Asphalt Milling: Knowing the Signs
logo

30 Greenwood Lake Turnpike,
Ringwood, NJ 07456

973-835-1083

The Difference Between Asphalt Milling and a Total Replacement

Asphalt Milling: Knowing the Signs

All asphalt surfaces will eventually require repairs, however big or small the problem is. Remedies such as minor patching, sealcoating, and crack-filling are often quick, cost-effective fixes. Yet more complex issues such as asphalt that is severely cracked and rutted to the point of no return are cause for concern.

If your asphalt surface is cracked and starting to look worse and worse, here are key facts to know before choosing asphalt milling or total repair.

When is Asphalt Milling Needed?

Asphalt milling, also known as pavement milling, is a cost-effective method of upgrading a weathered parking lot or roadway. When cracking or raveling appears, asphalt milling is often needed.

Choosing asphalt milling provides plenty of benefits.

  • Cost-effective solution
  • Time saver
  • Enables preservation of stone, sand, and gravel in quarries as older layers of asphalt become aggregated material for Recycled Asphalt Pavement
  • Best decision for older parking lots

What is Total Replacement?

Total replacement of old asphalt involves the complete removal of a large area of the existing road surface or parking lot pavement down to the foundation sub-base.

During the replacement process, grading is vital to ensure the asphalt surface has proper water drainage. As every job is different, prior to the start of construction an engineer will determine each job's appropriate specification. They will determine how many inches of aggregate stone and asphalt are required to be installed after the sub-base has been graded.

Following the grading, an appropriate mix of hot asphalt and aggregate stone is placed deep and compacted using pavement rollers. The engineer will decide which types of stone and asphalt are required depending on the use of the roadway or parking lot. Once the sub-base has been graded, the base stone will be installed and compacted. Proper compaction ensures years of surface durability. When it is assured that the sub-base and base courses can support heavy truck weight, a binder or base course of asphalt will be installed. This is a layer of a sizable aggregate mix with oil. It can be driven on as is while the construction project is being completed.

Finally, the top layer of asphalt comprising small aggregate, sand, and oil, is laid and compacted for a smooth surface. A butt joint connects the new pavement to the older pavement ensuring no differences in the surfaces and that the grading and water runoff are consistent. With the butt joints connected, one final compaction with the roller truck is needed for the replacement of the asphalt to be complete.

Decision Time

Certain situations will not hold up to simple asphalt milling or simple overlaying of new asphalt over old asphalt. Sometimes, pavement distress runs deep—all the way to the foundation and subgrade layers. The trouble may be insufficient compaction of that sticky, black pitch at the initial installation. A weak base or subgrade, or a surface layer too thin, requires total replacement of asphalt, rather than the asphalt milling procedure of removing one or two inches of surface asphalt in a small contained area and resurfacing to level the new surface with the existing pavement.

Asphalt repaving is a complicated process that requires the experience found at Haskell Paving, a family-owned business, faithfully serving the local community for fifty years. Contact us today!