What Are Asphalt Millings, and Do They Make a Good Driveway?
Asphalt millings are old asphalt pavement ground off a road surface. The Federal Highway Administration describes properly crushed and screened reclaimed asphalt as well-graded aggregate coated with asphalt cement, notes that its quality varies with the pavement it came from, and says on its own it may bear less load than conventional aggregate base.
Where millings come from
The Federal Highway Administration explains that asphalt pavement is removed either by milling or by full-depth removal, and that a milling machine can remove up to 2 inches of the surface in a single pass. The National Asphalt Pavement Association adds that asphalt is 100% recyclable, and old pavement is typically processed back into new pavement.
What the material is
According to the Federal Highway Administration, reclaimed asphalt pavement that has been properly crushed and screened consists of high-quality, well-graded aggregates coated by asphalt cement. It also cautions that quality can vary, because the old pavement's makeup, patching, crack sealing and past seal coats all affect what ends up in the pile.
How it performs as a base
The same FHWA guidance says reclaimed asphalt by itself may have a somewhat lower bearing capacity than conventional granular aggregate, and that it is often blended with conventional aggregate to reach the strength needed for load-bearing base layers.
Millings at All County
All County Paving lists asphalt millings among its driveway services. Ask for the source and processing of the millings in any written quote, since FHWA notes quality varies by source.
Keep reading
Sources
- Federal Highway Administration, User Guidelines for Waste and Byproduct Materials in Pavement Construction: Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement
- National Asphalt Pavement Association, Hiring an Asphalt Contractor for Driveways
Frequently Asked Questions
Millings are asphalt removed from a road surface by a milling machine. The Federal Highway Administration describes crushed and screened reclaimed asphalt as well-graded aggregate coated by asphalt cement.
No. The Federal Highway Administration says the quality of reclaimed asphalt varies with the old pavement it came from, including its patching, crack sealing and past seal coats.