Fast-drying fillers are also available, containing a special gel that can reduce drying time to approximately 1 hour. Filler formulas have varying weather resistance ratings and different tolerances for hot and cold climates.
All types of crack sealers and fillers are designed to resist moisture, but only after they have properly dried. Exposure to rain or high humidity before drying could hinder proper adhesion to the asphalt and could give an uneven blotchy appearance if different sections dry at different rates. Although all types will be resilient to moisture once dry, not all crack fillers are equally resilient against UV exposure.
Epoxy and acrylic formulas typically have the highest UV-resistance qualities, which is one of the reasons they tend to last the longest and are the most expensive. These fillers are more flexible than asphalt and coal, which helps them accommodate the expansion and contraction of significant temperature variations.
As a general rule, an asphalt driveway should be completely resealed every 3 years, but your driveway may need to be maintenanced more or less often depending on the formula that you use. Just as different types of formulas have varying weather-resistance ratings, they also vary in lifespan. Asphalt and coal tar sealers can last between 1 to 5 years, acrylic sealers usually last 3 and 5 years, and epoxy sealers can last 5 to 10 years.
These recommendations are among the best asphalt crack fillers in their respective categories for repairing different types and sizes of cracks. For an easy and permanent solution to driveway repair, Crack-Stix offers feet of commercial-grade asphalt filler rope. Crack-Stix may also require a little more prep work than other options, including the possible need to backfill deeper cracks with sand or other filler material.
For sealing multiple cracks over a large section of your driveway, the 4. It also incorporates sand into the formula for a skid-free, high-traction surface. Two coats of this sealer can add a protective membrane to your driveway that lasts 3 to 5 years.
The filler consists of dry aggregate material that emits no VOCs and has 0 percent water runoff toxicity, establishing it as one of the most eco-friendly asphalt fillers available. This patch can be applied during any weather conditions, and can also be used to fill potholes that are filled with water. To apply, spread the aggregate in the area that needs patching, then compact it with a tamper, board, or even your car. Allow the binding agent to do its work in creating a permanent and weather-resistant seal.
This sealer uses a special formula with fast-drying gel that not only dries quickly but also emits few VOCs and is UV and chemical resistant. The water-based formula is easy to apply with a roller, mop, or squeegee and is dry enough to walk on in 1 hour. One 4. This contractor-grade product provides a quick, easy, and affordable solution to driveway cracks without the hassle and mess of a whole driveway sealcoat provided you have a heat gun or blowtorch.
You may need to backfill deep cracks before pressing in this rope. After heat treatment, the affected area is ready for foot traffic in about 20 minutes. Selected for its versatility, permanent seal, and long-lasting lifespan, the Crack-Stix option is our first pick for the best asphalt crack fillers.
Made for asphalt repair and concrete filling, this option comes with no VOCs for short to medium-length driveways as it covers square feet of driveway. Alternatively, the Latex-ite pick is made for those with long driveways or parking lots as it provides over square feet of coverage with an affordable price point.
With sand incorporated in the formula, this mixture provides traction, comes coal and tar-free, and requires little clean-up after use. The right asphalt driveway crack filler can provide your home with more curb appeal and prevent potholes and weeds. Selections for the best asphalt crack fillers depended upon their ease of application, durability, formula, and compatibility with crack size and driveway type.
Many of the above picks are made with ease of application in mind with little pre or post-care needed. Though some do require tougher applications and aftercare, each is made to be permanent and weather-resistant after drying. Some picks are also fast-drying in a matter of hours to 2 days. Select above picks are also made with no VOCs emitted and no coal and tar mixed into their formulas. Reference these answers to give you peace of mind before sealing or filling your driveway cracks. Crack sealing involves covering your entire driveway with a protective coating of sealant, whereas crack filling involves covering and sealing individual cracks in the asphalt.
Crack sealing is more expensive and effective for sealing a large area riddled with hairline cracks, while filling asphalt cracks is more affordable and ideally suited for filling large crevices. Sealing cracks will prevent moisture accumulation. When water in a crack expands and contracts with temperature fluctuations, it can further deteriorate the asphalt.
