How to repair asphalt cracks

Colorado’s extreme climate can cause heavy wear and tear on asphalt driveways. Water freezes and melts, expanding and contracting, causing tiny cracks to become big ones as the years go by.

It’s important to seal and repair cracked driveways sooner rather than later to minimize damage. Improve your home’s curb appeal and increase the life of your driveway by following these asphalt crack repair steps:

1. Check the weather before getting started. One to two days of clear skies is ideal to reseal and repair asphalt cracks. Don’t start this project if there’s a chance of rain.
2. Clear your driveway of leaves, pine needles and acorns with a broom or leaf blower. Use a primer or degreaser to help hide and clean oil stains. Preen all visible weeds between the cracks, and use a pressure washer or bleach to kill moss. Let the driveway completely dry.
3. For cracks less than a half-inch, use one bottle of crack-filler, which can be found at your local hardware store. Avoid overfilling the cracks. If you accidentally overfill, use a scraper to level out and spread the crack filler. Let the filler dry for four to eight hours before applying sealer (the final step). For cracks or holes larger than a half-inch, use a driveway patch and tamper or the back of a shovel for the repairs. Don’t seal repairs made with driveway patches until they have dried for four to six weeks.
4. Before applying the sealer, clean the driveway again with a broom or leaf blower. Mix one bucket of sealant at a time..
5. Work from the top of your driveway to the bottom to avoid backing yourself into a corner. Seal edges that run into the garage or sidewalk by hand with a paintbrush, and use a squeegee for the middle of the driveway.
6. Pour sealants along the width of your driveway, and use a squeegee to move the sealant across the driveway surface. Try to keep the sealant layer as even as possible; if you don’t push hard enough, the coverage will be too thick and if you push too hard it will squeeze over the top of the squeegee. Use a paintbrush for driveway edges. Allow the driveway to dry and apply a second coat for a stronger seal.
7. Allow the driveway to dry 24 hours before walking on it and two to three days before driving on it.

Tips

Sealing your driveway doesn’t remove bumps or ripples. Driveway sealing conforms to ripples and bumps with a thin layer of liquid sealant.

Debris will remain on your driveway while power washing unless you make sure that all water is moved off and away from the surface.

Hot-applied crack filler tends to last longer than cold-applied crack filler, but can be harder to use correctly.

Adapted from DIYnetwork.com and TheSpruce.com