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Take Care of Your Asphalt Driveway
10 steps to driveway maintainance and repair

Level of difficulty: Beginner

If designed and built correctly, a Hot Mix Asphalt driveway will give you years of effective service. A high-grade asphalt emulsion sealer (sometimes called bituminous emulsified sealer) should be applied every two to five years, depending on your climate, wear patterns, and the like. Driveways that are sealed regularly look better and last longer. Emulsion sealers consist of asphalt cement treated to mix with water. Once applied, the water evaporates, the material hardens, and the surface is waterproof. For driveways on slopes, some sealers contain sharp sand that will provide added traction.

In addition, cracks are best filled in winter when cracks are the widest. For the sake of the environment and for easier application and cleanup, choose a water-base acrylic filler/sealer. You can expect to cover 300-500 sq. ft. per five gallon of sealer depending on the general condition of the driveway and if it has been sealed previously. For best results, use sealer/fillers that fill cracks up to 1/8-in. wide. Look for crack fillers that have "rubberized asphalt emulsion." For cracks over 1/2 in. wide, first stuff the crack with a non-porous foam backer rod material to make the crack about as deep as it is wide.

Tools and Materials

Lawn edger, ice scraper or spade
Stiff wire brush
Garden hose with nozzle or pressure washer
Driveway cleaner and bucket
Stiff broom
Shop vacuum
Oil spot primer
Crack filler and/or compound
Caulking gun
Packaged "cold-patch" blacktop
Shovel or trowel
Iron rake
2x4, plywood scrap
Wide masking tape
Acrylic driveway sealer/filler
Brush/squeegee applicator

Before You Begin:
Carefully inspect your driveway to determine the materials you will need -- the above checklist will be useful. If patching or sealing large cracks is required, plan on making the repairs early in the season so they can cure a month or so before applying any sealer/filler. If you plan to apply the sealer, allow the driveway to be warmed by a couple months of summer sun, and look for a two-day dry weather forecast. Mask adjoining surfaces to protect them. Wear old clothes and shoes.

1. Clear Weeds

		Use an ice chipper, a lawn edging tool, or a spade to scrape off grass or weeds encroaching on the driveway or inhabiting any cracks. Then use a stiff broom to remove this dirt and debris off the driveway.

2. Remove Loose Asphalt

		Dislodge loose material from the edges of small potholes and large cracks. Use a wire brush as shown or you can blast out loose material with water from a hose nozzle or with compressed air.


	Tip:

		Wear eye protection during this process and others to protect against flying debris.

3. Scrub Area

		For best adhesion of crack filler or compound and driveway sealer/filler, scrub the entire driveway with a diluted driveway cleaner to remove all dirt and oil film. Pay particular attention to areas to be filled or patched. Oil stains may need repeated cleaning and seal any remaining stain with an oil spot primer.


	Tip:

		Wear kneepads for any hands-and-knees work.

4. Use Water Pressure

Hose the driveway with as much pressure as possible. A pressure washer is optimal and might be worth renting, especially if you have other exterior cleaning chores to do. Work from the center out to the sides or from one side to another. Start uphill, too, so the dirt won't wash back onto the cleaned area.
If using a hose, try this quick and easy method:

Hose the driveway until it is soaking wet.
Sprinkle a thin layer of environmentally safe detergent all over it.
Use a broom to work the detergent into the surface.
Hose the driveway again until clear water runs off it.

5. Vacuum Debris

		Use a shop vacuum to remove all remaining dirt from the cracks to be filled. These must be very clean and dry before filling. Don't use compressed air at this point or the dirt will blow out of the crack and onto your just cleaned driveway.

6. Fill Cracks

		For cracks up to 1/2 inch, use crack filler, packaged in no-mess cartridges for the caulking gun or in pourable squeeze bottles. Squeeze the caulking gun trigger steadily as you either push or pull the tip along the crack. If using a pourable filler, use it to fill the crack. Smooth with a putty knife and keep the filler in the crack, not on the surface.

7. Pack Holes

		For potholes or wide cracks, shovel packaged blacktop into a well-cleaned hole and then use an iron rake to level large patches. Use a cold chisel and a hand-drilling hammer to undercut the edges so the hole is wider at the bottom than it is at the driveway surface. This will lock in the patch once it has been compacted.


	Tip:

		Clean tools immediately after use with warm soapy water.

8. Compact Material

		Compact the material as best as you can with a tamper (a rental item) or the end of a heavy board, adding more material until the hole is slightly overfilled. Then place a piece of scrap plywood over the patch and drive you car back and forth across it to further compact it

9. Apply Sealer

		Mix sealer/filler well before you start and once or twice during the process. After masking adjoining areas, mist the driveway with water. Then pour a 1-ft. wide ribbon of sealer across the driveway. Push and pull the sealer with the squeegee side of the applicator to spread it until it's about 3 or 4-ft. wide.

10. Finish Sealing Process

		Using the brush, pull the sealer toward you and apply enough pressure to remove all excess sealer. Repeat this procedure down the driveway. Two thin coats are better than one thick one. Allow the first coat to dry about 12 hours. Block the end of the driveway to keep cars off until it is completely dry-at least 24-36 hours.


	Tip:

		You can use silica sand additive to make coatings less slippery when wet.