Is there a difference between blacktop and asphalt?

Thumbtack Editors
Answered

Yes, there’s a subtle difference between the two. Asphalt typically refers to the material used for streets and highways, while blacktop usually refers to residential roads, driveways and parking lots. Both contain the same two main ingredients — crushed stone and bitumen — but when compared to regular asphalt, blacktop has a higher concentration of stone. Blacktop also gets heated to a slightly higher temperature of around 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

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