Mastic asphalt installation remains a manual operation - machine spreading is very rarely used.Tools - simple tools - wood and metal trowels are used. Each spreader may have adapted these to suit his own techniques for lifting, spreading, working into corners and upstands, and ensuring a true smooth surface to the specified lines and falls.

Delivery and handling of the mastic asphalt. For small areas the mastic asphalt is delivered to site in blocks. These are then remelted in heated "mastic mixers" then these mixers are normally heated by propane burners and have a built in mechanical agitator to mix the heated material. The mastic can be discharged from the mixer to wheel barrows or buckets for carrying to the work area.

For large roof and vehicle deck areas, the process of reheating mastic asphalt blocks in small mixers would be totally inadequate. Use is made of large 14 tonne or 22 tonne hot charge tankers (see picture on right). These bring hot mastic asphalt direct from the manufacturing plant to the site enabling these very large areas to be covered quickly and efficiently. The mastic asphalt from these tankers is transfered to mobile heated "spams" (self-propelled asphalt mixers) which carry up to one tonne loads from the transporter to the laying area. Picture above shows a "spam" in the laying area of a vehicle deck roof.