Asphalt paving contractors throughout Nashville tend to have their preferred paving method and materials. However, regardless of who you choose to install, repair, or maintain your residential driveway or commercial parking lot, you should know the different types of asphalt mix that may be available to you.
Hot Mix Asphalt
Hot mix asphalt is extremely common for use on roadways. It is a reasonably flexible material that contains an asphalt binder and a mix of coarse and fine aggregate. Hot mix asphalt is weather-resistant and applied once it reaches temperatures of approximately 350°. During installation, hot mix is easy to pour, but it cools quickly, meaning it should only be applied by an expert asphalt contractor.
Warm Mix Asphalt
Some asphalt paving companies will use what’s known as warm mix asphalt, which is designed for application at temperatures of around 120°. This makes it a bit more comfortable during Nashville’s hot summers. Like hot mix, warm mix asphalt is fairly easy to use, and it comes with the added benefit of being able to maintain its temperature for further distances once the application process begins. One of the biggest benefits of warm mix asphalt is that it creates fewer greenhouse gasses.
Cold Mix
Cold mix asphalt is typically only used for temporary or emergency asphalt repairs. Asphalt paving contractors around the Nashville area typically only use cold mix when air temperature is too cold to properly maintain warm or hot mix asphalt. Cold mix has one advantage, and that is that it can be easily removed when a permanent solution is available.
Dense Grade Asphalt
Dense grade asphalt is a highly versatile hot asphalt mix used for general purposes. It holds up well to all traffic conditions and can withstand friction, patching, and leveling.
Porous Asphalt
Porous asphalt is used on playgrounds, parking lots, sidewalks, and driveways, and its primary purpose is to allow water to drain through to a layer of gravel below. Porous asphalt may be necessary in areas where stormwater management is more difficult.
If you’re looking for asphalt paving in Nashville, you should know that you have options. Hargrove Sealcoating can install and maintain your asphalt surface for many years to come. We take pride in our work, and our staff of asphalt paving professionals has decades of combined experience. Visit our website to check out our work, see for yourself, and get in touch with us.