Tips For Asphalt Repair For Your Driveway

So your home looks beautiful, but your blacktop asphalt driveway is starting to show signs of wear. You may have spider web cracks or even small holes in your driveway. Fixing these issues is not as complicated as you may think. Asphalt repair for your driveway requires a few simple steps.

The first step is you need to prepare your driveway for the repairs that you will be making. This means you need to thoroughly clean the area for repair from debris, dust, water, or any vegetation. You want the repair materials to adhere properly to your existing asphalt area.

Dirt and dust can easily be removed with a simple stiff bristled broom. If you decide you want to use water, such as a pressure washer, you want to be sure the area is completely dry before proceeding with your repairs. Also keep in mind that if you do use water it can seep into the cracks that you are trying to repair and once they are sealed there is no way for the moisture inside to escape out and this can cause problems later on. Allowing the area to dry for at least 24 hours is highly recommended if you choose water.

To remove vegetation you can use the sharp tip of a hoe. Simply place to tip in the crack and pull toward you until the vegetation is gone. There is also a tool available on the market called an asphalt crack torch that you can use to burn the vegetation off your driveway.

Once the area is prepped, repairs are fairly simple and just require some hard work. To repair cracks you will need a squeegee or asphalt brush, patch material, and sealcoat sealer. First you will pour the materials to all the repair area and are using your squeegee spread out 1/8 of an inch layer of material. Continue smoothing the material out until you transition into good asphalt. Allow time to dry.

To repair holes or concave areas will require a little more material, but proceed with the same basic process. There are different size squeegee is available at a typical 24 inch will work fine for what you need to do, but if you have the money and want to speed up the process you can purchase a 48 inch or 36 inch model for larger coverage.

Doing your own asphalt repair for your driveway is fairly simple, it just takes a little bit of hard work and a willingness to get a little dirty. Repairs will help to extend the life of your driveway and save you more money in the future. For more information and any needed help check the Lakeland asphalt paving website.