A driveway in Eustis Florida dug out and installed 4 inches of lime rock base material and compacted. prepped for asphalt

A material mined directly out of our state ground, it is has been (until recently) the most readily available base in Florida. Recently we have had a shortage of lime rock so we do replace our our base with recycled materials, but still to this day lime rock is the go dependable base for asphalt installation.

A county apron being prepped for inspection most local counties call for the base to be lime rock 3-6 inches and tacked as well

a county apron being installed with lime rock, some will call for a culvert pipe installation

This recycled material is created by digging up old concrete driveways, sidewalks, curbs, even bridges, and grinding it down to a predetermined size.

It seems to absorb moisture better then other materials making ideal for places that run along wetlands.

you can choose the size of the material, so we can apply heavier larger stones to steeper driveways to maintain stability, as well as a finer size stone for a smoother surface.

This is low cost solution to getting out of the dirt and having a stable surface for cars and trailers ect. making this an affordable driveway.

Recycled concrete, although a great base, is not a finished surface so it will change over time, and every few years you may need to grade it or bring a new load in relevel the surface.

It can get dusty on the dry days, as well as it holds the moisture is as dusty as it is with a few days/weeks without moister.

asphalt millings/ recycled asphalt

If you have seen this set up or one similar to this above while drive ( specially if you have been down I4 or highway 27 around the villages) this big yellow machine grinds old asphalt up and shoots in to the back of a dump truck, who will haul it away to and asphalt plant where it will either be grinded finer to be added back into the asphalt, or sometimes sold as and independent base. because of some its amazing properties compared to other bases it is becoming the number one choice for home owners & business owners as an alternative to traditional asphalt paving or concrete.

The rock is an oiled rock, so it far less dusty then other bases, meaning less tracking of dirt and less trips to the carwash

Asphalt millings excess oil content has a tendency to rebind over time, while it will never be like a hot asphalt installation, it will ( if installed properly ) develop as crust, creating a stronger surface compared to other bases.

It is affordable!! most of the time installing asphalt millings is half the price of new asphalt paving but a lot of our clients find that it is all they require for their property

Recycled asphalt can over time be treated like normal asphalt, it can be seal coated like normal asphalt an this will help bind and crust the asphalt as well as give it a nice final look.

Asphalt millings and hard to come by, as stated above asphalt millings is used in creating new asphalt, actually most new, hot, asphalt can be anywhere between 40%-60% recycled asphalt. Depending on the amount of asphalt work going on in the state can depend on the availability of millings.

This leads into the next factor, constancy of product, if you look through our pictures you will see different rock sizes, colors, and textures, different grinders produce different product but for the most part as long as the product is clean ( all asphalt with little base or dirt ground up in it ), though visually different, performance results should be the same.

Price, although asphalt millings is affordable compared to hard surfaces, it is the most expensive base, and in connection to our first con, asphalt millings can be hard to come by. Does that mean it can’t be purchased ? yes & no, there is always a place to buy asphalt millings but it just depends who, where, & when? sometimes the stock pile can come from a local asphalt plant not far from a project, but if that plant gets a big order and closes sales so we have to travel further to get the product. increase haul time, price fluctuation, product fluctuation, and overall job time fluctuation.

That’s why its so important to choose a Pro to go over your options, “one shoe does not fit every person”. every case will be different, here at BLACK BEAR PAVING CO. , we would love to help pick the best option to suite your needs rather it be a commercial site or just a homeowner tired of getting stuck in the mud. We will not only help you choose the best affordable road base, but also install it to a professional level.

Base material is exactly what it is ……….. a base, a foundation, something to build on, what ever you put on top is only going to be as strong as the the foundation its built on ( as in life). It is not uncommon for contractors to sell these materials and show up with there dump truck tail gate it in and move on to the next one, amd in two months grass is growing through and you now have to mow your rocky washed out new driveway…. our process is a little different.

we grade out your are a few inches down below the grass long, apply grass preventing formulas, level to insure approximate depth, apply your base, and then compact with a vibratory roller.

this insures maximum life while preparing your driveway for future possibilities, such as a finished asphalt surface.