A Helpful guide on repairing your asphalt driveway this winter!
Asphalt is an extremely durable and long-lasting material – when it is laid correctly. If your asphalt driveway has seen better days, here is a helpful guide on how you can bring it back to life with some repairs. Let’s get started!
Winter is the perfect time to see to any repairs around the home
When the weather starts to cool off, most of us tend to be spending more time inside keeping warm than stretching our afternoons into the night outdoors as we do in the summertime. Once that sun starts to go down, the chill factor starts to set in. Because we are not using our outdoor areas as much, this is the perfect time to get stuck into those repairs, so once it does start to warm up, there’s nothing left to do except enjoy your home. The last thing you want is to have tradies at your place when you want to have people over.
In colder parts of the country, winter can have an adverse effect on your asphalt surfaces. Asphalt is hot, and once it hits a cold surface, it can contract making it difficult to get a quality finish the first time around when laying a larger area of fresh asphalt. This can cause cracks and reduce its lifespan significantly. As repairs are relatively small, they can generally be completed with little difficulty. The good news is, when you hire an experienced curer, they should have no issues getting you a quality finish, plus if you live here in Queensland, our winters are relatively mild, and they have virtually no impact on a curers ability to lay asphalt.
Different types of asphalt driveway repairs
If your driveway needs fixing, there are a couple of different ways you can repair it, which method is best for your place depends on the extent of the repair work needed. Here are some common ways we repair asphalt driveways here at Colossal Allies Asphalt:
Filling in potholes
Potholes are one of the more common repairs needed for an asphalt driveway, and they can happen for several reasons, some of these include poor installation, exceeding recommended weight-bearing capabilities or it may simply be very dated and has worn over the decades. Once a pothole has started, it doesn’t take them long to worsen. If the pothole has been left for some time and it is quite large, a portion of the old asphalt may need to be cut away and filled. For smaller repairs, the hole is filled and compacted.
Crack filling
Cracks in your asphalt driveway may seem harmless, but they allow water and moisture to penetrate down to the underlying layers which make up the foundation of your driveway. Over time this can cause erosion of the material and potholes can form. Crack filler is a flexible material that allows for slight movement without the risk of re-cracking. It is a good idea to make time to investigate the condition of your driveway every few months just to make sure there are no areas that need seeing to, and if there are, you can get onto them before they’ve had a chance to worsen.
Repairs are a great short term fix
Repairing your asphalt driveway as soon as you notice an issue will ensure that its integrity isn’t compromised, and the need for extensive repairs can be avoided in the meantime. While repairs are a quick and cost-effective way to fix a damaged driveway, they aren’t done in replacement of resurfacing an entire driveway when needed. If your driveway needs repairs, it is likely it will need to be resurfaced in the not-so-distant future. While it is more expensive, fixing the whole driveway looks much nicer than random patched up spots, plus you won’t need to worry about budgeting in a new driveway anytime soon.
A little maintenance goes a long way
Like most aspects of a home, a driveway requires maintenance every so often to keep it functioning at its best. You can do your part and prevent issues from occurring on your asphalt driveway by:
- Ensuring that heavy machinery isn’t parked or driven on it if it isn’t designed to weight bear this load.
- Make sure that the contractor you choose has implemented adequate drainage to prevent water from pooling on your driveway as this can cause damage.
- Don’t let harsh chemicals sit on the surface for extended periods as this can break down the finish.
- See to repairs quickly before they have a chance to migrate and ruin your entire driveway.
As mentioned, winter is an ideal time to see repairs that you may have been putting off. To ensure you get a result you are happy with and that lasts, you should always hire a professional asphalt company to complete the job. Attempting to do it yourself can result in an inferior finish, and if you need to have the entire driveway done later, it can take more time and cost more to remove the DIY patchwork and fix it. Here at Colossal Allies Asphalt, we are a family-owned and operated team that has decades of experience helping people transform their driveways, footpaths, and everything in between. Contact us today, and one of our friendly staff members will happily answer any questions you have and run through your options with you.
