What is tarmac?
Tarmac and asphalt appear exactly the same from the surface. But, despite being strikingly similar, there are still significant differences.
People often refer to surfaces in different ways, such as bitumen asphalt or tarmac asphalt. Whatever the name of the surface, there are many factors that can affect the choice between asphalt and tarmac.
Tarmacadam, also known as Tarmac, is a strong and long-lasting surface. Tarmac is created when crushed stone is coated in tar. Tarmac is strong and water resistant. It provides good grip, as well as a beautiful finish. Tarmac driveways are where it is most common.
Bitmac, which is less likely to be damaged by accidentally spilled petrol or diesel, has replaced tarmac almost entirely.
Bitumen and tar are removed to make bitmac. This creates bitmac, which is more like asphalt. Bitumen is much more dense than asphalt.
Asphalt is a dense mixture of aggregates and bitumen that has been bound together. A surface that is created by combining certain aggregates and using bitumen as a binding agent.
Asphalt is a popular choice for road surfaces because it’s a cost-effective solution to large-area surfacing. Asphalt is not the most affordable option for small surfaces. Asphalt tarmac can sometimes be confused with asphalt tarmac.
Asphalt is much harder wearing than tarmac. However asphalt is not as resistant the constant scuffing caused by car tires.
This is an important distinction to make when comparing bitmac surfacing with asphalt surfacing. Asphalt is much more durable to extreme weather conditions and requires a lot less maintenance. This is a crucial factor when choosing between asphalt or tarmac.
Another reason asphalt is preferred over tarmac? Asphalts are much more gentle on the environment. Asphalt can be recycled once it is worn down and used again. While it is called asphalt driveway, it could actually be asphalt concrete. This is a totally different type of surface.
Asphalt concrete is an asphaltic mixture with sand. This creates a tough, durable surface. These surfaces can be much more costly than asphalt and tarmac and are also harder to fix. The temperature fluctuations can cause asphalt concrete to be more susceptible to damage.