How to Repair a Cold Patch Driveway

Repairing a cold patch or asphalt driveway is a quick process as long as the repairs are limited. If the damage to the driveway is because of tire impressions left by parked cars or extreme surface changes such as weather-related buckling or tilting, repair is not possible. These problems are because of structural defects and will require driveway replacement. Anything such as cracks or potholes, you can repair. You may be required t ouse a different process for each type of damage, but once completed, your driveway should be more in good condition.

Spade
Degreaser
Masking tape
Asphalt cold-patch
Trowel
Masonry chisel
Hammer
Plywood board
Car
Flathead screwdriver
Wire brush
Asphalt crack filler
Coal-tar based sealer
Driveway Sealer Broom and Squeegee

Instructions

- 1
  Create an absolute edge for your driveway. Remove any plant life that has overgrown the edges with a flat spade, digging down to the pavement edge and removing any turf that has made its way over the surface.
- 2
  Clean the surface of the driveway. Remove any dirt or debris, and remove any traces of oil from the driveway using a degreaser. Wash the surface of the concrete, removing any missed dirt and the degreaser residue, and allow the driveway to dry.
- 3
  Place masking tape against the bottoms of any structures abutting the driveway to prevent the materials used to repair and seal the surface from staining.
- 4
  Fill in any potholes in the driveway. For small potholes of a depth of less than an inch, fill the holes with asphalt cold-patch using a trowel to pack in and smooth the patch. Use a chisel and hammer to square out the deeper potholes, angle the sides so that the bottom of the hole is slightly wider than the top in order to help hold the patch in place. Clean the hole completely before adding the patch. Pack the patch material into the hole using a spade, layering the material one-half inch at a time and tamping the patch compact before adding an additional layer. With the hole filled, place a plywood board atop it and then drive a car over it to compact it completely. Remove the plywood.
- 5
  Clean any cracks in the driveway by removing debris from the cracks with a flat-headed screwdriver, and then using a wire brush to scrub the walls of the crack. Allow the crack to dry completely.
- 6
  Repair the cracks by filling the crack with a driveway crack filler. Once the crack is filled, level the crack filler with a trowel. Allow the filler to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- 7
  Mix the cold-tar based sealer and then pour the sealer onto the driveway. Spread the sealer along the surface of the driveway with a squeegee. Go over the spread sealer using a brush, smoothing the sealer at a 90-degree angle to that with which you spread the sealer. Allow the sealer to dry completely before using the driveway.

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