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About Asphalt Milling
Asphalt milling, also called cold milling or cold planing, is the process of cutting the top layer off an existing tar or asphalt surface before it gets resurfaced. A milling machine grinds the old wearing course away to a set depth, leaves a clean, keyed surface behind, and carts the removed material off site. It's not a repair on its own — it's the step that makes the resurfacing on top of it actually last, because new asphalt bonds properly to a milled surface and sits at the correct level against kerbs, drains and manholes instead of standing proud of them. We mill driveways, roads, parking areas and industrial yards across Germiston, the East Rand and Johannesburg, using our own milling machine, sweeper and tipper trucks rather than equipment hired in for the job.
What's Included
- Site walked and assessed before quoting depth
- Depth checked against kerbs, drains, manholes, doors
- Carbide-toothed drum grinds old surface to depth
- Partial or full-depth milling, matched to damage
- Millings loaded onto tipper trucks, removed on site
- Surface swept clean of loose material and dust
- Clean saw-cut edges for new asphalt to butt against
- Own milling machine, sweeper and tippers, not hired
Our Process
- 1
Assess the Site
We walk the site, check the condition of the existing surface, and work out how deep the milling needs to go to reach sound material without cutting further than necessary. Depth is confirmed against kerb lines, drain inlets, manhole covers and door thresholds so the finished level lines up correctly once the new asphalt goes down.
- 2
Mill to Depth
Our milling machine uses a rotating drum fitted with carbide-tipped cutting teeth that grind the old asphalt away at the confirmed depth, leaving a consistent, level, keyed surface the new asphalt can bond to. Driveways are usually milled in a single pass; larger roads, parking areas and yards are worked in sections.
- 3
Clear and Sweep
The removed material, the millings, is loaded straight onto tipper trucks as the machine cuts rather than left in a pile on site. Once milling is complete, the area is swept clean of loose material and dust before anything else happens.
- 4
Finish Levels and Joints
We cut clean edges, often with a straight saw-cut line, where the milled surface meets kerbs, existing asphalt, manhole covers and expansion joints, so the new asphalt has a defined joint to butt up against instead of a ragged edge that cracks early.
Project Gallery
Asphalt Milling FAQ
What is asphalt milling?
Asphalt milling, also called cold milling or cold planing, is the process of removing the top layer of an existing tar or asphalt surface using a machine fitted with a rotating, carbide-toothed drum. It strips the failed or worn surface away to a set depth without disturbing the base underneath, leaving a clean, level, textured surface that new asphalt can bond to properly. It's normally the first step in a resurfacing job rather than a repair on its own.
When do you actually need milling instead of a straight resurface?
You need milling when a straight overlay would leave the new surface sitting too high against kerbs, drains, manhole covers or a garage door threshold, when the existing surface has failed in a way that a thin new layer won't fix, or when potholes and rutting keep reopening because the damage runs deeper than a surface patch reaches. If the base is sound and level isn't an issue, an overlay without milling can sometimes be the cheaper option, and we'll tell you if that's the case for your surface rather than milling unnecessarily.
How deep does the milling go?
Depth depends on what the surface needs. Partial-depth milling removes just enough of the top layer to correct the level and give the new asphalt a surface to key into, which is common on driveways and roads where the base is still sound. Full-depth milling goes right through the affected asphalt down to sound material, which is needed where damage runs deeper than the surface. We confirm the required depth on site against reference points like kerb lines and drain inlets before milling starts.
What happens to the material that gets milled off?
The removed asphalt, called millings, is loaded onto tipper trucks as the machine works and taken off site rather than left behind. Recycled asphalt millings have real value and get reused elsewhere rather than sent to landfill, which is a more sustainable outcome than disposal and keeps the overall cost of the job down compared to dumping the material.
Can you resurface immediately after milling?
Yes. Once milling is complete and the surface has been swept clean, it's ready for new asphalt without a waiting period for the milled surface itself. On most driveway and smaller commercial jobs we can mill and resurface within the same visit, weather and site access allowing. Larger roads and parking areas are worked in sections, so timing depends on the scope of the job rather than any curing time for the milled surface.
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