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Asphalt Crack Patch

| Posted in General Discussion on June 24, 2007 12:54pm

My driveway has developed a fairly wide crack,  about 1″ wide across it’s width. 

I don’t want the rain to wash away whats underneath it and start having potholes show up. 

What would be the best thing to fill it with? 

Matt

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  1. User avater
    loucarabasi | Jun 24, 2007 01:50pm | #1

    Stilleto, just had my friend who does paving fix some problem areas in my asphalt. He used this rubberized tar stuff, He blew the cracks out with an air chuck. Then he heated the tar stuff and poured it in. I dont know what the material was, but I'll find out for you.

    -Lou

  2. User avater
    loucarabasi | Jun 24, 2007 01:51pm | #2

    BTW, whats a k12 student?

    1. Stilletto | Jun 24, 2007 01:57pm | #3

      Thanks Lou I read about a cold patch material and I am going to look for it today.  I planned on blowing the crack out. 

      >>BTW, whats a k12 student?<<  Just a joke,  I put in my profile as an occupation.

      Matt

      1. User avater
        loucarabasi | Jun 24, 2007 02:04pm | #4

        Heat the cold patch up!!! I think?

        -Lou

  3. DanH | Jun 24, 2007 03:18pm | #5

    For an inch wide seems like it would be best to use cold patch (heated if possible) and then a sealer on top, vs caulk.

    So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
    1. User avater
      MarkH | Jun 24, 2007 03:20pm | #6

      Dont seal it too soon.  Won't stick.

  4. ponytl | Jun 24, 2007 03:39pm | #7

    clean your crack (in the driveway)  for 1" you might try using the bagged cold patch and your roto hammer with a flat 1" sq  end on the bit to force/compact it into the crack... careful with heating real easy to burn off the good stuff that makes it bind... and hard to heat deep enough into the material without burn'n it unless you put it into and oven or heat pans of it on you gas grill....

    the hot crack sealing is done with a material alot like the steep tar used on BU roof systems but it has a rubber agent in it... comes in kegs like roofing tar... alot of guys do use roofing tar for parking lot crack fill... if you can come up with a chunk you can heat it on any burner in an old pot (tea pot would be best) and use it to top/seal your patch....

    how do i know these things?  after years of being ripped off and fustrated by parking lot maint guys (gypsies) sp?  i bought all my own equipment... rollers, hot tar crack machines,ride on sealer, pavement routers, blowers, sweepers, stripers.... now if i just had the time to use it...

    p

    1. bobtim | Jun 24, 2007 04:32pm | #8

      I gotta ask, what's a "pavement router" ?

      Just a comment: asphalt has always seemed to be a bit of a mystery to me. the methods and materials seem to be well kept family secrets. And maitainence of existing asphalt seems like a made for tv mystery. You have to wonder how much is smoke & mirrors?

      1. ponytl | Jun 24, 2007 04:45pm | #9

        sometimes called a "crack router"  it is what it sounds like... gas powered... mine is like 16hp looks like a big lawn edger or roof cutter... but it follows & opens up the cracks in asphalt and blows them clean at the same time in prep for hot crack sealing... some even super heat the air that blows the crack clean...

        alot of "black magic" in the asphalt world... I subscribe to "pavement today"  alot of great info... most of these guys only work 4-5 months out of the year...

        p

    2. Stilletto | Jun 24, 2007 10:10pm | #10

      Thanks for the tips,  I thought about hydraulic cement then a mastic type trowel patch over the top of the cement. 

      I 'll go get some cold patch,  local Blowes has it in stock. 

      Matt

      1. ponytl | Jun 25, 2007 04:24am | #11

        forgot to say... they make what looks like  a roll of torch down about 4" wide for asphalt cracks looks and acts just like roof torch down i'm sure it is pretty close to the same...  would be alot easier than a hot melt

        good luck

        p

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