Pothole Repair: How You Can Save Money

Potholes can damage vehicles, create hazards, and pull water into the base. Fixing potholes early helps you avoid bigger failures later. With basic tools and the right material, many small patches are manageable.

Tip: If the base feels soft or wet, plan for extra gravel and compaction. That check keeps pothole repair from settling and saves you from fixing potholes again next month.

Table of Contents

What’s The Hurry?

Freeze and thaw cycles turn small breaks into bigger holes. Water gets in, freezes, expands, then washes out the base when it thaws. Snow removal can catch edges and rip out more asphalt. The sooner you patch, the less damage spreads. 

The good news is that you do not have to wait for perfect weather. Modern cold patch for asphalt pothole repair can be used in any temperature and weather.

Sunk Cost of Potholes - Infographic

Preventable damage adds up fast. See the sunk cost infographic.

 

DIY Pothole Repairs

For driveways and small areas, Cold Asphalt Patch will be the best product for pothole repair. It is ready to use and does not require heating equipment, which makes it a practical choice for beginners.

High traffic sites may use hot asphalt, but it requires more equipment and safety controls.

Do the Pothole Patch Correctly

Good results come from prep and compaction. A patch holds up when the base is rebuilt and the mix is packed tight. Use the steps below to keep fixing potholes consistent.

1. Prepare the Area

Remove loose and cracked asphalt around the edges with a hammer and chisel, a large screwdriver, or an asphalt saw. Squared edges help the patch lock in.

2. Clean the Hole

Remove loose chunks, weeds, and debris. Use a blower or shop vac for small pieces. Sweep around the hole so dirt does not fall back in.

3. Fix the Foundation

Backfill with coarse gravel and sand, not round or pea gravel. Tamp as you go, then leave the hole 1 to 2 inches deep for patch.

4. Pour Cold Asphalt Patch

Pour the mix in and mound it slightly. Work it into corners so the patch makes full contact.

5. Tamp It Down

Compact hard to force out air. If you do not have a machine, lay plywood down and drive over the repair. If you're using AK Cold Patch, you can drive over the cold patch with your tires. AK Cold Patch will not stick. A hand tamper or vibrating plate also works.

6. Let It Cure

Allow the patch to set before heavy traffic. The original guidance is about 3 hours, and results vary with temperature and compaction.

Bonus Step: Sealcoating

When the weather turns warm and dry, apply a coat of blacktop sealer. Sealcoating will ensure that the pothole repair job you have just done will last for years, which helps reduce future fixing potholes.

Equipment

If you patch often, the right tools speed up prep and improve consistency:

• Concrete Saw helps square edges quickly
• Heat Lance clears debris and kills vegetation
• Vibrating Plate improves compaction for cold or hot patch

Vibrating Plate for Compaction

A vibrating plate is faster than hand tamping and improves density. Better compaction helps resist settling.

Hot Box

A hot box keeps mix workable so crews stay productive. The basics stay the same, clean out the hole, rebuild the base, fill, mound slightly, and compact.