One of the most popular paving materials for roads and driveways is asphalt, because of the construction material’s excellent properties.
But did you know that there are many different types of asphalt to choose from?
So first of all, there are three types of asphalt grades that are available for you to choose from. These three grades are l-2, l-5, and l-4. The base grade is l-2, the top grade is l-5, and the commercial top grade is l-4.
The l-2 (or base grade) is ¾ inch stone and is often used as the stabilizing level. The l-5 grade is the most common choice for businesses and homeowners. The l-4 grade is made of a mixture of ¾ stone and is often used to add the strength and stability that is needed for asphalt use.
While there are three grades of asphalt, there are also different types. For homeowners, there are two main types of asphalt that are used— 41A and 41B.
The A version is often called the “driveway mix,” as this is the most common type that is used for driveways. 41A is made of a mix of sand and rock, and has a very fine texture.
On the other hand, the B mixture has larger rocks and sand, with the rocks up to ⅝ of an inch in size. This asphalt is advantageous for heavier load applications. The biggest disadvantage of this type of mixture is that the surface will not be as smooth because of the bigger rocks and sand.