Tar and Chip Paving | Driveway | Texan Paving

A tar and chip seal driveway in Austin, Texas

On this post we will follow a tar and chip seal of an aging 650' asphalt driveway with 2 - 16' wide x 6' deep cattle guards, and a 25'x50' parking pad.

First lets go over what a tar and chip seal consists of, Tar and chip paving can be done on an aging asphalt surface or on a prepared base of crushed rock/caliche. It can be used to further extend the life of an old asphalt surface or as a paving surface by itself. In most of the 50 states it is used by D.o.T crews on secondary state, city and rural roads. In Australia and New Zealand it is used virtually everywhere. New Zealand and Australia move millions of pounds of product on a daily basis on Tar and chip roads.

When a tar and chip coat is added to an existing asphalt surface it will be 10 or more years before any further repairs are required, When applied on top of a road base 1 layer of tar and gravel will usually last 7 to 10 years before needing a resurface. If installed with a couple of layers of tar and gravel it can take 12 to 15 ears before any repairs are needed.

Step 1. If tar and chip is being installed over an old asphalt surface first inspect, and make the needed repairs to potholes, and large cracks.

Step 2. Clean the entire surface with a sweeper or industrial blower, If the surface is not clean the tar emulsion wont stick properly to the asphalt. If chip sealing over road base / Caliche make sure the to prime the surface with water if is to dusty.

Step 3. Evenly spray the tar emulsion on the surface to be paved, the tar must be sprayed under the right weather conditions, and at the correct temperature being controlled by the distributor.

Step 4. Evenly spread the gravel using an industrial spreader, spread bucket attachment on tractor, or by hand raking the gravel onto the hot tar mix.

Step 5. Roll the entire surface of the paved area to the gravel stones into the hot tar, The surface can be driven on immediately after its rolled. But please remember to avoid fast turning tires, and parking on the surface for around a week wile it cures. Driving on it wont be an issue at all the more you drive on it the better, it is just the fast turning, pealing of wheels, heavy equipment that will leave a small indentation on the first few days, once its cured it can handle heavy loads just like asphalt, Australians and New Zealanders move most of the product they consume and export on tar and chip roads.

Please click on the video below to see a tar and chip seal installation over an aging asphalt driveway at a ranch on the outskirts of Austin, Texas Between Bee Cave, and Lakeway.