How to Extract Asphalt

Asphalt is a common material from which driveways are made. It is a byproduct of crude oil mixed with aggregate, binder and filler. Depending on where you live, asphalt has an average lifespan of about 15 years. Once it begins to deteriorate, it needs replacing. To remove or extract asphalt, use a jackhammer to break it up and then haul away the chunks to a recycling center. Wear protective eye goggles and follow the manufacturer's safety guidelines when operating a jackhammer.

Protective eyewear
Jackhammer
Skid loader or track loader
Pick up truck or small dump truck

Instructions

- 1
  Hold a jackhammer over a spot in the asphalt -- it does not matter where -- so the tip of the hammer points straight down.
- 2
  Turn on the jackhammer per the manufacturer's instructions.
- 3
  Squeeze the handle to begin hammering. Keep the hammer pointed straight down. Chip away small pieces, bit by bit, until you penetrate the asphalt and reach the earth below. This is the most difficult part. Once you reach the earth, release the handle.
- 4
  Pull the jackhammer up and take one-step backward. Position the hammer about one foot away from the hole you just dug. Squeeze the handle and hammer straight down until you reach the earth again.
- 5
  Tilt the jackhammer away from the hole toward you to lift the chunk of asphalt away from the earth. Repeat this process of hammering and lifting until the entire surface of the asphalt is broken into pieces.
- 6
  Scoop the asphalt pieces using a skid loader. If you are going to recycle the asphalt yourself, pile it into a pick up or dump truck and drive to a nearby asphalt recycling center. If you do not want to haul the asphalt yourself, pile it neatly in your yard and contact a hauling service to take it away for you.

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