top of page

All Posts

bottom of page

2026-05-17 update

Quick answer: hot-mix vs cold-mix vs warm-mix asphalt

Hot-mix asphalt is laid at 140–160°C straight from the plant — strongest bond, used for new roads and full resurfacing, but needs dry weather, surface temperature above ~10°C and a same-day plant run.

Cold-mix asphalt is pre-mixed with a solvent or polymer carrier so it stays workable at ambient temperature. Bagged or palletised, place-and-compact, works in rain. Polymer-modified cold-mix (EZ Street, Cemix Bitupatch, UPM, QPR) is the contractor-grade tier — bagged supermarket cold-mix is the emergency tier.

Warm-mix asphalt is hot-mix produced at 100–130°C using foaming additives or zeolites — same end-product as hot-mix but 30°C cooler in production. Lower emissions, longer haul window, and contractors can keep it workable for ~2 hours instead of ~45 minutes. Same use-case as hot-mix — not a domestic-driveway material.

Warm-mix asphalt — the third option most NZ guides miss

Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) is a hot-mix variant produced 20–40°C cooler than conventional hot-mix using one of three additive approaches:

Foaming (water-injection or zeolite): tiny water droplets flash to steam inside the bitumen, briefly expanding it 5–10× — gives the same coating action at lower temperature. Used by Fulton Hogan and Higgins on larger NZ contracts.
Chemical additives: surfactants reduce the viscosity of the binder so it coats aggregate at 110–130°C. Common brand: Evotherm.
Organic waxes (Sasobit and similar): dissolved into the bitumen, lower viscosity above ~90°C then re-stiffen on cooling.

Should you ask for warm-mix on your driveway or carpark? Probably not. Warm-mix is a production-side optimisation — for the customer the end-product behaves like hot-mix and is priced like hot-mix. It's useful when the plant is far from the site (longer haul window) or when ambient temperature is borderline for hot-mix (gives extra working time). On Auckland residential driveways under 50 m² the logistics cost still dominates — it's the wrong tool for the job, same as standard hot-mix. The right question to ask a contractor is "what mix type fits this defect", not "do you offer warm-mix".

For the full decision tree by site type — driveway, carpark, council road, body-corp common area — see the NZ pothole repair cost guide 2026.

Where to buy each type of mix in NZ

Customer-facing supplier shortlist as of May 2026. Prices indicative for 20 kg bag or per-tonne equivalent; minimums and freight extra.

Mix type	Where to buy in NZ	Indicative price	Best for
Hot-mix asphalt	Fulton Hogan plants (Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch); Higgins plants; Downer plants. Direct supply only — minimum 2–3 tonnes typical; smaller quantities via paving contractors.	$220–$320/t ex plant	Resurfacing, new driveways > 100 m², road carriageway works.
Polymer-modified cold-mix (EZ Street)	Fulton Hogan NZ (manufacturer / NZ licence holder). Distributed via paving contractors and trade channels — not normally retail.	$28–$38 / 20 kg bag (trade)	Pothole patching, carpark defects, body-corp common areas. Wet-weather capable.
Polymer-modified cold-mix (Cemix Bitupatch)	Cemix Products Ltd (Auckland). Trade and selected retail outlets.	$22–$30 / 20 kg bag	Driveway potholes, edge repairs, small < 30 mm depth defects.
Polymer-modified cold-mix (QPR / UPM)	Mastermix NZ (NZ distributor). Trade-only typically; ring-direct.	$25–$35 / 20 kg bag	Council/asset-owner repair, contractor jobs requiring documented warranty.
Standard bagged cold-mix	Bunnings, Mitre 10, Placemakers. Retail.	$18–$26 / 20 kg bag	Emergency only — not a permanent fix. Plan to redo or upgrade within 6 months.
Warm-mix asphalt	Fulton Hogan and Higgins on larger contracts. Not sold in retail/small quantities.	$230–$330/t ex plant (similar to hot-mix)	Large carparks, long haul-distance jobs, low-emission projects.

Note: Rapidpatch sources polymer-modified cold-mix in volume from EZ Street (Fulton Hogan licence) and Cemix Bitupatch. We don't sell bagged product to the public — we use it on customer repairs at a fixed per-job price.

Got a defect and not sure which tier you actually need?

Send a photo for a fixed-price quote →

2026-05-17 update

Quick answer: hot-mix vs cold-mix vs warm-mix asphalt

Hot-mix asphalt is laid at 140-160°C straight from the plant - strongest bond, used for new roads and full resurfacing, but needs dry weather, surface temperature above ~10°C and a same-day plant run.

Cold-mix asphalt is pre-mixed with a solvent or polymer carrier so it stays workable at ambient temperature. Bagged or palletised, place-and-compact, works in rain. Polymer-modified cold-mix (EZ Street, Cemix Bitupatch, UPM, QPR) is the contractor-grade tier - bagged supermarket cold-mix is the emergency tier.

Warm-mix asphalt is hot-mix produced at 100-130°C using foaming additives or zeolites - same end-product as hot-mix but 30°C cooler in production. Lower emissions, longer haul window, and contractors can keep it workable for ~2 hours instead of ~45 minutes. Same use-case as hot-mix - not a domestic-driveway material.

