Recycled road asphalt is often used to repair paved surfaces. Learn how this material can be used to support a paving project.

Recycled Asphalt

Recycled asphalt consists of crushed pavement materials. Asphalt, pea gravel, and rock fragments are often used to pave roadways. As a roadway begins to show signs of deterioration, the surface layers are often ripped up and replaced. Instead of disposing of the old layers of pavement, some contractors use a recycling process to break down old asphalt and make it suited for future use.

Recycled asphalt pieces go through a screening process. Asphalt pieces that are small in size pass through. These pieces are recycled and used for future residential and commercial projects.

Blending The Materials

An asphalt contractor who will be repurposing asphalt will need to blend the crushed components that were ripped up. The materials that were originally used to cover a roadway will be added to a recycling machine. This type of machine heats up the crushed pieces and blends them together.

Some additional materials may be added to the recycling machine. Binders are used to support the mixing of the asphalt pieces. Recycled asphalt is blended right before a contractor intends to use recycled materials to pave surfaces.

Projects That Use Recycled Materials

Recycled asphalt can be used to fill potholes or to strengthen paved surfaces. Recycled products may have a more grainy texture than brand-new asphalt products. The actual texture of the recycled asphalt will be dependent upon the materials that it is made of.

Residential property owners and business property owners can benefit from choosing to use recycled asphalt for their next paving project. Because recycled materials have previously been used, a paving contractor may charge less to install recycled materials. If a recycled product has been properly blended, it will be just as durable as a brand-new asphalt pavement material.

Pavement Installation And Spreading

The thickness of the paving materials will determine the manner in which a contractor will install and spread them. The weight of the product may necessitate that a heavy-duty rolling machine is used to spread pavement. The weather often influences the manner in which recycled materials are installed.

A contractor may prefer to install recycled materials at the end of the summer or the beginning of the fall. During these times, the weather will still be warm enough to spread the asphalt across residential property or commercial properties. 

For more information about recycled 3/4" asphalt, contact a local company.