What Is the Difference Between Asphalt and Blacktop?

People often use the terms asphalt and blacktop interchangeably, and while they are similar in many ways, there are a few key differences.

One evident similarity is that they are made from the same primary materials:  

• Bitumen
• Aggregate (crushed stone) 

But, the difference between blacktop and asphalt is in the way these materials are made as well as the way they are used.

How Bitumen and Aggregate Form Asphalt

What is bitumen? Bitumen is a sticky and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum that is made up of heavy hydrocarbons. 

It can be produced naturally by extracting it directly from the ground or it can be produced when crude oil is refined. When crude oil is heated it separates into light components like gasoline and diesel, and heavy components like bitumen. 

Most bitumen is used as a construction material. Part of the time it is used in roofing applications such as the manufacture of shingles or to waterproof and seal roofs. 

70% of the time bitumen is used in road construction, where it is used as the binder that is mixed with aggregate (gravel and crushed rocks) to create what a lot of people call, asphalt concrete.

Technically, asphalt and bitumen are the same things. It becomes what we think of as asphalt when aggregate is added to it. 

Asphalt Characteristics

Asphalt is mixed and transported at a temperature of at least 250 degrees. This high temperature keeps the asphalt pliable for long enough to pour and compact onto roadways.

Additionally, the high temperature makes certain that the asphalt will come out strong enough to handle the stress of cars driving over it.

When is Asphalt Used?

Asphalt is a great choice of paving material for the following applications: 

• Highways 
• Major Roads 

Blacktop Characteristics

Blacktop has a different ratio of aggregate to bitumen. There is a higher percentage of aggregate in blacktop than there is in asphalt.

Blacktop is also heated at a higher temperature than asphalt. Typically 300 degrees or higher. As a result, blacktop surfaces are very flexible, durable, and can last a very long time.

It is generally smoother, not as noisy to drive on, better for wear on car tires. 

When is Blacktop Used?

Here are places where the use of blacktop is a good choice.

• Driveways
• Playgrounds
• Pathways
• Parking Lots 
• Residential Roads with light traffic

Consult A Professional Asphalt Paving Company

In addition to the differences between blacktop and asphalt, the experts at Blacktop Concepts are knowledgeable about all aspects of paving. Contact Blacktop Concepts for all other information you need. Serving the Twin Cities East Metro area and Western Wisconsin for more than 40 years, we can provide the right answers to all of your paving questions as well as a free estimate.