Warm-mix asphalt - the third option most NZ guides miss

Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) is a hot-mix variant produced 20-40°C cooler than conventional hot-mix using one of three additive approaches:

Foaming (water-injection or zeolite): tiny water droplets flash to steam inside the bitumen, briefly expanding it 5-10x - gives the same coating action at lower temperature. Used by Fulton Hogan and Higgins on larger NZ contracts.
Chemical additives: surfactants reduce the viscosity of the binder so it coats aggregate at 110-130°C. Common brand: Evotherm.
Organic waxes (Sasobit and similar): dissolved into the bitumen, lower viscosity above ~90°C then re-stiffen on cooling.

Should you ask for warm-mix on your driveway or carpark? Probably not. Warm-mix is a production-side optimisation - for the customer the end-product behaves like hot-mix and is priced like hot-mix. It's useful when the plant is far from the site (longer haul window) or when ambient temperature is borderline for hot-mix (gives extra working time). On Auckland residential driveways under 50 m² the logistics cost still dominates - it's the wrong tool for the job, same as standard hot-mix. The right question to ask a contractor is "what mix type fits this defect", not "do you offer warm-mix".

For the full decision tree by site type - driveway, carpark, council road, body-corp common area - see the NZ pothole repair cost guide 2026.

Where to buy each type of mix in NZ

Customer-facing supplier shortlist as of May 2026. Prices indicative for 20 kg bag or per-tonne equivalent; minimums and freight extra.

Mix type	Where to buy in NZ	Indicative price	Best for
Hot-mix asphalt	Fulton Hogan plants (Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch); Higgins plants; Downer plants. Direct supply only - minimum 2-3 tonnes typical; smaller quantities via paving contractors.	$220-$320/t ex plant	Resurfacing, new driveways > 100 m², road carriageway works.
Polymer-modified cold-mix (EZ Street)	Fulton Hogan NZ (manufacturer / NZ licence holder). Distributed via paving contractors and trade channels - not normally retail.	$28-$38 / 20 kg bag (trade)	Pothole patching, carpark defects, body-corp common areas. Wet-weather capable.
Polymer-modified cold-mix (Cemix Bitupatch)	Cemix Products Ltd (Auckland). Trade and selected retail outlets.	$22-$30 / 20 kg bag	Driveway potholes, edge repairs, small < 30 mm depth defects.
Polymer-modified cold-mix (QPR / UPM)	Mastermix NZ (NZ distributor). Trade-only typically; ring-direct.	$25-$35 / 20 kg bag	Council/asset-owner repair, contractor jobs requiring documented warranty.
Standard bagged cold-mix	Bunnings, Mitre 10, Placemakers. Retail.	$18-$26 / 20 kg bag	Emergency only - not a permanent fix. Plan to redo or upgrade within 6 months.
Warm-mix asphalt	Fulton Hogan and Higgins on larger contracts. Not sold in retail/small quantities.	$230-$330/t ex plant (similar to hot-mix)	Large carparks, long haul-distance jobs, low-emission projects.

Note: Rapidpatch sources polymer-modified cold-mix in volume from EZ Street (Fulton Hogan licence) and Cemix Bitupatch. We don't sell bagged product to the public - we use it on customer repairs at a fixed per-job price.

Got a defect and not sure which tier you actually need?

Send a photo for a fixed-price quote ->

All Posts

Self-Storage Facility Pothole Repair NZ — Drive-Aisle, Fixed Price, Holiday Scheduling

Service Station and Forecourt Pothole Repair NZ — Live-Site, Overnight, Fixed Price

QSR and Drive-Thru Pothole Repair NZ — Overnight, Fast Return-to-Trade

Fleet Yard and Logistics Depot Pothole Repair NZ — Heavy Vehicle, Overnight

Hospital and Healthcare Carpark Pothole Repair NZ — After-Hours, Insurance-Ready

Asphalt Repaving Before Leasing a Property — NZ Landlord Pre-Handover Guide

School Carpark and Playground Pothole Repair NZ — Holiday Scheduling, Fixed Price

Motel and Hotel Carpark Asphalt Repair NZ — Booking-Photo Ready, Off-Peak Scheduling

Retail Carpark Pothole Repair NZ — After-Hours, Photo-Quoted, Fixed Price

Huntly Carpark Repair — Photo Quote in 24 Hours, $160–$180/m² Asphalt

Huntly Driveway Repair — Photo Quote in 24 Hours, Fixed Price From $480

Huntly Pothole Repair — Fixed Price From $480, Photo Quote in 24 Hours

Pothole Repair Halswell, Christchurch — Fixed Price From $450, Photo Quote in 10 Minutes

Pothole Repair Mornington, Dunedin — Fixed Price From $450, Photo Quote in 10 Minutes

Pothole Repair Saint Kilda, Dunedin — Fixed Price From $450, Photo Quote in 10 Minutes

Pothole Repair Mt Maunganui, Tauranga — Fixed Price From $450, Photo Quote in 10 Minutes

Pothole Repair Bethlehem, Tauranga — Fixed Price From $450, Photo Quote in 10 Minutes

Asphalt, Tarmac, Blacktop, Hot Mix, Cold Mix — The NZ Terminology Cheat-Sheet

Concrete Crack Repair NZ — Why We Refer Concrete Out (and What to Do Instead)

Pothole Repair Saint Clair, Dunedin — Fixed Price From $450, Photo Quote in 10 Minutes

Before you send a photo — 5 questions answered

Quick answer: hot-mix vs cold-mix vs warm-mix asphalt

Warm-mix asphalt — the third option most NZ guides miss

Where to buy each type of mix in NZ

Quick answer: hot-mix vs cold-mix vs warm-mix asphalt

Warm-mix asphalt - the third option most NZ guides miss

Where to buy each type of mix in NZ