What Are the Different Types of Asphalt?
Asphalt is the most popular form of pavement in America. It covers everything from the parking lot at a child’s elementary school to the racetrack’s surface on the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana. When the average person walks or drives across a patch of asphalt, they may not realize that there are several distinct types of asphalt paving.
A unique asphalt mix can accommodate various size loads, reduce splash, treat water runoff during rainy weather and absorb noise. Whatever your application, The Paving Lady can offer a customizable solution.
How to Choose the Right Type of Asphalt
There are five main asphalt types— porous asphalt, quiet asphalt, perpetual pavement, warm mix asphalt and hot mix asphalt. Each type has unique properties that can help you receive the most benefit from a paving job.
1. Porous Asphalt
Porous asphalt has tiny holes that allow water to pass through the stone below and seep into the soil. This pavement is perfect for storm management in easily flooded areas like driveways, paths and parking lots. It’s also one of the most durable and long-lasting pavement solutions.
2. Hot Mix Asphalt
Pavers pour hot mix asphalt when it’s around 150 degrees Celsius. When the asphalt cools, it becomes as hard as a rock. It’s an ideal permanent solution for commercial and residential locations as well as public roads. There are also subtypes of hot mix asphalt with different mixtures of aggregate particles based on the application.
3. Warm Mix Asphalt
Warm mix asphalt shares similarities with hot mix asphalt, but it’s significantly cooler because of additives like zeolites and wax. As a result, the warm mix asphalt requires less fuel consumption to manufacture and does not generate as much greenhouse gas. Warm mix asphalt is resilient and ideal for paving driveways and roadways.
4. Cold Mix Pavement
Cold mix pavement is often a patch cure for asphalt cracks and potholes. It’s not as strong or long-lasting as hot or warm asphalt, but pavers can apply the asphalt when the weather is too cold to pour hot asphalt. This advantage makes it an ideal solution for temporary wintertime repairs.
5. Perpetual Pavement
Perpetual pavement is a type of roadway asphalt with a multilayer design that can last for 50 years or more. The first layer uses flexible pavement to prevent cracking. Pavers then add a strong, permanent middle base. Finally, pavers lay down a driving surface above that they can replace periodically every couple of years.
Choose The Paving Lady for South Florida Pavement Solutions
The Paving Lady has been a trusted local business serving residential, commercial and public communities for over 36 years in the South Florida area. We provide asphalt paving services throughout South Florida, including the Treasure Coast Counties—Indian River, Saint Lucie and Martin. We also offer services to Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
Ready to invest in your property’s appearance? Reach out to the Paving Lady team at (561) 572-2600 or submit our quick contact form online to learn more or request a free quote today.