Chip Seals

Preventative Road Maintenance 

Chip seals are an excellent and economical preventative maintenance treatment that will prolong pavement life.

A chip seal consists of an application of water-based asphalt emulsion that is applied to the roadbed and “cover stone” (an application of uniformly graded crushed stone) is placed over the asphalt film. The pavement is then rolled and traffic may be restored the same day. Chip seals are a low-temperature, environmentally friendly process that reduces emissions and fumes. We can also combine our emulsions with state-of-the-art polymers that increase durability significantly.

Chip seals are recommended for municipal and private roadways with moderate traffic levels up to 2,500 vehicles per day.

Chip seals, as thin lift maintenance pavements, are principally designed to protect the surface of an existing bituminous pavement. The chip seal can seal small cracks in the pavement bridge and protect the surface integrity of the existing pavement, adding at least five years of additional service life for a very small investment in time and money. Ideal candidates are pavements having good geometry and structural integrity (i.e. a good base). Exclusive use of hot mix overlays to extend the life of pavements in this condition is both expensive and unwarranted.

Chip seals are installed very quickly and economically with placement rates up to four times greater than traditional hot mix paving – so covering 50,000 square yards per day is very achievable. The cost of a single chip seal can be as little as 25% of the cost of a traditional hot mix overlay and provides even more savings as compared to the other exotic thin lift pavements.