What Is Asphalt, What’s It Made Of, and What Is It Used For?

Asphalt is an incredibly common material that we walk and drive on every day. Asphalt covers our highways and city streets, our bike paths and race tracks, our parking lots and sidewalks, and even our airport runways and our roofs. But what is asphalt made of?

Below, we’ll define asphalt, discuss its common uses, and review its pros and cons.

What Is Asphalt?

Asphalt is a composite material used for paving surfaces for walking and driving. It is made of aggregate materials—such as crushed rocks, sand, and gravel—and bitumen, a sticky, petroleum-based substance. The ratio is typically 95% aggregates and 5% bitumen. When mixed together at high temperatures, these materials form a highly effective (and affordable) paving material.

Asphalt may also contain additives, such as polymers, rejuvenators, mineral fillers, and polyphosphoric acid, to increase its performance.

What Is Asphalt Used For?

Asphalt is a highly versatile paving material that can be used for a variety of public, commercial, and residential uses, including:

• Roadways

• Driveways

• Sidewalks

• Parking lots

• Play areas

• Sport surfaces

• Bike paths

• Airport runways

• Race tracks

• Roofs

• Flooring

• Railway tracks

• Ports

• Landfill caps

Asphalt Alternatives

Asphalt is a common driveway paving material, but it’s not your only option. Here are some other ways you can pave your driveway or walkway at home:

• Concrete: Durable, versatile, and common, though it requires a fair amount of maintenance.

• Gravel: Permeable and easy to install, but can be tricky with steep slopes

• Brick: Elegant and durable, but expensive

Pros and Cons of Asphalt

Asphalt is a great driveway material with plenty of benefits, but there are also some disadvantages to consider.

Asphalt Advantages

• Affordable: The cost to install an asphalt driveway is more affordable than that of a concrete or brick driveway.

• Easy to install: Asphalt driveway installation is fast and easy. You should be able to drive on your asphalt within a day of installation. A local asphalt company can tackle the job in a single day.

• Easy to maintain: Asphalt maintenance is easy; the main task is resealing. You may need to resurface and repair cracks over time. Asphalt driveway repair costs $2,450 on average.

• Durable and flexible: Asphalt is a great paving material because it’s highly resistant to weather, including rain, snow, and extreme temperatures. It’s less likely than concrete to crack over time.

Asphalt Downsides

• Amount of maintenance: Asphalt maintenance may be easy, but the material also requires more frequent maintenance than some other materials.

• Longevity: Asphalt driveways last 15 to 30 years—not bad, but still shorter than the typical lifespan for concrete driveways.