Driveways are the first thing you see when you enter someone’s home, and a damaged or cracked driveway is not only unsightly – it can cause worse damage to your home’s foundation. A driveway also needs to be maintained over the years, as heavy loads and extreme temperature conditions can cause small cracks. If these cracks are left to erode, rainwater and dirt can cause even the smallest cracks to widen over time.
Maintaining your driveway is as simple as filling any cracks as you see them, but sometimes a full repair job is needed. Here are the four best materials for repairing a driveway made with asphalt.
Infrared
This process uses the least number of materials as it works by heating the existing asphalt and turning the original material into a pliable state that is easy to spread. Once the damaged asphalt is distributed out enough, a new layer of asphalt is added on top to fill any uneven spaces.
It’s easy to install, ideal for residential areas, and is ready to be used within half an hour. On the downside, this method is not fool proof and it will require a total replacement eventually. Despite the pros and cons of infrared asphalt repair, it’s still one of the most common methods used for a temporary asphalt driveway repair.
Acrylic and Epoxy
Asphalt is different from tar in that it’s made from pebbles and stones with special fillers and tar is a naturally occurring substance. To properly repair an asphalt driveway, you need the correct substances that work with the compound.
Both epoxy and acrylic work well for warm temperatures as they have built-in UV protection. They are also resistant to oil and gas which gives an overall longer lifespan to any driveway using these materials.
Coal Tar
In driveways, coal tar is normally used as a sealer for the whole area; however, it can be useful as a crack filler during a repair job. Since the substance is sticky, thick, and mixed with water, it spreads very easily, filling in the smallest cracks.
Coal tar is an inexpensive option except that it can emit tons of toxic fumes and is less resistant to UV rays. Over time, coal tar also needs more maintenance than other asphalt repair substances.
Filler Ropes
These are long thin pieces of an asphalt mixture made into small ropes. Filler ropes are tightly packed into the damaged areas and melted down to fill the cracks from the inside. As these ropes are asphalt-based, they are more friendly to the environment, but they are not as strong as epoxy or acrylic.
Similar to coal tar, filler ropes are susceptible to heat and UV ray damage. The best filler mixtures for asphalt include latex, sand, pebbles, and debris of varying sizes. This ensures that the gravel is more robust, as well as having more traction compared to other substances such as concrete.
Small cracks in a driveway can be dangerous to both your property and your car. Hiring a contractor to rebuild a new driveway is costly and will take time, so use these materials to repair fixable cracks before they become a major problem.
