Everything you need to know about road surfacing.

Roads are an important part of our lives; they are used every day by millions of people. Roads can receive a lot of damage from weather, the amount of vehicle usage, and poor repairs. Having an uneven surface, damage and potholes can increase the danger level for vehicle users, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Why do we resurface roads? 

Resurfacing roads is a crucial part of highway maintenance. Having durable and long-lasting roads, that are kept updated and maintained, helps prevent future problems, avoiding time spent making smaller repairs such as potholes. Roads are resurfaced to ensure safety; whether from uneven ground or worn ground that doesn’t provide enough grip to the cars that travel on it. Providing a safe surface for people to travel on is the ultimate goal of a road and must be kept in mind when resurfacing takes place.

Road repairs: 

As we know, potholes and cracks are common road problems that haven’t resurfaced in many years. These can cause hazards to drivers, bikers, and cyclists alike. A car may receive damage if they encounter particularly bad potholes. Potholes cause serious risks to cyclists and motorcycle riders if they go untreated.

Patching the potholes and cracks is a temporary solution to creating safe travel for everyone until the road can be resurfaced again, but ultimately if enough potholes are created then road resurfacing is the only true solution.

Why surface a new road? 

In general, people are always expanding and need new roads whether their building houses on new land, creating better routes, adding roundabouts, and wanting easier access to their new or old businesses for their staff and clients.

It is quite common for new home build areas to have a completely new road surface, to ensure easy access for the oncoming site traffic and new home buyers. You also want the road to reflect the quality of homes built in that area. 

For many businesses, the road leading to their premises is the first way to interact with their customers. Having a well-done, smooth road surface will just make that first impression and welcome customers to your business.

The benefits of road surfacing: 

The benefits of surfacing roads are creating a safe route for all that use them, whether you’re driving or cycling, the roads should be safe, so you don’t run into any unanticipated hazards that could hurt you or your transport. Plus, having smoother roads can also have a positive effect on fuel consumption, which we all know is an environmental factor.

Another benefit is the look of the roads, you don’t want to look out of your window and see unsightly roads with lots of damage, keeping them updated will give you a better view. 

What materials are used? 

Most UK roads are surfaced with tarmac or asphalt. Asphalt is a mix of aggregates and bitumen that needs up to two days before it completely cures, whereas Tarmac is a combination of crushed stone and tar that cures quickly. Asphalt is durable, 100% recyclable back into the road, and skid-resistant, which is why it’s another popular choice for roads. Tarmac is a robust and durable surfacing material and is extremely resilient to heavy vehicles.

So, knowing roads are an important part of our lives, resurfacing and repairing is important to make your journey happier and safer, whilst avoiding any unnecessary damage to your vehicle. Keeping on top of road surfacing makes sure that roads are reliable to use, and that any minor fixes are dealt with, so they don’t turn into more dangerous problems. If you want to hire us for your surfacing needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team here:  Enquiry form