Skip to main content

It’s a blast! Road Dryer RD-1200XT

Traditional pavement drying typically involves the use of jet engine dryers, infrared heat and portable blowers, combined with brooms and manual squeegees. Each method has its limitations along with safety concerns. These include the use of jet fuel, noise, melting pavement, danger from thrown rocks or other objects – not mention slow results. Because of this, traffic is often fully restricted from traveling on roads or runways where drying work is taking place.
November 28, 2018 Read time: 3 mins
The usual flying objects will be grounded: heated air is blown directly downwards through multiple nozzles
Traditional pavement drying typically involves the use of jet engine dryers, infrared heat and portable blowers, combined with brooms and manual squeegees.


Each method has its limitations along with safety concerns. These include the use of jet fuel, noise, melting pavement, danger from thrown rocks or other objects – not mention slow results. Because of this, traffic is often fully restricted from traveling on roads or runways where drying work is taking place.

The Road Dryer eliminates all of these issues, according to its manufacturer, because the unit swiftly and safely dries the pavement.

The RD-1200XT preconditions the incoming air to remove moisture prior to heating and directing the heated air to the road. This allows faster drying time and the unit will not harm asphalt, as the flow of drying air does not exceed 150°C.

Heated air is blown directly downward through multiple nozzles. This eliminates the risk of creating flying objects meaning that traffic can continue to flow in nearby lanes. Traffic congestion is reduced.

Available as a simple-to-operate trailer- or truck-mounted unit, the RD-1200XT can be adjusted for 2.4m-3.7m drying widths. Because it dries pavement on demand, it provides flexibility for contractors and government agencies to meet timetables by minimising delays from weather- and project-related wet conditions.

Weather is not the only cause of wet pavement. Milling processes also use water to cool a milling machine’s grinder teeth, leaving the road surface wet and unsuitable for paving until dry. The Road Dryer can follow behind a milling machine and immediately dry the pavement for resurfacing.


Because the pavement is ready for paving or surfacing typically within an hour, it allows for increased throughput by several road kilometres per shift.

For striping operations, hydro-blasting leaves the road surface wet and it must be dried before new paint may be sprayed on the surface. With a Road Dryer RD-1200 following the hydro-blaster to dry the surface, a paint sprayer may be run immediately behind the Road Dryer unit, to paint or repaint lines.

Road Dryer is based in the city of Greenville in the US state of South Carolina and has a manufacturing facility in Palm City, Florida state. The company provides equipment sales and leasing throughout North America and around the world. The company can provide experienced operators, as well as onsite training for crews.

Related Content

  • Developments in concrete road construction
    February 7, 2012
    Innovative developments are pushing forward concrete road construction techniques. The concrete road sector looks to benefit from some key innovations and developments now coming to market or being employed in different territories. Irregular weather and environmental conditions can alter the rate at which concrete cures, with a risk of plastic shrinkage cracks that can compromise the integrity of a pavement. Contractors cannot control the environmental conditions of a paving project and when weather patter
  • Airport runway rebuild at Bologna
    May 15, 2019
    Rebuilding a runway requires special attention to detail to maximise efficiency and safety Airport runways face special challenges with regard to the loads they carry on a daily basis, particularly when aircraft are landing. A modern jet aircraft will typically land at speeds of around 240-260km/h, with a laden 747 weighing as much as 265tonnes at the end of a long flight. The stresses these large aircraft place on runway surfaces are enormous and not just with the massive impact forces exerted during
  • Longer lasting road surfaces with advanced asphalt paving
    February 20, 2012
    Contractors face an array of sophisticated paving technologies, Mike Woof reports. Asphalt paving technology continues to advance as manufacturers develop more efficient and reliable equipment. Paving techniques are also improving, while new polymer modified bitumen materials and recycling methodologies further increase the range of road surfacing options available to the client and contractor.
  • New runway for US military airbase in Florida
    December 7, 2017
    A new runway surface has now been laid at MacDill Air Force Base in the US, located approximately 6.4km south-west of downtown Tampa, Florida. This facility is the base for the US Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, which provides airlift, special missions, aerial refuelling, and aeromedical evacuation for the armed forces. MacDill is home to 16 KC-135 Stratotankers and three C-37 Gulfstreams, which use the runway every day. At any point, there will be a steady flow of aircraft departing and landing on the