The term bitumen is often mistakenly used to describe asphalt, but is actually the liquid binder that holds asphalt together.
A bitumen-sealed road has a layer of bitumen sprayed and covered with an aggregate. This process is then repeated to give a two-coat seal.
Asphalt is produced by heating, drying and mixing aggregate, bitumen and sand into a composite mix. It is applied through a paving machine on site as a solid material at a nominated or required thickness, relative to the end use. Asphalt results in a smoother and more durable surface than a bitumen-sealed road. Unlike bricks and concrete asphalt and bitumen emulsion doesn’t encourage ants and weeds in the joints and can be resurfaced in future without removal of the old surface.
