As your parking lot or roadway ages, standard wear and tear is inevitable. However, not every aging surface requires a complete, expensive reconstruction. 

Bituminous Roadways provides professional mill-and-overlay services in the Twin Cities to refresh your pavement efficiently and affordably.

If you’re unsure when to schedule maintenance for your asphalt surface, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on the signs that it’s time for an asphalt refresh.

What Is a Mill & Overlay?

A mill and overlay is a highly cost-effective asphalt maintenance process designed to refresh aging pavement that is still structurally sound.

Using a specialized milling machine, paving crews remove the top layer of existing pavement, typically 1.5 to 4 inches deep. Once the old, damaged surface layer is ground away, the milled area is overlaid with a brand-new layer of hot-mix asphalt. 

This process saves thousands of dollars in total reconstruction costs while restoring the beauty, durability, and safety of your surface.

4 Signs Your Pavement Needs a Mill & Overlay

Look for these four key indicators that your parking lot or roadway is a prime candidate for a mill and overlay.

1. Minimal Fatigue Cracking 

If the surface of your pavement is beginning to look like “alligator skin,” it is experiencing fatigue cracking. This is a sign of structural distress, often caused by overloading thin pavements with heavy vehicles or a weakened aggregate base. 

While a mill and overlay only replaces the surface layer and cannot fix deep foundational failures, performing this service when fatigue cracking is still minimal can seal the surface and prevent your pavement from deteriorating further into a costly base failure.

2. Block Cracking 

Block cracking appears as an interconnection of square-like patterned cracks across the pavement. These cracks develop naturally as asphalt ages and dries out. 

When widespread block cracking occurs alongside minimal fatigue cracking, it is a strong indication that the underlying base is structurally sound, making it the perfect time for a surface-level mill-and-overlay.

3. Surface Deterioration (Raveling) 

Surface deterioration, commonly known as raveling, is the progressive, slow loss of asphalt material from the pavement surface. As the petroleum-based binder wears away, it leaves behind exposed rocks and gives the pavement a very coarse, rough appearance. 

Raveling typically occurs across the entire pavement surface and is a clear indicator of the pavement's advanced age. A mill and overlay seamlessly grinds away this raveled surface and replace it with a smooth, tightly bound layer of new asphalt.

4. Drainage Issues 

Pavements with poor drainage will have noticeable areas where water pools or "ponds" after a rainstorm. You may notice flat areas with multiple smaller puddles, or a large depressed area where water collects because it cannot reach a catch basin.

By milling the surface at a precise angle, contractors can correct these sloped dips in the pavement, drastically improving water runoff and eliminating hazardous drainage issues.

Key Benefits of a Mill & Overlay

Ever since the milling machine was invented in 1979, the mill-and-overlay method has been a perfect solution for refreshing asphalt. 

Some of the key benefits of mill and overlay include:

  • Cost Savings: Because the foundational base is left intact, the process takes significantly less time and uses fewer materials than a full reconstruction, making it a highly cost-effective solution.

  • A New, Fresh Surface: Your drivers, tenants, and customers will immediately benefit from a smooth, newly paved surface for driving and parking.

  • Drainage Corrections: Strategic milling can easily correct surface dips, eliminating pooling water and drainage problems.

  • Added Strength: By removing the old, deteriorated, and brittle surface, the rest of your parking lot or road is protected from the elements, ensuring it lasts longer and is more durable.

BR Project Profiles: Expert Mill & Overlay Services

Throughout our more than 75-year history, Bituminous Roadways has transformed countless aging Minnesota roads and lots through the mill-and-overlay process. 

Two standout municipal projects:

  • Hennepin County (2020): Bituminous Roadways was awarded a massive project spanning 13 different cities within Hennepin County. Throughout the process, our crews successfully overlaid 68 miles of roadway, executing 434,498 square yards of milling and placing 59,000 tons of hot-mix asphalt.

  • City of Richfield Public Works Department (2017-2018) BR worked with the City of Richfield Public Works Department on three large paving projects. In 2017, we milled 308,000 square yards of roadways and placed 44,000 tons of asphalt. The following year, we milled another 265,000 square yards and placed 36,000 tons of asphalt, further securing BR as a go-to contractor for major asphalt refreshes.

Ready to Protect Your Asphalt Investment?

For more than 75 years, Bituminous Roadways, Inc. has provided the Twin Cities with expert paving solutions. Our professional pavement engineers are ready to assess your specific asphalt needs and help maximize your pavement's lifecycle.

Contact BR at 651-686-7001 to schedule a free pavement assessment or complete our online Request a Consultation form today!