Who has some some tips for patching an asphalt driveway?

[Mackman]

They sell crack filler and trowel- able patch filler in small pails. If the holes aren’t too large, you can do this and then apply a thick coating of sealer to blend it all in.

 

[RiverRaider]

This is two years after Menards driveway sealer was put on. Dad's drive looked like the street and the lot next to it when he started the project.
It has to be above 60F. Used compressed air to remove the loose stuff, patched the bad spots then he drove on it a few days then sealed. The five gallon pail said it covers 250 to 350 sq ft. Plan on 250 if your filling lots of cracks. There are different grades of sealer supposed to last longer, up to you which one you choose depending on how long you're going to be there. Don't go cheap in the brushes for putting it on because they always break. Pick up one extra pail and one extra brush you can always take it back if you don't need it.

 

[Triplegreen500]

I need to do the same here, as I have a few cracks starting and I want to seal them before winter freeze/thaw starts in...

 

[BMosely]

I have about 6000 sf of asphalt so I have done it all. For the most presentable results, square up the hole to be patched. A blob of patch will always look like a blob of patch. A composite blade on any skill saw will work so you do not need to rent a chop saw.
The best end result (most pain in the ***)is cold patch, that huge torch as shown, a square hole, and a vibratory plate compactor. That hand packer as shown needs to be relegated to dirt work. Use 3/8 wood spacers around the hole to set the over fill and give a planing guide. Torch the existing hole edges to get that asphalt soft. Pour in the cold fill and level off with a 2x4. Heat it all up. You will see it steaming and doughy just like you see it come off a dump truck on new paving. Vibrate away.
The Aquaphalt(name has changed maybe). Is water activated and the easiest to use. You pour it in loose, water like garden and compact. Hard in 20 minutes. I always hand compacted this so the end results were lumpy. Machine compaction would make this a better operation.
The filler patch in buckets works well for shallow small areas. Just trowel it on and it needs sunshine to cure.
My next seal coating effort will get hired out. I pressure washed, sealed cracks, and sealed all 6k feet using airport grade from Home Depot. Hours of time and looked great. All gone in 2 years. Pay the paving man and go drink a beer.
Pictures are a water leak I had to dig up. Cold patch method.
Time is quick. That backhoe operator is the current ‘68 Coronet driver.

 

[kiwigtx]

I thought about this too. I've worked with concrete before but never asphalt.
What exactly is "black oxide" ?

It's a black powder used for colouring cement/concrete - it comes in all sorts of colours.

 

[Triplegreen500]

We'll see how this stuff does

Trowels in nicely, flows nicely, seems to fill well. No heat needed, looks like it sticks well. $20 a bucket at Lowe's, used 1.5 buckets on various cracks today in the sun...we shall see.

 

[Budnicks]

dealing with that stuff at the dealership & now my own driveway
I prefer concrete, but mine was asphalt when I moved in here
PITA, reseal every 2-3 years

doing it at the dealerships
the cold asphalt patch crap in the bags or buckets from Home Depot or Lowes
is temporary at best
the sticky glue seam sealer crap in a bucket
same deal/cold method is the same
temporary at best

any of it needs to be compacted
the hand tampers are for small holes
if they are much bigger than the tampers flat surface
get a gas compactor from a rental place, go slow don't be a wild man
you can cause more cracks around the holes
then the cracks filled & pushed down with a trowel at a min
the hot method, IMO it flows better & gets down in the cracks
way better, seals it too

do it like it was a wall & taped & them painted,
the sealer is the paint, all the patchwork done first (seems obvious)

I've seen guys use mops & brooms too
I think it depends on the weapon of choice or texture desired

wear some shitty clothes & shoes
if you can get a heater, or a way to heat up the tar & "the glues"
some places rent hoppers
or some asphalt places will dump it (hot asphalt) in your truck bed
on a big tarp, with plastic under it to protect the truck
fold the tarp over it to keep it warm on the drive home
do it relatively quick
have all the other stuff ready, rentals if needed beforehand
because the asphalt won't be hot that long... an hr + maybe

The liquid cracks sealer stuff to pour in the holes/cracks
or line the holes to patch
& then trowel them down after it's filled & compacted
feather the edges so it doesn't make a bump
do your sealers/liquids, on top of that,
for good color continuity & coverage

don't be skimpy, it needs to be thick, to last, spread it out well & evenly
spread it with like a huge squeegee-like 3' wide, long handle
& 3" alum or steel with a rubber section on the bottom
rubber/flat/straight bottom edge
'both outside corners curved forward if you can', helps to push a puddle better
*cold sealer may be OK (In my experience it's not as good thou)
kind of stay a bit away from the edges,
watch the puddle flow, to the edges, like you would
"doing cutin with a paintbrush"

I'd highly suggest
Go get 'hot patch asphalt' from a local asphalt place better yet
after all the patching & cracks are done & leveled out
then sealed
I'd pay a company to come & use a hot sealer method
if you don't have the means, to do a hot sealer too
&
make sure you line the hole, to be patched all sides
with the tar/hot tar/hot liquid, as sort of a bonder
then overfill it (the holes) & compact it back down to be level/even
(stay off it for at a min. a few hrs, don't drive on it yet, if it's hot out wait 24 hrs)
then scrape off the edges, a flat shovel or long-handled trowel works
while still warm, scrape off the edges like you're doing a drywall patch
feather it in/out

doing it in 2 stages is best, patch one day & sealer the next
if you do the hot stuff, unless it goes well

all the tools are available to do it right, at most home improvement places
where they sell the shitty cold patch stuff too

I'm no asphalt contractor by any stretch
but I've done many a section of a parking/car lot (or my own driveways)
that's what I was told to do by the Civil Contractors
that did the asphalt pavement/parking lots sales lots originally...

I've done the cold patch too, that's why I brought it up
it sucks ***... temporary ****

good luck

 

[Triplegreen500]

I'm not doing too bad. Drive is about 1/4 mile house to street, plus another 1/8 or so to the upper shop. Had it paved back in '11 and this is the first I've had to repair it. I will seal it at some point... we'll see how these crack patches do first.

 

[Kern Dog]

I just need it to look presentable. I've been here since 2004 and have never sealed it. It wasn't resealed before as evident by the lack of any residue of any kind. I'm not looking for 20 year durability, even 10 years. I just need it to look better than it does now.

 

[kiwigtx]

I just need it to look presentable. I've been here since 2004 and have never sealed it. It wasn't resealed before as evident by the lack of any residue of any kind. I'm not looking for 20 year durability, even 10 years. I just need it to look better than it does now.

If you just have cracks to fill.....not sure if you have this product over there.... Shell "Wet and Seal" Tixophalte.

It is used for traffic light inductive loops - saw cuts are filled with polypropylene wire, then sealed with this gooey petroleum-based sealer. It can also be used underwater.



I have a carton at home, but I think the shipping would kill any possible assistance.....even if I was able to ship it off-shore. And I wouldn't dream of offering anything for sale outside of the Classified section.