Asphalt plays a crucial role in enhancing the safety, aesthetics and overall functionality of any property. Maintaining asphalt is the property owner’s responsibility, and for this, there is no other choice than asphalting services in Castle Hill. The professionals offering these services help in everything related to planning to paving or repairing a new driveway, parking lot or giving it a total facelift. Property owners must have all the information related to asphalt, and the most common one is the availability of asphalt in various types. These different types of asphalt are used in other projects, and understanding them will help you choose the one that matches your particular needs.
SO, WHAT TYPES OF ASPHALT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE MARKETS
There are six types of asphalt used by the professionals offering asphalting services. The names are –
• Coarse-graded asphalt
• Porous asphalt
• Milled asphalt
• Hot mix asphalt
• Warm mix asphalt
• Cold mix asphalt
• UPM
• MC cold mix
• Top layer asphalt
All these types vary in performance, attributes and in terms of breaking, efficiency, surface, durability, roadway noise and even the time taken to wear away. One question that everyone will have now is which asphalt is the best. Let us understand the answer below.
WHAT TYPE OF ASPHALT IS BEST FOR ME?
As said above, all types of asphalt materials listed above are different in nature, and they work well in different paving needs. In a nutshell, it can be said that the best asphalt for you is the one that mixes with the perfect combination of price, efficiency targeting and overall value.
WHAT IS ASPHALT AND WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
Another name given to asphalt is bitumen, and it is a semi-solid form of petroleum. It is highly viscous in nature, black in colour and sticky. The asphalt used by the professionals of asphalting in Castle Hill is mainly a combination of binder, aggregates and fillers used to maintain and construct parking lots, driveways, etc. The source of asphalt for the experts of asphalting services Castle Hill is natural deposits or can be extracted as a by-product of petroleum distillation. It has hydrogen and carbon compounds with some amount of oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur as well. The two main ingredients of asphalt are aggregates and bitumen, where aggregate is a mixture of gravel, crushed soil and sand that constitutes 95% of the overload asphalt material. Bitumen is a petroleum residue that includes 5% of asphalt.
TYPES OF ASPHALT MIXES
There are different types of asphalt mixes, and we will discuss them in this segment.
• Coarse Graded Asphalt
• Porous Asphalt
• Milled Asphalt
• Hot Mix Asphalt
• Warm Mix Asphalt
• Cold Mix Asphalt
• UPM
• MC Cold Mix
• Top Layer Asphalt
Let us start by discussing coarse graded asphalt.
WHAT IS COARSE GRADED ASPHALT?
Coarse graded asphalt used by the experts of asphalting services in Castle Hill is a rough material used to offer support to smaller mixes. You will find experts in asphalting in Castle Hill using this material on driveways, parking lots, roadways, etc. for surface lifts. Coarse graded asphalt is also called binder mixtures or base layers. It has the following pros and cons.
PROS:
• It lowers hydroplaning, decreases spray, and improves resistance to skidding
Cons:
• This asphalt mix does not have great bonding between the fine aggregates.
WHAT IS POROUS ASPHALT?
The first feature of porous asphalt is that it has barely visible holes, and it improves water maintenance significantly. It allows water to flow into the ground, where it originally belonged to. This asphalt is primarily used in parking lots by the experts of asphalting in Castle Hill to let the water drain via the pavement surface. Porous asphalt comes with the following pros and cons.
PROS:
• It enhances stormwater management and increases skid resistance
• Needs less energy to produce
• Mitigates smoke, emissions, and odour
CONS:
• Not suitable for heavily trafficked areas.
• Exclusively used for driveways, patios, and walkways.
• Not a good option for commercial parking lots with traffic.
WHAT IS MILLED ASPHALT?
Another version of asphalt used by the professionals of asphalting services in Castle Hill is milled asphalt and it is basically a bi-product of rejuvenated asphalt pavement. It is produced by grinding up the top layer of old asphalt and recycling it to create new asphalt. Experts of asphalting in Castle Hill use it as a substitute for hot asphalt or stone gravel. The benefit of milled asphalt is that it is less expensive, more durable and can withstand harsh weather conditions more impressively than other asphalt types.
PROS:
• It is cost-effective
• It reduces demand on aggregate
• It enables percolation
• It is environmentally friendly
CONS:
• It offers varying quality
• Not up to the standard of new asphalt
• The colour is not as deep as conventional fresh asphalt
WHAT IS HOT MIX ASPHALT?
The most used version of asphalting Castle Hill is the hot mix asphalt, and it is mostly used for paving and patching roadways, driveways, parking lots, etc. The asphalt material is heated under high temperatures, and since it is in a semi-solid form, it is easiest to work with. Professionals offering asphalting services in Castle Hill consider it a long-lasting solution to all the issues arising in any asphalt structure. The only stipulation is that it must be used instantly after production because it cools down really fast, and in its cool condition, it will become difficult to deal with and work on. Hot mix asphalt comes with the following pros and cons.
PROS:
• It is very durable
• Can withstand wind, flooding, etc.
• Can stand up against weather elements
• Usually used for highways and driveways with high-traffic
CONS:
• Costlier than other mixes
• Installed only when the outdoor temp is 40 degrees or above
WHAT IS WARM MIX ASPHALT?
Warm mix asphalt can be considered the younger brother of hot mix asphalt, as it is manufactured using the same method. The only difference is that heating warm mix asphalt includes less heat than the heat used in producing hot mix asphalt. Warm mix asphalt is costlier, but it is a realistic and greener alternative, as it releases less carbon dioxide than hot mix asphalt. Warm mix asphalt has the following pros and cons.
PROS:
• Saves resources and energy
• Enhances working conditions
• Pavement can be opened to traffic almost immediately
• Does not cause wear and tear
• Inexpensive
CONS:
• Prone to moisture damage risk
• Finding the correct balance is hard
WHAT IS COLD MIX ASPHALT?
This asphalt is utterly opposite to hot mix asphalt and warm mix asphalt, as it stays soft at any temperature. Another unique benefit is that it keeps water off very well and is used for fixing potholes during asphalting services in Castle Hill. An essential factor to understand is that it has a shorter lifespan, but it is an ideal temporary material for repair work of several asphalt-based structures. It has the following pros and cons.
PROS:
• Affordable
• Installed even in colder temperatures
• Repels water at any temperature
CONS:
• Commonly used in temporary conditions, like patching potholes, filling cracks
Let us quickly review the pros and cons of the other names listed above.
UPM
PROS:
• Easy to use
• Cost effective
• Works well under any weather condition
• Used throughout the year
Cons:
• Suitable for only pavement repairs
• Not for installing high-trafficked driveways
MC COLD MIX
PROS:
• The flashpoint is higher than the traditional medium-cured asphalt
• Not necessary to cool aggregate
CONS:
• Slow to cure
• Only suitable for light-duty traffic pavement
TOP LAYER ASPHALT
PROS:
• Pocket friendly
• Reduces noise pollution
• Offers a comfortable ride
• Aesthetically appealing
CONS:
• Need more maintenance
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