You can use epoxy sealants and caulks to both seal and fill driveway cracks, and caulking can be used to fill isolated driveway cracks. If your asphalt is 4" thick and the hole is 8" deep, fill up the hole so you only have about a 4" deep hole. A good rule of thumb is to try and always have a 4" to 5" deep hole. This will keep you from wasting material but ensures there will be enough bonding between the old layer and the new pothole patch. You might have potholes that are more like "dips" or too shallow to really add patch to.
If you have these, check out the alligator repair instructions in the next section. For the guys who have a flame torch If you're the type who likes to play with fire and you went out and bought a flame torch despite your better judgment, now is a good time to pull it out and heat up the asphalt surrounding the pothole. This will help bond the patch aggregate with the existing asphalt and helps make the repair last longer. Just make sure you don't scorch or overheat the surrounding asphalt which can damage the oils and cause more problems later.
If you decide to pick up the Technisoil repair products, you'll have to mix the binder with the aggregate first, then follow the steps below. If you grabbed the traditional bag style, open the bag of pothole patch and simply pour the aggregate asphalt into the hole.
Make sure you overfill the hole by about 1" to 2" from the ground surface. If you spill outside of the hole opening a little bit, that's OK and won't hurt anything. If you have a flat head shovel or a garden rake, these can come in handy for spreading the material out over larger potholes.
The side of your foot will work too if you're on a bit of a budget or don't have a flat head shovel handy. If you're a contractor, you'll probably want to pick up a Lute Rake to help spread the patch since you'll need it for other jobs.
Once the hole has been filled with material, take your pothole tamper and begin "pounding" the asphalt aggregate to flatten it out. This process will compact the pothole patch material into the hole and keeps it from breaking up as easily later. If the original overfill of 1" to 2" wasn't enough, you will want to add more patch material to help level it out properly.
I need to note that if you wait until the hole is completely compacted only to find out you need more, the new layer isn't going to compact as well with the layer you just compacted which might cause the top layer to break apart sooner over time. Just take care to watch the patch level, adding a little more aggregate as you go. On the flip side, if you add too much aggregate, you'll end up with a bump on your driveway. If it looks like you've got too much, use your hoe or flat shovel to scrape some of it away before it's completely compacted.
Don't worry though, you'll be fine. It's like filling a hole in your yard with dirt and adding just enough dirt that it levels out flush with the rest of the ground when it rains. Are you done pounding already?? You can probably pound a little more The more compact the pothole patch is, the better it will hold up later.
Repeat this process for all of the potholes in your driveway. If you have any leftover, you can save it until next time but keep in mind that the oils in the aggregate will dry up and break down over time once the air reaches it, along with any exposure to prolonged freezing.
The shelf-life of cold asphalt patch is usually around months if it's been opened and months if it's still sealed in the bag. You might get a little more shelf-life if you can put it into a seal-able 5-gallon bucket.
If you have a bunch of potholes in your pavement that need attention, and you have a few extra bucks lying around, you might consider renting a vibrating plate compactor instead of using a pothole tamper. The more compact the asphalt aggregate is, the longer it will hold up and a vibratory plate compactor works perfectly for this job. Plus it saves you some back work from the manual tamping.
Let's find out if you need to repair alligator cracks in your asphalt: 1 Do you have tiny cracks that make up a bunch of squares or rectangular shapes on your driveway? If you answered yes to either of these, continue reading. Otherwise, skip to the sunken hole section. Alligator Asphalt Repair Materials To repair alligator cracks in your blacktop asphalt driveway, you'll need alligator patch material , sealcoat sealer , and a squeegee or asphalt brush.
Note that we do mention sealcoat sealer. We highly recommend sealcoating over the alligator patch. The patch is designed to fill in and level the surface of the asphalt, but it still needs a good sealer to protect it. How much alligator patch material do I need? On average, you can figure to get about 20 square feet per gallon 20 sq.
