The Ultimate Guide to Asphalt Driveway Repair

With a few simple steps and asphalt driveway repair products, you can bring your blacktop back into shape and, more importantly, prevent further damage. Begin by checking the weather. Ideally you will have two sunny days in a row and temperatures that do not dip below 50°F. Once you have picked your day, pick out an old outfit. Crack filler and sealer permanently stain clothing and shoes.

There are four steps to repairing driveway surfaces correctly.

Step #1: Clean the Surface

• Sweep or pressure wash to remove all grit and debris. A wire brush is also a great tool for removing debris. If you pressure wash, make sure to allow time for your driveway to dry before crack filling.
• Clear all weeds, sand and loose gravel from the edges and any cracks or holes. If you do not kill the weeds in cracks, they will sprout up again. Use vinegar to kill weeds effectively in an eco friendly way.
• Remove all fuel stains from your blacktop with a degreaser. Sealer will not sit well on top of oil or gas, so treating stains is a key part of repairing driveway surfaces that have had vehicle leaks.

Step #2: Fill Cracks and Potholes

Do not skip this step. Asphalt sealcoat can repel the elements, but it needs to be applied on a sound surface, and that means filling in cracks and holes. It is a simple process and a big part of any asphalt driveway repair plan.

Crack Repair Materials:

• Crack fill liquid sealer for cracks half an inch wide or smaller, or
• Rubberized crack filler for cracks more than half an inch wide, used with a crack fill melter to melt and apply the crack seal.

Pothole Patching Materials

• Cold asphalt patch for large holes
• Gravel
• Sand
• Plywood, large enough to cover the area
• Oil, for the bottom side of the plywood to stop sticking
• Car

Step #3: Repair Driveway Damage

Crack Filling

If you are using cold liquid crackfiller, shake it to ensure it is thoroughly mixed, and then fill the crack flush with the top of the asphalt surface. You do not want to overlap too much or the sealed areas will show through the sealer.

If you are using hot rubberized crackfiller, heat your melter or kettle and insert the brick of crackfiller. If you are using Asphalt Kingdom's Crack Fill, you can use a direct fire kettle or an oil jacketed melter. Cheaper crack fill products can only be used in an oil jacketed machine.

Once the product is melted, apply it at a walking pace over all your cracks that are a half inch wide or smaller. Note: If the crack is wider than a half inch, or if it is deep, you should first top up the crack with a mix of gravel and sand packed firmly in the crack. Fill to within a half inch of the asphalt surface, and then fill the rest with hot pour crackfiller.

Allow time to cure for a few hours before sealing. This step is essential if you want your asphalt driveway repair work to last through multiple seasons.

Pothole Filling

You should have already cleaned the edges of the pothole during your cleaning session in step one. If you have not, make sure you do that now. Then cut open the bag of asphalt patch and pour it into the pothole. Our cold patch asphalt repair product will fill a hole one inch deep and four feet in diameter.

First apply and force the fill product into all the voids, making sure it is tightly packed. Then add more so it is slightly mounded above the surface of the blacktop. Now cover the area with the plywood, oiled side down. Drive over the wood with your car to firmly tamp down the crack filler and asphalt patch.

Asphalt Kingdom’s 12.5 gallon applicator is one of the best hot pour crack filling systems on the market. It is capable of filling 25 feet of cracks in just 15 seconds

Once the patched area is compacted and level, you are ready to move to the sealing stage of your asphalt driveway repair project. Sealing soon after repairing driveway potholes helps lock out moisture.

Step #4: Seal, Protect, and Beautify

The next step in the asphalt driveway repair process is to seal the patched and filled surface, providing a layer of protection from the elements and greatly increasing your home's curb appeal.

1. First, tape off the driveway, sidewalk, house walls, or anything else that borders your driveway that you do not want to get sealer on.
2. You can save time by having someone move with a stiff piece of cardboard, holding it against things you are trying to protect while sealcoating.
3. Next, stir the asphalt sealer until the consistency resembles a thick soup.
4. If you are using an asphalt sprayer  to spray the driveway, begin by trimming the driveway using a finer spray tip. Once all the edges are done, switch to a wider tip and begin spraying from the right to the left.
5. If you are sealing by hand, pour a one foot wide puddle of sealer across the top of the driveway. Use your asphalt squeegee to spread the sealer in a push and pull motion, working until the sealcoat is between three and four feet wide and evenly dispersed. Repeat the process, moving down the driveway.
6. If you are using sand, now is the time to sprinkle it over the driveway in a light and even coating. This improves traction and finishes off the asphalt driveway repair so it looks clean and professional.

Tape off the area with caution tape and allow it to dry for at least four hours before you walk on it and at least eight hours before you drive on it. Letting the area dry overnight is best, especially after a full day of repairing driveway surfaces and sealing.

Choose a Spray System if...

• You have a large driveway, where more than six cars fit
• You have neighbors who would also like to seal their driveways
• You are short on time. A sprayer is four times as fast as sealing by hand

Choose a Squeegee if...

• You are only planning to seal your own driveway
• You are concerned about budget
• The area to be sealed is small