What is Asphalt Pulverizer?
Your commercial asphalt parking lot is dull, filled with cracks, and pocked with divots. Not only is it unsightly to look at, but an old asphalt lot presents hazards to your property’s visitors. When your asphalt has seen better days – what should you do?
Asphalt has a long serviceable life, but it doesn’t last forever and eventually you need to figure out your options for replacing an asphalt parking lot. What’s right for you depends on your lot’s current condition, comfort needs, and budget, so there are many options to look at. One of the best options is asphalt pulverizing.
Asphalt Pulverizer Process
Asphalt pulverizing is the process of grinding up both the top layer of asphalt and its underlying aggregate to create a new base surface for fresh asphalt. During pulverizing, a machine with rotating blades reaches anywhere from 2 to 12 inches down to pulverize different layers of asphalt into one even mix.
Asphalt Pulverizer vs. Milling
Pulverizing and a mill and overlay are similar, but how the old asphalt is dealt with sets pulverizing and milling apart. In asphalt milling, only the top surface layer of asphalt is removed in preparation for a new overlay of asphalt. The top removed layer is recycled into other asphalt products, but the bottom base layer is left intact. During pulverization, both the top layer and underlying stone and aggregate are ground up but reused for the new asphalt.
Compaction and Grading
Before the ground asphalt is ready for the next major steps it has to first be compacted and grated. Most asphalt companies start with a ‘rough’ compaction done by hand or mechanical roller. After the rough compaction, the surface is leveled and graded until the engineers have the right angles they need. After the lot is graded a paving company will use a mechanical compactor to drive everything down. Now the surface is ready for stabilization.
Asphalt Pulverizing and Stabilization
Stabilization is the second major part of the pulverizing process. Without stabilization, the ground up layer will wash away with the first rainstorm.
Stabilizing is the process of overlaying the ground up asphalt with a fresh layer of hot asphalt. The new asphalt is carefully poured on top of the compacted surface to create a solid new blacktop. After a few hours of drying, your lot is ready for vehicles.
Advantages of Asphalt Pulverization
Affordable
With asphalt pulverization you’re getting a much better deal on both material and labor. Because the old asphalt is pulverized and left instead of removed, you avoid a lot of labor costs that come with full replacement. You’re also recycling all the old asphalt into a new base, so you only pay a fraction of the material cost when compared to full replacement.
Better Lifetime than Mill and Overlay
While it won’t give you the same lifetime of a full replacement, asphalt pulverizing traditionally gives more years than a mill and overlay. If you don’t have the resources or energy for a full replacement but need something better than a mill and overlay – asphalt pulverizing hits the sweet middle spot.
Efficient
Asphalt pulverization is more efficient than full asphalt replacement. Again, because the previous asphalt is left in place, you’re skipping many steps which makes for a more efficient process. You can have your hotel parking lot pulverized, graded, and stabilized within a few hours up to a couple days depending on the size of the lot. Full replacement can take anywhere from a full day to a couple weeks to finish. If you need minimal downtime in lot closures and access you should choose the more efficient process of pulverization.
Advantages of Asphalt Pulverization
Limited Lifetime
A freshly pulverized and recoated lot can give you anywhere from five to twenty years of service, depending on the quality of the new coating and climate in your area. A full replacement can last anywhere from ten to thirty years. You’ll get a longer serviceable life from a full replacement, but it will cost more.
Appearance
Most visitors to your lot will have no idea your lot was pulverized instead of replaced thanks to the fresh coat of asphalt, but there are slight aesthetic differences in a pulverized lot compared to a replaced lot. Nothing will beat the shine and appearance of full asphalt replacement but unless you’re incredibly vain about your parking lot, a pulverized lot will work fine.
Starting Asphalt Pulverizing
If asphalt pulverizing and stabilization sounds like the right choice for you and your commercial lot, you need to get the process started by calling Colorado Pavement Solutions. Colorado Pavement Solutions can inspect your commercial asphalt lot, make recommendations on pulverizing or other processes, then get you a complimentary quote on the job. Once everything is signed off, we’ll get started refacing your lot right away with expert care.
The Skinny on Asphalt Pulverizing
Asphalt pulverizing involves grinding up two to twelve inches of old asphalt, mixing and compacting it into a viable surface, then adding a fresh layer of asphalt on top. Asphalt pulverizing is quick, affordable, and looks great. If you’re ready to pulverize your lot call the asphalt the experts at Colorado Pavement Solutions today.
