Many homeowners choose asphalt as the most reliable construction choice for a durable driveway. However, you may sometimes need to fix cracks in your asphalt driveway to keep it in optimal condition.
Asphalt pavement may last for about 20 years if properly installed and maintained. A driveway should be resealed around every three years; more frequently, asphalt driveway cracks form and require repair. Asphalt driveway cracks are often caused by the aging process, a subbase shifting due to freezing and thawing. If left unattended, cracks will allow moisture to enter and eventually cause the sub-base beneath the asphalt to erode.
If you want to prevent the cracks in your pavement from worsening, you need to be proactive and fix them before they get bigger. That’s why we created this comprehensive guide on how to fix cracks in your asphalt driveway and the best fillers for your next asphalt driveway crack repair.
Why is my asphalt driveway cracking?
Any asphalt can develop cracks due to variations in moisture retention and temperature. Let’s detail how every season of the year might impact your driveway. We will also look at other factors that affect the overall health of your driveway.
The Freezing and Thawing Cycles in The Winters
After significant snowfall or rain, moisture will penetrate the surface and soak into the ground below. The moisture then expands due to temperature changes, causing the asphalt to crack. The winter’s sequence of freezing and thawing produces the majority of cracks you might find on your driveway.
The Expansion of Asphalt in The Summer
Asphalt may expand under the strain of intense heat, leading to fissures. The heat can also cause cracks in your driveway during the hottest parts of the summer when the hours seem to disappear for “years,” and the temperatures soar to dangerous heights. These fissures might grow into more serious issues if not addressed.
The Age of Your Asphalt Driveway
Your asphalt susceptibility to deterioration depends heavily on its age. Asphalt driveways’ propensity to break increases with age. As time goes on, the substance starts to deteriorate and loses its inherent capacity to endure the pressures that your surface is subjected to daily.
Older roads are, therefore, more likely to sustain damage when heavy rain or a freeze-thaw cycle occurs.
Movements of The Earth’s Plate
The ground moving beneath your asphalt is a principal reason for cracking asphalt. The earth’s plate is always moving. The majority of asphalt driveways are built on top of the gravel. During the lifetime of your driveway, the gravel underneath will be affected by the ground’s movement and cause cracks to emerge.
The movement might be due to the earth’s natural sequence or strong storms. Whatever the case, it is always safer to fix them immediately to protect your tires from damage.
Should cracks in the asphalt driveway be repaired?
Cracks on asphalts should always be repaired. Here’s why: If your asphalt develops a crack, it will probably continue to expand if you don’t fill it in. The stresses that caused the first crack to propagate still exert pressure on the pavement, which causes the cracks to enlarge.
Moisture entering the cracked asphalt expands when it freezes or dries off, causing the pavement to become more spaced. These spaces weaken the integral material of your asphalt and, with time, become a permanent weak spot on your driveway. These weak spots might always pose a problem even after the cracks have been sealed. To protect your driveway and enjoy a long-lasting tarred road, it is best if you remedy cracks the moment they are observed.
Applying a fresh sealant layer on cracked asphalt is the best way to prevent weakness on your driveway. Read our simple step-by-step guide to find out how cracks on asphalt are repaired.
How to repair cracks in your asphalt driveways
If you are stuck wondering how to repair cracks in your asphalt driveway, this simple guide will help you fill the cracks in your asphalt driveway all by yourself. You must quit thinking and get the work done to avoid more damage to your driveway. When fixing your asphalt driveway cracks, you will need essential tools like:
- latex gloves
- broom
- hammer or chisel
- pressure washer or garden hose
- wire brush
- asphalt crack filler
- tamper
- protective eye wears.
Step One
Before you fix cracks in the asphalt driveway, you must first prepare the cracked area. Clean and smoothen the cracked surface; this will help the crack filler to adhere to the surface and bind the cracked walls together. You can use a hammer to chisel out every rough patch away from the crack, and with a wire brush, remove dirt and debris from the cracks. A pressure washer will help you flush out knocked or loose pieces of asphalt fr.
Step Two
Depending on the type of crack you are dealing with, apply asphalt crack filler carefully into small cracks. You can use a caulking gun or gently apply fillers directly into the cracks.
Step Three
The next step is to level and smoothen the surface with a trowel. If you don’t have a trowel, you can gently go over the crack’s surface using your thumb. Ensure that you are well-kitted before you start working.
Step Four
Allow the fillers to cure according to instructions on the packaging. If you are dealing with larger cracks or potholes deeper than one or two inches, you must first fill the cracks with small sand or crushed gravel.
Step Five
Compact and level the gravel using a steel tamper and fill the cracks with rubberized asphalt emulsion crack filler.
Step Six
Smooth and gently level the surface of the crack and allow it to dry.
What are the best products to fill asphalt driveway cracks?
The best products will help you repair your crack and cure the damages faster. They will also maintain your asphalt driveway integrity until you completely replace your driveway pavement. It’s important to monitor your driveway and address every damage before they become bigger. Once cracks and potholes are on your asphalt driveway, they will open up more and absorb liquid; it’s already known that moisture is our pavement’s worst enemy.
It’s important to choose your asphalt repair methods carefully; you must be able to tell if the crack is a single crack or a road map of cracks (multiple). Below is a list of the best products you can use to fill your asphalt pavement.
Latex-ite – Pli-Stix 60 ft. Small Black Permanent Blacktop Joint and crack filler
Latex-ite is designed to be used with a propane torch or a heat gun. This asphalt driveway crack filler is great for small cracks and has no volition organic compounds in it. It also cures your crack fast, and your driveway is healthy and ready for traffic in about twenty minutes.
Road Rescue 50 lbs. Asphalt Repair
When your cracks widen into potholes, road rescue will help you fix them. Road rescue 50 Ibs works in any weather and covers 7 square ft at a depth of 1 inch. It’s also inexpensive, helps get the work done fast, and requires no special tool for application.
USEAL USA 3.5 lb. Driveway Crack Sealer Refill
An easy-to-apply formula always saves time and energy. This product is used for sealing cracks and doubling pavement life. It’s easy to use and dries in twenty minutes.
Flex-A-Fill 30 lb. Box Black Pavement Crack Repair Sealant
Flex A is efficient in sealing asphalt driveway cracks. It is a hot-poured polymer-modified asphalt sealant that seals your cracks and resists cracking during winter. This product strongly adheres and bonds your asphalt crack walls together. It’s environmentally friendly and rapidly set in.
Gardner DriveSeal 8 Driveway Filler and Sealer
Gardner driveway seal is durable and provides excellent lasting protection to your driveways. It’s full of small cracks and protects your asphalt pavement against extreme weather. Driveway filler and sealer are easy to apply and give you a smooth finish.
Conclusion
The most common cause of cracks on asphalt driveways is moisture that has found its way below your pavement surface. This will cause expansion and contraction, and your asphalt pavement will break with freezing and thawing. Repairing your asphalt pavement will allow it to survive extreme weather conditions. It will also close up the cracks and prevent mounting from seeping in. Seal your asphalt driveway after repairing the cracks to protect it against more damage.
Further Reading
If you have concrete pavement and are looking for pointers on maintaining and fixing cracks on your floor, this article might be less useful. We also have an easy-to-read and informative guide on how to mend the cracks on your concrete driveway. Click here and get that driveway fixed before it becomes a bigger headache.
