Road Surfacing

We have carried out multiple road surfacing contracts from highways to private farm roads.

Primarily different roads have differing durability requirements and we can advised on what is best for your grounds.

Roads are expensive to construct due to the overall demand on the surface. To achieve a long-life span, it is not just the surface that must be able to stand up to the heavy pounding but also the ground construction (the foundation). The same applies to any form of construction; without a good foundation it will not last, that is where we can be of help. We can design the ‘foundation’ (sub-base) and the drainage system plus the type of surface course to ensure the finished product will last for years to come.

Asphalt comes in black, green, red and/or beige, however, beyond black, coloured asphalt can be very expensive. To avoid the cost of using coloured asphalt we can apply various coloured aggregates on to the asphalt before it is compacted. The aggregates are coated with resin to ensure it achieves good adhesion/bonding with the asphalt surface.

Golden gravel can be coated in clear resin. It is then applied direct on to the hot asphalt. When it is compacted into the asphalt surface the resin melts with the heat. This forms the adhesion and good bonding between the asphalt and the resin coated aggregates.

The final finish is smooth but with a golden gravel effect. It is not just for the benefit of appearance, but it can also help to achieve an anti slip surface. This is because we use hardened aggregates.

Although most people refer to ‘The Black Stuff’ as tarmac, Tarmac as a material no longer exist and is in fact the trading name of a huge manufacturing company known as ‘Tarmac Trading Ltd’. Today we have asphalt and bitmac which is formulated by using aggregates, stone fines, sand, lime and of course bitumen. They are mixed together in an huge force mixer, then heated to a high temperature to ensure all the aggregates and the bitumen are mixed correctly and bonded together. Temperatures range from 135 up to 175 degrees.

The materials are then transported to site using special insulated vehicles to ensure the materials stay not only hot but also retains flexibility. It can then be levelled within millimetres and compacted by heavy rollers to the maximum to ensure all the materials are bonded together leaving a clean smooth finish.

Bitmac can be used on drives, some car parks and footways. Hot rolled asphalt and Stone Mastic Asphalt are designed for heavier traffic usage, such as industrial sites, commercial and Agricultural yards/roads etc.