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When the snow finally leaves and you finally get around to cleaning up there’s not doubt that you’ll see some blemishes, and even holes, in your asphalt driveway. Salt, water, shoveling and the freeze-thaw cycle takes its toll on this pad and the odd crack and hole is to be expected. Now, you can spent a couple of hundred dollars and get a paving crew to come and do patching but that’s a couple of hundred bucks! Here are some tips to do it yourself.

1. Clean: The area where the defect is should be cleaned with soap and water and let dry thoroughly. Then vacuum with an industrial-style unit to get all the small debris. Oil and other stains can be taken off with a driveway cleaner you can buy at the home supply store.

2. Cracks: Fill any cracks with a crack filler also available at the home center. It comes in a caulking-style tube for convenience. Smooth over the surface and blend it with the surface of the pavement with a putty knife.

For holes and large cracks it’s best to use a cold-patch compound from the home center. Cold patch asphalt begins curing process as soon as it is applied so you have to work fast. before you begin shape the hole for the best possible application. In other words the bottom of the crevice should be as wide as the top. Get rid of any pieces of old pavement and dust. Tamp it down with the end of a 4″ X 4″ piece of wood and trowel smooth before it sets.

If the crack or hole is deep it may take two applications to do a good job so let the first one set for a day before doing the next. Also, placing a piece of plywood over the crack and driving over it is a good way to compress it further.

For extensive cracks and holes it’s best to get a paving contractor to do the work.