Everyone knows that asphalt breaks down over time. We’ve all seen our fair share of cracks, potholes, divots, and bumps around New England, especially this time of year as the weather changes. The question for businesses and property owners is what to do about these asphalt issues – leaving them alone will just lead to further deterioration, but filling cracks and potholes might not be enough to restore your asphalt’s integrity. On the other hand, a full depth reconstruction project may be overkill and beyond your budget. Enter asphalt milling, a cost-effective solution that improves both your asphalt’s appearance and strength.
Let’s dig deeper into how milling makes commercial asphalt paving even stronger.
How Milling Makes Commercial Asphalt Paving Stronger
Removes Old, Weak Asphalt
Asphalt milling is the process of grinding down the upper layer of damaged asphalt to leave behind a grooved surface that’s ready for fresh asphalt. Unlike an isolated pavement repair like cutting and patching a pothole, milling takes care of a significant section of a driveway, road, or parking lot – while this involves more machinery and coverage, it makes for an efficient process. Rather than fix multiple individual problems, milling hits the refresh button to make things easier. In most cases, removing the top layer of asphalt is all that’s necessary, too. After all, sunlight, moisture, impact, and other threats primarily affect the uppermost portion of your asphalt. By investing in asphalt milling, you’re doing away with these weak sections and making way for newer, stronger asphalt.
Establishes a Sturdier Foundation for Fresh Commercial Paving
A parking lot, driveway, or road is only as strong as its foundation. If your asphalt is in serious, deep disrepair, a full depth reconstruction may be necessary to start over from the ground up. Otherwise, milling is usually enough to strengthen your pavement from the inside out by simply doing away with the top deteriorated layer, as described above. When properly milled, the new surface provides a solid foundation over which a new asphalt layer can be installed. If you take good care of your recently milled and newly paved surface, it can last another 10-20 years before requiring significant repair or reconstruction.
Recycles Material for Future Asphalt Projects
Fresh paving material is always needed for commercial spaces, especially those that receive high levels of activity. Though asphalt is relatively cheap, these materials can add up in price when dealing with significant square footage. It’s always cheaper to reuse materials when possible. One of the key benefits of parking lot milling is that it’s a highly sustainable process. After the top layer of asphalt is ground down by the milling machine, the material is collected and recycled into an aggregate material (millings) that can later be reused on other projects as an alternative base material. In other words, milling is a cyclical process that removes the weakened aspects of your asphalt and then fortifies them with the very material it removed – this saves you time and money while also helping the environment.
Strengthen Your Pavement with Asphalt Milling
If your asphalt is losing its luster and integrity, the milling process is often enough to restore and strengthen it. Asphalt milling is just one of many services we offer at Cassidy Paving. Call us today at 866-978-9788 for a free estimate on your next asphalt repair project.