Gallaghers Paving Offering Asphalt, Concrete, And Paving For Dallas And Surrounding Areas.

Asphalt - Simple To Make, Reusable And Inexpensive - Also A Cornerstone Of Our Nation.

Apple Pie, Baseball and Asphalt. It doesn't get more American than that. Really, consider it. When was the last time you went to a business meeting and didn't drive on asphalt? When was the last trip to a friends house to watch movies, bar-be-que, or whatever when your tires didn't ride smoothly across some asphalt of some kind? What about the last time you went to Church, the airport or even out for a night on the town and didn't enjoy the use of asphalt induced transportation lanes? Asphalt is used everywhere.

Our nation has around 4,000 asphalt plants, that churn out roughly 500 Million tons of asphalt (new and recycled) each year worth more than 3 billion dollars. Of this, half a billion tons (do the math, that's a lot of asphalt) roughly 5% of it is asphalt cement made from petroleum by products and the remaining 95% is rock, sand , gravel, stone and rock. Since its invention (which some experts claim occurred as early as 900 A.D.) asphalt has retained its simple mixture process. Heat up the aggregate materials and add the raw asphalt cement and there ya go.

Something that may come as a surprise is that Asphalt is one of the most recyclable materials made by man. Just melt it down, separate the cement from the sand or rocks and you have the raw materials again. While not only helping the environment it provides a significant cost savings to both the contractors as well as the consumers.

Listed below are some FAQ's about Asphalt.

Does Asphalt Get Potholes Easier Or Faster Than Other Types Of Paving Options?
The short answer is no. Potholes are caused when moisture of any kind seeps thru small cracks in the road surface allowing degradation and weakening of the substrate (think of it as the foundation) layers. These layers are typically made of clay , or packed dirt or sand, and serve to provide a solid foundation to build upon. When moisture loosens the foundation layers, the top layers push down and create a depression or sinkhole. Usually these occur in places where water pools alongside the roadway or where the freezing and heating of the moisture occurs too rapidly.
Is The Asphalt Used In Commercial Roofing The Same Asphalt That's Used In Paving Applications?
No. The asphalt materials used in roofing applications is typically a much harder material that is heated to much higher temperatures. Roadway asphalt is very pliable and heats much faster, sets quicker and mixes easier. All properties that make it ideal for roadway and parking lot applications.
How Thick Does Asphalt Need To Be ?
That depends...on whether or not the area will be traveled on by just cars or cars and trucks. What types of soil lays beneath the asphalt and even weather conditions. There is no standard answer to this question so we always recommend requesting an on-site evaluation and no pressure sales quote. Let our experts determine the perfect solution for your needs.
What Exactly Is RAP And Can I Use It For Small Jobs (Like My Driveway)?
RAP. is the acronym for recycled asphalt product. Recycled asphalt officially gets this acronym once the old asphalt has been ground up in to tiny pieces of gravel. RAP is reusable because of the way asphalt retains its petroleum oils. ABSOLUTELY! RAP usually costs less than brand new Hot Mix Asphalt and due to our cutting edge hardware for mixing and spreading, we can use RAP for just about any job.
It Seems People Either Love Or Hate Asphalt - Why Is That?
Asphalt as a paving or roadway medium is only as good as the team, contractor or company applying it. The biggest mistakes made when creating an asphalt road, parking lot, driveway or other area are... 1. Thin Pavement In Original Construction. Just like anything else, if the contractor or team tries to skimp on the thickness of the asphalt, it will crack and tear in just a few months. 2. Improper Water Drainage. Another way companies try to save money is avoiding the cost to provide appropriate drainage on and around the pavement. This causes water to seep and pool, stealing the all important oils from the asphalt and damages the substrate. Without it's essential oils, the asphalt becomes dry and brittle, allowing for premature asphalt deterioration.