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

  • Runway refurbishment at Leipzig/Halle airport
    May 4, 2022
    Leipzig/Halle airport in Germany is now benefiting from a newly rehabilitated runway as well as a number of taxiways
  • Roadtec machines deliver Alaska runway rebuild
    January 26, 2017
    A challenging airport runway project in Alaska has been carried out with the help of Roadtec construction equipment equipped with Topcon machine control systems. Anchorage-based Knik Construction carried out the work at the airport in Yakutat, located in the southeast corner of Alaska. Bounded by the Gulf of Alaska to the South, mountains to the North, and coastal glaciers to the East and West, Yakutat is remote even for Alaska. There are no roads leading in or out and all commerce and access is by air o
  • Versatile pavement re-texturing machine
    February 6, 2012
    AN INNOVATIVE wet steel shotblasting machine developed by pavement re-texturing specialist Klaruw is now being tested in the UK.
  • Warm asphalt - emission and energy saving
    February 28, 2012
    Warm mix asphalt is said to offer many benefits including fewer emissions and energy savings, but further research is needed to "validate its expected performance and added value" claims one organisation. Patrick Smith reports