How to Level Blacktop

Preparation

• 1

  Dig out any loose chunks of asphalt with a masonry chisel. Sweep away all debris with a bristle broom. Clean off dust with a garden hose and water.

• 2

  Pour a commercial driveway cleanser on the drive and spread it with a broom following manufacturer's instructions. Rinse thoroughly using a garden hose with a pressure nozzle.

• 3

  Fill in any cracks with sand to 1/2 inch beneath the driveway surface. Use a shovel to pack it into the crack and tamp it down.

• 4

  Clean out and fill pot holes to 4 inches from the top of the surface with gravel. Use a shovel to fill the hole, tamping the gravel down as you fill. Use the shovel or a masonry chisel to carve out a ledge under the hole so the patching compound will better adhere to the blacktop that is already in place.

• 5

  Make certain there is no standing water in low spots. Squeegee out any standing water. Low areas should be no deeper than 1 inch. If the area is deeper than 1 inch treat it like a pot hole, following the instructions in Step 4.

Repair the Driveway

• 6

  Prime any areas to be resurfaced with an emulsified liquid asphalt. Apply the emulsifier with a brush or a broom. This assures that the patch asphalt will properly adhere to the surface.

• 7

  Fill cracks with crack filler, spreading it into the crack with a caulking gun.

• 8

  Fill pot holes and low spots by troweling or shoveling asphalt cold-patch into the depressions. Cut into the cold-patch with the blade of a shovel several times during the patching to eliminate air pockets.

• 9

  Add cold-patch in 2-inch increments, tamping it down and eliminating air pockets each time. Use the end of a 2-by-4 board to tamp the asphalt down. Fill until the area is slightly rounded over the driveway.

• 10

  Place a board over the filled area and run a car over it several times to firmly tamp down the area. Add more cold-patch as needed until the surface is even with the rest of the driveway.

• 11

  Allow the driveway to cure for 12 to 36 hours before driving on it.

Seal-Coat the Driveway

• 12

  Wait 2 to 5 days after making repairs before seal-coating the entire driveway. Clean the driveway with a commercial driveway cleaner and rinse thoroughly.

• 13

  Stir the sealer and apply a small amount at a time, no more than three feet square, using the combination broom/squeegee. Don't spread the sealer too thin. Lay down a coat that is about 1/4 inch thick.

• 14

  Add sand to the sealer or sprinkle it on top of the seal coat while it's still wet for greater traction if your driveway is on a hill.

• 15

  Allow the sealer to cure for 24 hours before driving on the blacktop.