Potholes in your driveway are annoying and ugly. However, the main problem with them is that they cause your driveway to deteriorate faster if you don't get the hole filled. That's because water can get down to the base when the hole fills up with water.
You'll probably want to hire an asphalt paving company to repair holes in your driveway because the best repairs use hot asphalt. It's not possible to use hot asphalt as a DIY repair, so you'll need to buy a cold patch product from a home improvement store. A cold patch works, but it may not be permanent since it doesn't bond as well as when the patch and asphalt are heated up. Here's how an asphalt paving company might go about repairing a pothole.
Clean The Hole
The hole should be as clean as possible so the patch adheres well. This may involve digging out all the crumbled edges and debris. By getting rid of crumbling edges, the sides of the hole will be strong enough to make a tight bond with the patch material.
Add Gravel If Needed
If the pothole is deep enough, the paving contractor may add gravel to the hole to fill it up some. Asphalt paving companies use jagged gravel rather than smooth rocks because the smooth rocks glide over each other and move around.
The jagged gravel can lock down when it's compacted and be more stable. The depth of a patch is often just a few inches, so the contractor leaves room at the top of the gravel to add the patch so it's a little over the top of the driveway.
Add The Patch And Compact It
The contractor will probably use machinery to add the hot patch and then roll over it so the patch is compacted and solid. The patch should be pushed down so it's level with the surface of your driveway. The patched area will be darker than the rest of your driveway, but at least the damage to the asphalt will stop.
The asphalt paving contractor will let you know when you can drive over the patched area and park on it. You'll need to allow time to let the asphalt cure but you can still use your driveway if you avoid the patched area.
Consider Adding A Sealcoat
It's important to keep up with sealcoating your driveway to protect it from rain, oil stains, and sun exposure. The sealcoat is black, so it helps hide the dark patched area. You may need to wait until the patched area has fully cured before sealcoating the driveway. When it's time, the contractor will apply the thin black coating so your driveway is a uniform color.
For more information, contact a local company like Acme Paving & Seal Coating Inc.