72 hours, so the enzymes can chemically react and harden the soil into a concrete-like surface. Perma-Zyme will reach about 60% of its full strength while curing, then continue growing stronger over the next couple of months.
Too much traffic too early can impede or prevent curing. As we mentioned earlier, we recommend closing the road for at least 24 hours. If you can’t manage a complete closure, minimize and slow down traffic as much as possible. After 72 hours, you can reopen the road to normal traffic traveling at usual speeds.
Some customers use Perma-Zyme on unpaved roads with an aggregate topcoat, while others add pavement. Here’s how to handle both options.
For unpaved roads, add one to two inches of gravel. Then, mix one part Perma-Zyme to 1,000 parts water, and spray the solution over the surface to lock in the gravel. This will improve traction and prevent material loss, reducing maintenance and gravel costs.
For paved roads, wet the soil with a highly diluted Perma-Zyme solution (one part Perma-Zyme to 10,000 parts water). Spray it evenly and let it dry until the surface loses its sheen. Then, apply asphalt or chipseal, following the appropriate guidelines for your material or region. This Perma-Zyme treated subbase will save you time and money over traditional methods by eliminating the need for hauling and allowing for a thinner subbase. Our customers have saved up to 80% on paving projects.
We said the 10 steps are easy, and this one’s the easiest of all! Once your Perma-Zyme treated road cures, you can drive on it to your heart’s content.
Perma-Zyme’s one-time process lasts up to five years for heavy haul roads, 10+ years for unpaved county roads, and 20+ years for paved roads. And with the 100% natural, non-toxic formula, you won’t have to worry about any negative environmental impacts. Now that’s a win-win.
Want a quick, easy way to visualize the 10 steps to building a road with Perma-Zyme, or want to show other stakeholders why you think it’s a good idea? Check out this three-minute video summary!
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