A road surface loses friction in two common ways. Under heavy traffic the aggregate polishes smoothly and loses its microtexture. On sprayed seals, the bitumen binder rises to the surface and flushes, burying the texture under a slick film. Either way the surface becomes polished and low-friction, and skid resistance drops, raising crash risk on bends, approaches and high-speed sections.
Retexturing addresses both. It reopens the surface texture, restores skid resistance, and helps water drain off the road rather than sitting on a polished film. The result is a safer surface and a longer life from the existing pavement.
RETEX restores macrotexture using controlled, non-destructive techniques that work the surface without tearing up the pavement. The method suits sprayed seals, asphalt and concrete, and can be applied to a discrete high-risk section such as an intersection approach or rolled out across a longer corridor.
Because the existing pavement stays in place, retexturing returns a surface to specification quickly and at a fraction of the cost of resurfacing.
Resurfacing replaces the wearing course. It is the right call when the pavement itself is failing. But where the structure is sound and the problem is purely surface friction, resurfacing is slow and expensive overkill. Retexturing fixes the friction problem directly, with far less cost, far less road closure, and far less material. For asset managers under budget pressure, it is often the difference between treating one corridor and treating five.
Skid resistance is a measured, regulated property of the road. RETEX delivers retexturing to bring surfaces back in line with Austroads guidance and state road authority requirements, and can pair the work with laser texture depth measurement to document texture before and after, so the improvement is evidenced rather than assumed.
Road works carry a traffic cost as well as a dollar cost. RETEX plans retexturing to minimise lane closures and return the surface to traffic fast, coordinating with the road authority and traffic management so the corridor reopens with the least possible disruption to the network.
For Sunshine Coast Council, RETEX delivered flushing and retexturing to restore a surface where the bitumen seal had flushed and friction had dropped. It is the same problem councils and road authorities face on ageing sprayed-seal networks across the country, and the same treatment RETEX applies nationwide.
What is the difference between road retexturing and resurfacing?Â
Resurfacing replaces the road’s wearing course and is needed when the pavement is failing. Retexturing restores the surface texture and skid resistance of a pavement that is structurally sound but has gone polished or flushed. Where the issue is friction rather than structure, retexturing achieves the safety outcome at much lower cost and with far less road closure.
When is retexturing the right treatment?Â
When skid resistance has dropped because the aggregate has polished smooth or the bitumen binder has flushed to the surface, and the underlying pavement is still sound. It is commonly used on bends, intersection approaches and high-speed sections where wet-weather friction matters most.
Does retexturing meet Austroads and state road authority skid resistance requirements?Â
RETEX delivers retexturing to restore surfaces in line with Austroads guidance and road authority specifications, and can measure texture depth before and after to document compliance.
What surfaces can be retextured?Â
Sprayed seals, asphalt and concrete. RETEX can treat a single high-risk location or a full corridor.
How much traffic disruption does retexturing cause?Â
Less than resurfacing. Because the existing pavement stays in place and the work is surface-only, lane closures are shorter and the road returns to traffic quickly. RETEX plans the work with the road authority and traffic management to keep disruption to a minimum.
Will retexturing damage the pavement or shorten its life?Â
No. The methods are controlled and non-destructive, working the surface without harming the structure beneath. By restoring friction and drainage, retexturing typically extends the safe service life of the existing pavement.
Tell us the road and the surface condition, and our team will scope a retexturing program that restores skid resistance and extends the life of your pavement.
Tell us what you’re looking for, and we will be in touch.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
