Penrith Road Surfacing

The majority of UK roads are made of Tarmacadam/Asphalt, which consists of sand, gravel and stone in a bitumen binder. This material is very hard-wearing and can support great weights and fluctuations in temperature. Some roads may also be made of concrete.

After installation, as a precautionary measure, you shouldn’t drive on your newly surfaced tarmac for the first 2-5 hours. During this time, the tarmac will still be at its softest and any heavy traffic could cause indentations and damage to the tarmac.

Top layers of roads generally need resurfacing or surface dressing every 10-15 years. Full road tarmac replacement is often only required after a number of decades.

They are commonly caused by the shape of the underlying ground. After the road surfacing has been laid, it will soak up rain. When temperatures drop below zero degrees the water freezes and expands causing damage to the surfacing. When thawed, it will cause the surface to break in a way that matches the underlying shape of the ground therefore creating a pothole.

The 3 types of road surface are hot mix asphalt, Tar and Chip and Earth roads which consist of dirt and gravel and have very little traffic.

Surface dressing involves treating roads which are in relatively good condition with preventative maintenance treatments to maintain their good condition. Resurfacing is a more extensive structural maintenance treatment which involves removing up to 300mm of a worn out road surface and replacing it with new material.

The wearing course is the upper layer of bituminous material, often denser and stronger than the base layer. The thickness depends on the material specification and the amount of wear that is expected. Desired properties are good non-skid capabilities, minimal glare and acceptable durability.

Tarmacadam is often referred to by its brand name of ‘Tarmac’ and is very common on UK roads. The binder in Tarmacadam is tar, whereas asphalt uses a bitumen binder. Both terms are often used interchangeably.