What is Surface Dressing in Road Construction?

Over time, roads of all ages suffer varying levels of degradation.  As cars and people traverse them, weather batters them, and chemicals spill on them, they slowly deteriorate, often to a state where they are no longer safe to use. The longer they are left untreated, the worse the damage becomes, and as a result, the higher the repair bill.

This is why surface dressing should always be considered. Surface dressing provides a more cost-effective fix for roads before the damage escalates. In this blog, we explain why surface dressing for roads is a cost-saving maintenance solution worth considering.

What is road surface dressing?

Road surface dressing is a type of preventative maintenance that seals the existing road surface with a durable material made of polymer-modified bitumen and aggregate chippings. Surface dressing can also be used on footpaths and other damaged surfaces that do not require a full overhaul.

By surface dressing a road, you protect it from further damage and avoid the huge outlay that full resurfacing would incur.

What is the main difference between surface dressing and resurfacing?

When a road is resurfaced, large areas of damaged road are replaced with new surface material. This is a long and expensive process. It often results in significant stretches of road being closed for long periods, causing widespread disruption. Surface dressing, on the other hand, is a much quicker, less expensive treatment used on roads in good condition but showing signs of wear.

Why choose surface dressing over resurfacing?

Surface dressing is ideal for roads in your area that haven’t deteriorated significantly, whereas resurfacing is for a complete overhaul of the existing surface. Therefore, it would make no sense, economically, to resurface a stretch of road that is not yet in a complete state of disrepair.

By surface dressing a road, you extend its lifespan and eliminate, or reduce, potholes, cracks and other signs of major road damage. Leaving a road “as is” allows minor problems to develop into significant issues that cost large sums and take a long time to repair.

If, though, your road surface is damaged and poses safety risks to users, such as flooding or even collapse, you should always look to resurfacing as your solution.

What are the benefits of surface dressing?

Road surfacing delivers many benefits to existing roads. From quick turnarounds that reduce downtime to avoiding expensive resurfacing further down the line, it enhances safety while minimising expenses. A few benefits of road surface dressing include:

Safer road surface

With an upgraded surface, skid resistance is greatly improved. Drivers will be able to stop much more easily with less risk of colliding with other vehicles or sliding off the road surface.

Enhanced durability

With the new layer of protection on the road, it becomes waterproof, preventing water from entering the lower layers, where it can destabilise the surface.

Protection from the effects of cold weather

In cold weather, road surfaces in poor condition can become dangerous. Surface dressing a road protects it from the issues ice and frost cause, making it safer for drivers and pedestrians.

Longer lifespan

Once a road is surface dressed, its lifespan is automatically increased as the more vulnerable parts of the road are reinforced. This leads to much slower natural degradation, therefore delivering a much longer-lasting road surface.

Reduced local authority expenditure

Surface dressing is considerably cheaper than resurfacing. By opting for preventative maintenance rather than a full overhaul, a limited budget can go much further.

Less disruption

As road surface dressing is much quicker than full resurfacing, disruption to road users is reduced. This means that the effect on local businesses, schools and more is much less than it would be otherwise.

Safer driving environment

When a road is surface dressed, it becomes much safer to drive on. Spray caused by vehicles is greatly reduced, making visibility much clearer.

How long does road surface dressing take?

Surface dressing can be completed in a few hours for small sections of road, with larger areas taking a day or more. Much depends on the level of work involved, the type of surface dressing and whether additional work, such as line painting and reinstating road studs, is required. If you’d like to know more about how long road resurfacing takes, our recent blog dives into it in a little more detail.

How long will a road last when it is surface dressed?

Surface dressing can last as long as ten years, and on roads encountering infrequent traffic, it can be considerably longer. You can surface dress a road multiple times, but it is recommended that the road is fully resurfaced after it’s been dressed three times. This, of course, varies, especially if a road starts being used more often or has had poor-quality work carried out on it.

Are there different types of road surface dressing?

Yes, there are various types of surface dressing for roads; the type required depends on the road's condition.

Single dressing

Single dressing is used for bitumen road surface with only minor damage. A binder is applied and covered with a layer of compacted aggregate.

Double dressing

The double dressing is the single dressing but doubled. Local authorities will choose this option for roads in poor condition but not yet needing full resurfacing.

Pad coat dressing

The pad coat dressing for road surfaces is applied as a cover before a full road surface dressing. It will often be used on new cement-stabilised bases or dense crushed-rock bases.

Racked dressing

Chosen for areas with heavy traffic flow, racked dressing is a double-layer of the pad coat dressing, with the second layer using smaller chippings. This helps to enhance stability and reduce the risk of dislodged surface material.

Sandwich dressing

Used on bitumen roads, the sandwich dressing consists of layers of chippings, followed by a single dressing.

When is the best time of year to surface dress a road?

For optimal results and fastest turnaround, road surface dressing should be carried out when the weather is warm and dry. This allows the materials to settle properly and have the road reopened much quicker. As a result, the majority of road surface dressings are booked in the summer months.

To find out more about road surface dressing or road resurfacing in Sussex, Surrey and Kent, speak to Tidey & Webb. We are among the leading road surfacing contractors in the south, using our years of experience and skilled team to ensure roads remain safe and in the best condition. Need more than roads surfaced? Our commercial surfacing team are on hand to assist with footpaths, playgrounds, racetracks and more. Get your free quote today.