Are you looking for a paving solution for your home’s driveway, or do you need to pave a parking lot for your business? As experts in the paving industry, Uniform Paving & Sealcoating highly recommend paving with asphalt. Today we want to share with you the things you should know about asphalt paving.
What is asphalt?
If you travel anywhere from your home in the United States, you see asphalt daily from interstates, roads, parking lots, driveways, walking paths, and more! There are several reasons why asphalt is widely used throughout many areas, but do you know what the components of the road are?
Asphalt is a conglomeration of aggregates, binders, and fillers that, when mixed at a high temperature, become the foundation on which we drive. Aggregates are sand, gravel, and crushed stone. The binder in asphalt is bitumen, which is a petroleum-based substance we call tar.
These materials are then heated to a high temperature in a truck with a rotating drum and churned to coat everything with the binder. After this, the hot mixture is poured into a pre-prepared roadbed and compressed with heavy machinery. After the mixture cools, it hardens into a surface suitable to carry heavy loads and daily traffic.
The Durability of Asphalt
As stated before, we see asphalt daily and even on significant interstates that have heavy traffic flows with a variety of vehicles. One of the main reasons it is used so often is that it is durable and long-lasting.
Asphalt is a robust yet flexible mixture that can handle just about anything you can throw at it. It can handle traffic with heavy loads such as 18 wheelers or other heavy equipment without chipping.
It can also handle extreme temperatures such as freezing and heat during the summer. This is where the flexibility of asphalt is a gem. Unlike its other counterpart, concrete, that is prone to chipping in the winter because it cannot hold up to the freezing and defrosting of ice. Concrete is also susceptible to damage from snowplows, which can destroy its surface from scraping and chemicals. Not asphalt though, it is porous enough to expand, contract, and take the brunt of snow removal.
Furthermore, with proper maintenance, the lifespan of asphalt can last upwards of 20-25 years! It is no wonder why this is such a popular paving material.
Asphalt is Good for the Environment
Did you know that asphalt pavement is the most recycled product in America? It is common practice for paving companies to remove the old asphalt from a job site, crush it, then remix it for a new road or driveway. In fact, the recycled materials become stronger because they already have bitumen mixed when heated up. This makes recycled asphalt have a stronger rut resistance than a virgin asphalt mix.
Asphalt Jobs can be Completed Quickly
Since asphalt does not have many components, and the materials within it can be sourced locally in most cases, jobs can be completed relativity quickly.
Asphalt also sets up faster than concrete, so the downtime waiting for it to cure is less and can be driven on sooner. This makes it ideal for main roads and interstates but also for the homeowner as well.
Additional Benefits of Asphalt
Additionally, asphalt has a dark hue that makes it look modern, clean, and sleek. This gives your home or business instant curb appeal that draws attention to how well you take care of your property.
Another benefit, especially for neighborhoods, is that asphalt is perfect for noise reduction. Due to its open-graded surfaces and materials that it consists of asphalt absorbs noise from traffic, so communities are more peaceful.
Asphalt paving can also be repaired easily and only requires maintenance every 3-5 years. Instead of having to dig up and replace concrete problems can be addressed quickly and restored without much fuss.
Finally, paving a road or driveway is a safe choice. The surface of asphalt is flat and smooth but also provides excellent traction for tires. And let’s not forget how easy it is to clean and get rid of snow and ice!
Uniform Paving & Sealcoating have over 50 years of experience in this industry, and we have worked with a variety of paving materials on many projects. Asphalt paving is an excellent solution for both residential and commercial clients alike. If you are looking for advice on what is best for your project, don’t hesitate to contact us today for a free estimate.