Roads are an essential part of our daily lives and they require regular maintenance to keep drivers and vehicles safe. At Diamond Asphalt we understand the importance of completing these services in an effective and professional manner, because we know that without roads, we wouldn’t be anywhere.

Below is a description of just two of the main services that we offer in Saskatchewan.

Chip Sealing

(BST / Bituminous Surface Treatment) is the application of a special protective wearing surface to an existing pavement.

Why chip seal?

• To keep water from penetrating the road structure on paved surfaces.
• To fill and seal cracks of old pavement.
• To provide an anti-glare surface during wet weather and an increased reflective surface for night driving.
• To seal the pavement surface-minimizing the effects of aging.
• To provide a highly skid-resistant surface, particularly on wet pavements.
• The cost of chip sealing is nearly a 75% savings over the cost of repaving.

The Chip Seal Process

During this process, asphalt is combined with approximately 30% water. This mixture is then applied to the road by utilising  a spray truck. When the liquid asphalt meets the road surface, the water starts to evaporate. After spraying this asphalt, a layer of crushed gravel is applied by a spreader. The gravel (or chips) have a maximum size of 3/8 inch. Then, the gravel is compacted and embedded into the asphalt by rubber-tired rollers.

The new chip-seal surface can require up to two days to cure properly. Hot, dry weather helps speed up this process in which all of the remaining water in the emulsion evaporates and the asphalt hardens. Traffic can pass over this surface at reduced speeds during the curing process. After curing, the loose gravel is swept off the surface.

During this process, our road crews ask that motorists reduce speed to avoid creating extra dust, flying rocks (that haven’t yet embedded into the pavement mixture from the steam roller) and help to create good visibility. By reducing your speed you will help to keep crews and your vehicle safe from debris.

Crack Sealing 

Crack sealing is the primary target in a pavement maintenance program. If done correctly, it can add 5-7 years or more to a pavements life cycle. Crack sealing is the preventative measure used to extend and maintain the life of our roads. It’s one of the most effective ways to keep the roads safe from weather related issues. The main objective of crack sealing is to keep water out of the road – helping to avoid potholes and erosion.

Proper application is essential for this process. Studies indicate that the longest lasting method is performed in 3 steps:

1. Prep the Crack with either a router or random crack saw. This opens up the crack, creates a reservoir and preps the edge for better bonding. Rout or Saw? The most common approach is Saw Concrete, Rout Asphalt.

2. Clean the crack with dry, clean compressed air or for the best results, use a Heat lance. A heatlance removes not only dirt but moisture and vegetation. The heat lance also heats the old surface which helps in bonding with the new sealant.

3. Seal the crack with a quality Polymer modified brand name rubberized hot-pour sealant. Hot-pour sealant is proven to last up to 10 times longer the cold applied products in flexible pavements.

Asphalt Grinding

Asphalt rubble that was previously typically disposed of at landfills, can now be processed on site by a milling machine into particle sizes that allow asphalt millings to be reused in hot mix pavement or can be used on your job site in areas where the soils are sub-standard or are unstable.

A milling machine can quickly remove pavement to desired depth allowing Statewide to proof roll soil´s subgrade to ensure adequacy of compactability of subgrade before replacement of repaired area with asphalt. It´s fast, less disruptive, minimizes jackhammer noise, and provides you with a cost savings.

By utilizing Asphalt Grindings you´ll have a compacted subgrade using the waste materials from your old asphalt and you´ll save money.

Asphalt grindings can be recycled as they are easily compactable for a new immediate hard surface such as:

• Farm land roads
• Construction or project sites
• Parking surfaces
• Storage areas

Asphalt grindings easily replace a gravel surface however are not suitable as a permanent hard surface for commercial or residential use.

For more information and a complete list of our services, Please contact us at: 306 946 7505