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How long does tarmac take to dry?
The drying time for tarmac depends on the required thickness of your tarmac, and the exact compound used, since tarmac has become a blanket term for a number of similar materials like asphalt. Unlike many other forms of tarmac, every UltraCrete asphalt can be walked and driven over immediately after being laid, so there’s no need to wait. Simply lay your asphalt and get going!
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What is tarmac?
Tarmac, short for tarmacadam, is a mixture of crushed stone, tar, and sand, most commonly used for surfacing roads. In modern years, with tar increasingly replaced by bitumen (a semi-solid form of petroleum), ‘tarmac’ has come to be used for a variety of similar materials with similar applications, such as asphalt concrete.
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How to lay tarmac?
In most situations, we recommend that tarmac-laying be left to trained professionals, who have the correct tools and required knowledge to properly prepare the existing surface. In order to lay tarmac (asphalt), the existing area must be excavated and cleared in order to create a solid base. Once cleared of debris, apply a seal and tack coat spray to pothole edges. Pour asphalt slightly proud of the pothole and compact with a hand tamper or suitable mechanical alternative.
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Who invented tarmac?
Tarmac, a combination of aggregate and tar (or later, bitumen) is short for tarmacadam, and was patented in 1902 by Edgar Purnell Hooley. Tarmac takes its name from its predecessor, macadam, which was a similar road-laying material made solely of compacted crushed stone. Hooley was responsible for combining the crushed stone aggregate with tar in order to create a more hard-wearing, dust-free road-laying solution.
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How to clean tarmac?
Tarmac is a rough surface with pits and dents that can harbour algae and dirt. In order to clean your tarmac, we recommend using a degreaser that breaks down oils without damaging your tarmac. Once your tarmac has been treated beforehand, the dirt can be lightly jet washed away. When cleaning tarmac, it’s important to be careful! Though a pressure washer is an easy way to strip dirt away, it’s also an easy way to dislodge smaller pieces of tarmac. Be sure to use a moderate setting and head extension.
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Can you lay tarmac in the rain?
It is possible to lay some types of tarmac in the rain, provided that the rainfall is not excessive. However, we would always recommend laying your tarmac in warm, dry conditions for best results. Your tarmac installation may become compromised if your tarmac’s sub base has become wet in the rain. A wet sub base increases the risk of your tarmac cracking or caving in, leading to potholes. As such, minor rainfall will not prevent you from laying tarmac, but may limit the success of your installation.
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How to measure tarmac?
The amount of tarmac required for your home tarmac installation depends on the required depth of tarmac, as well as the surface area you intend to cover. One tub of UltraCrete’s Permanent Pothole Repair can cover approximately 1sqm of driveway, to a depth of 15mm. Our product pages also have calculators to estimate the amount of product needed.
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How tarmac is made?
Though tarmac has come to be used as a blanket name for many road surfacing materials, it originally was short for tarmacadam, a combination of crushed stone (aggregate) that is coated and mixed with tar. When bitumen – another, more cost-effective binding agent – replaced tar, other similar products entered the market, and also became known as tarmac. Once the aggregate is combined with the bitumen or tar, it is then compacted with a vibrating roller to create a smooth, driveable surface for cars.
