Potholes are a common problem for asphalt driveways. Not only do they mar the appearance of the driveway, but they can be hard on your car and present a tripping hazard. Luckily, it's not hard to repair potholes in your asphalt driveway. You can do it yourself and avoid paying labor costs to a professional. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove any loose pieces of asphalt from the pothole. If there are loose chucks of driveway around the edges of the hole, break them away with a chisel and mallet. Vacuum up all loose debris or sweep it out thoroughly before rinsing it out with a garden hose.
2. Prepare the cold-patch to be used. Cold-patch asphalt either comes in a bag or in a pre-mixed can. If it comes in a can, you will need to mix it with a strong stirrer or stirring attachment on your drill.
3. Prepare the pothole for the patching material by applying a priming coat of driveway sealer to the inside of the hole.
4. Scoop in the cold-patch asphalt using the trowel and press it down as you go.
5. Tamp down the cold-patch when it is a 2-inch layer. You can use end of a 4-by-4 wood plank to do the tamping.
6. Add another 2-inch layer of cold-patch (if the hole is deep enough) and tamp it down.
7. Add more cold-patch asphalt until the pothole is slightly overfilled. Tamp it down until it is flush with the driveway.
8. Compact the patch by placing a piece of plywood on top and driving over it several times with the wheel of your car.
9. Repeat the procedure to repair any additional potholes in your driveway.
10. Let the cold-patch cure for at least 12 hours.
11. Apply a driveway sealant a few days later after throughly cleaning the entire driveway. Use a squeegee/broom to apply the sealant and let it dry for 24 hours.
Tags: 2-inch layer, cold-patch asphalt, potholes your, Tamp down
