Best Ways to Patch Asphalt for Parking Lots and Driveways

Asphalt cracks that go unrepaired can turn into financial and legal liabilities. Here’s how and when you should repair asphalt cracks.

The Basic Steps for Parking Lots

• Wait for a day with no rain in the forecast for at least 24 hours.
• Clear crack of dirt and vegetation with a screwdriver, trowel, or other similar tools.
• Wash asphalt crack out with a garden hose or pressure washer.
• Let crack dry.
• Cut top of tube’s spout so width is smaller than the crack you want to fill.
• Fill cracks so they’re level with surrounding asphalt.
• Smooth out asphalt patch product.
• Let dry for 24 hours.
• If necessary, apply a second coat of asphalt patch product.

Hire a professional—like Arnold Asphalt–to repair asphalt cracks over 1 inch wide. If you allow cracks to go unrepaired, water can seep into the foundation and freeze, which expands and pushes against the surface of your asphalt parking lot, contracting and leaving behind an empty space that weakens your pavement. Cracks under an inch you may be able to do yourself.

Basics for Driveways

Pavement issues often stem from minor cracks or flaws that were not taken care of and/or the lack of asphalt maintenance. Water is the most detrimental element to your pavement, specifically when it reaches the base layer. By filling cracks, you are reducing the possibility of the cracks getting larger and water penetrating the base layer. If the cracks are isolated, structural cracks (i.e. a single crack running across the width of the driveway) then there may be a DIY crack filling solution similar to a latex caulk that can remain effective for several months-to a year.  However, if you have more than a 50 feet of asphalt cracks, or your cracks are wider than a quarter inch, you may be better off finding a professional to apply a hot rubberized crack filling product. You should treat cracks every couple of years to extend the life of the pavement. With potholes, a qualified driveway contractor should be able to saw cut and remove the affected areas and replace them with new hot mix asphalt, this is known as ‘saw cut patching’ and is a much longer lasting driveway repair.

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