If your asphalt pavement is so bedraggled that its days are numbered, you may already be thinking about having it rebuilt. However, you dread the cost and inconvenience of having your existing pavement demolished and reconstructed. Before you make a final decision, you might want to ask a reputable contractor whether asphalt resurfacing would be a feasible option.
What Is Asphalt Resurfacing?
Asphalt pavement resurfacing is also known as asphalt overlaying. The asphalt overlay process involves applying fresh courses of asphalt to the top of an existing pavement. Resurfacing pavement is both cheaper and faster than a reconstruction, but most people will find that overlaying asphalt yields remarkably similar results.
When Is Asphalt Milling Necessary for Asphalt Resurfacing?
Virtually every asphalt overlaying project can benefit from milling. An asphalt milling machine can grind away a very precise amount of pavement to remove the exact depth of the existing asphalt required to achieve the desired results. On most asphalt overlaying projects, the depth may only be two or three inches, but removing just that small amount of pavement can have a major impact on the appearance and drivability of the overlay.
How Does Asphalt Milling Impact the Results When Resurfacing Pavement?
Most parking lots and streets have fixtures that are attached to the pavement. For example, there may be curbs and gutters, manhole covers, or drain covers. Imagine what would happen if a contractor simply added two or three inches of new asphalt without using an asphalt milling machine to remove an equal depth of the existing asphalt. Suddenly, none of the fixtures are at their correct heights. Manhole and drain covers are now sunken into the pavement, gutters are now shallower, and curbs have lost part of their height. The pavement does not look quite right, drivers are in for a bumpy ride, and pedestrians could easily trip over the recessed features. Furthermore, you could find that your pavement no longer complies with the ADA after your resurfacing project is complete. The transitions between connecting pavements could violate the ADA regulations, but rough transitions can also be annoying to drivers and hazardous to cyclists and pedestrians.
Are There Other Uses for an Asphalt Milling Machine?
Milling machines can have a number of other uses. For example, they can cut rumble strips in an asphalt pavement, and they can often remove minor bumps or depressions in the pavement. The right milling machine can even remove the full depth of an existing asphalt pavement faster and more economically than traditional methods.
To Learn More About Asphalt Pavement Resurfacing and Milling, Contact RDC Paving
RDC Paving provides an extensive range of paving services to residential and commercial customers throughout Central Texas. Our services include asphalt overlaying and paving, parking lot maintenance, asphalt repairs, ADA concrete, asphalt and concrete driveway paving, parking lot striping, concrete parking lots, concrete ramps, concrete ADA, asphalt crack repair, concrete repairs, and asphalt sealcoating. We have a reputation for consistently delivering superior results at reasonable prices. Request your free, no-obligation quote by filling out the online form, or give us a call at 512-920-9155 if you prefer to discuss your planned project in more detail.