Most homeowners probably won't need more than a 5-gallon bucket or two but if you do have a lot of alligator cracks in your driveway, you'll need to do some serious measurements and calculations to come up with the right amount. That's it! Do this across all of the various areas needing alligator crack repairs on your driveway. Note 1 Allow enough time to dry, usually several hours thicker or deeper areas like dips and birdbaths will need more time.
You can tell when the material is dry when it's no longer squishy. In some climates, thicker applications might slightly crack over a few days time. A second very light coat will be enough to remedy this.
Note 2 If you need a textured surface for sidewalks or heavy foot traffic areas, use a medium bristled brush broom and lightly pull the broom toward you. You might want to pick up a cheap throw-away head from the lumber store for this step. Let's find out if you have bird baths or sinkholes: 1 Do you have "dips" in your asphalt that are inches deep and they collect a little bit of rainwater for the birds to play in? You have Bird Baths 2 Do you have large depressions in your asphalt that are greater than 2" in-depth?
You have Sink Holes. Bird Bath Materials If you have birdbaths depressions 1 - 2 inches deep then you can use our alligator patch as a repair material, then sealcoat over it once it has dried.
Bird Bath Repair Instructions To repair a birdbath, take the alligator patch and pour just a little bit into the center of the birdbath. Let this dry long enough that it is no longer spongy. This can be a couple of hours or it may take a full day depending on temperature and humidity. Once the patch is level, sealcoat over the area to seal the patch and surrounding asphalt. Sink Hole Materials Sinkholes that are deeper than approximately 2" will need pothole patch.
Sink Hole Repair Instructions If the sinkhole hasn't cracked yet or there is only a ring around the sinkhole that has formed as a crack, continue reading.
If the sinkhole has cracks through the middle of it and there is clearly a separation of the asphalt, we recommend removing those chunks of asphalt with a pry bar and then treat the sinkhole like an actual pothole. See pothole section above. Sinkholes are kind of their own animal While you do repair a sinkhole in the same way as a pothole see above these methods are sometimes not always effective. The deeper the hole, the better off you'll be but if it is a fairly shallow sinkhole, the patch may not have enough "bite" to stay intact and it will end up undoing itself if there is a lot of traffic over the sinkhole area.
Using a vibratory plate compactor or roller vs a pothole tamp to compact the patch will ensure that it lasts longer. The one difference between a sinkhole over a pothole is that we do not recommend adding any sand or gravel to bring up the base foundation.
Just dump in the pothole patch and go to town. If you want to "properly" fix a sinkhole, the absolute best method is to cut out the sinkhole with an asphalt saw and remove the bad asphalt. Build the foundation back up to the same level as the surrounding base, then fill it in with pothole patch.
This method isn't for the faint of heart though and will probably require renting some equipment from your local hardware rental store. Skip to main content. You are here Home » Information. Asphalt Driveway Problems Let's start off by explaining the main problems with a blacktop asphalt driveway.
Pot Holes Do you have a lot of potholes in your driveway asphalt? Alligator and Spiderweb Cracks Do you have a bunch of smaller cracks that "Looks like a 'gators back" or a giant spider web? Sink Holes and Bird Baths Do you have areas of asphalt that are sunk in the ground?
Preparing The Driveway For Repairs First thing's first, we need to prepare the driveway to make the repairs. Asphalt Driveway Repairs So how do you repair pot holes, alligator cracks, and sinkholes?
Pothole Repairs In Driveway Asphalt Let's find out if you need to repair potholes in your asphalt: 1 Do you have missing chunks of asphalt in your driveway? The pothole tamper we sell is about 8 lbs. Now that the hole is prepared, it's time for the cold patch. Alligator Asphalt Driveway Repair Let's find out if you need to repair alligator cracks in your asphalt: 1 Do you have tiny cracks that make up a bunch of squares or rectangular shapes on your driveway?
Alligator asphalt patch is very similar to regular cold pour crack fill materials, but it contains more solids and dries "harder" than the regular crack fill material, making it a perfect product for alligator cracks.
If you can find alligator-patch at your local lumber they may not have competitive pricing so I'll mention that we sell our own special blend of contractor-grade alligator asphalt material which has become extremely popular among contractors and it's perfect too for DIY homeowners.
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