To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Failed asphalt driveway crack repair

U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
Hey,

I have about 10 of these in my driveway that I tried to repair myself. These tubes of red devil asphalt repair lasted for about 6 months and then cracked in the same spot. What can I do from here without calling the "pros" in?

Thanks.
 

Attachments

  • 20240101_112231.jpg
    20240101_112231.jpg
    2.3 MB · Views: 85
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
P

P0234

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
3,241
Location
NoVA
The only stuff that seems to last a while is the stuff you melt into place like PliStix. Or you can rent a machine that melts blocks of the stuff.
 
5

58Yeoman

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
8,999
Location
Central IL
C

CombatNinja

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2013
Messages
1,456
That asphalt looks pretty old. Is getting a company out with their truck to put a new topcoat on not a viable option? Might not be the cheapest but should 'fix' it for a decade.
 
W

WillyBoy

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2021
Messages
648
Location
Genesee valley area of New York state
Around here, asphalt moves seasonally, year after year. It shrinks in the winter and expands in the summer. A crack will never heal all the way to the bottom of the material when only the top is buttered with something. As described above, you would need to melt the material all the way to the bottom and add hot asphalt and compact it.
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
CombatNinja said:
That asphalt looks pretty old. Is getting a company out with their truck to put a new topcoat on not a viable option? Might not be the cheapest but should 'fix' it for a decade.
Click to expand...
Not really. The companies here have more work than they can shake a stick at or charge so much that you will just go away and still not show up if you pay extra. The asphalt is only 11 years old. I don't know much about asphalt so that doesn't seem ancient to me.
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
MikeC55 said:
Agree, the Pli-Stix worked well for me. It helps to have a wand for your propane torch.
Click to expand...
I have one. Most of you are having success with it. I was watching a youtube video and some comments saying that the cracks came back with it. I think I will try it out in a test area instead of going apesh!t with all of the cracks I filled last time.
 
C

Chaznsc

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
6,545
Location
SC
Asphalt cracks are always due to something underneath it, unlike concrete. You can’t really repair those, but a good sealant should last a while. I’d recommend calling a pro to get cracks sealed and seal cost the rest. Asphalt will last longer if you do.
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
Chaznsc said:
Asphalt cracks are always due to something underneath it, unlike concrete. You can’t really repair those, but a good sealant should last a while. I’d recommend calling a pro to get cracks sealed and seal cost the rest. Asphalt will last longer if you do.
Click to expand...

I understand. Unfortunately like mentioned above these pros are very hard to find here. Like I said, they have more work than they can shake a stick at and will high ball if they don't want to do the work and/or just not show up. 😒
 
Z

Zeke

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
17,176
Location
Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
I'm not an asphalt expert but I have fixed many cracks in many substances. Seems like bridging is the best method if it will work. Like tape under drywall mud or backer rod in a deep crack. On flat roofs I use mesh tape and mastic.

The v-groove idea sounds viable but cutting a wandering crack will be tedious. If you do maybe get some fiberglass strand called roving and push it into the crack with a dull screwdriver or chisel. Asphalt repair compound in a tube would seem to me to be the best way to backfill. I think I would prefill a little as well. Once done, seal coat the whole drive for appearance.

Random thoughts, that's all. I've never done this exactly as described.
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
Zeke said:
I'm not an asphalt expert but I have fixed many cracks in many substances. Seems like bridging is the best method if it will work. Like tape under drywall mud or backer rod in a deep crack. On flat roofs I use mesh tape and mastic.

The v-groove idea sounds viable but cutting a wandering crack will be tedious. If you do maybe get some fiberglass strand called roving and push it into the crack with a dull screwdriver or chisel. Asphalt repair compound in a tube would seem to me to be the best way to backfill. I think I would prefill a little as well. Once done, seal coat the whole drive for appearance.

Random thoughts, that's all. I've never done this exactly as described.
Click to expand...

I have used fiberglass mat and por 15 like substance to fill body rust in vehicles previously and that stuff sets up ridiculously hard. Hmmmm....
 
Z

Zeke

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
17,176
Location
Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
ukiltmybrutha said:
I have used fiberglass mat and por 15 like substance to fill body rust in vehicles previously and that stuff sets up ridiculously hard. Hmmmm....
Click to expand...
Yeah, POR-15 is very good at holding back/out rust. Not UV tolerant at all, so no good outside. Pretty shiny as well so it would leave traces. I'd still go with something like Henry's in a tube. I'm not promoting a brand, just the general idea w/o having to look it up.

Someone here knows more than I if anyone wants to add to the 'bridging' idea.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
C

Chaznsc

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
6,545
Location
SC
Zeke said:
I'm not an asphalt expert but I have fixed many cracks in many substances. Seems like bridging is the best method if it will work. Like tape under drywall mud or backer rod in a deep crack. On flat roofs I use mesh tape and mastic.
Click to expand...
This is correct. There are fabrics that can be placed and an overlay installed. That said, that’s a fair amount of cost. I assumed the OP was on a budget.
 
P

P0234

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
3,241
Location
NoVA
Chaznsc said:
Asphalt cracks are always due to something underneath it, unlike concrete. You can’t really repair those, but a good sealant should last a while. I’d recommend calling a pro to get cracks sealed and seal cost the rest. Asphalt will last longer if you do.
Click to expand...
Yes, call in the pros…. I had some done by “pros”, the top rated in my area. They cracked faster than my repairs. They also shrunk by like 70%, whatever they used was as bad as the Home Depot stuff that comes in a bottle.
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
Zeke said:
Yeah, POR-15 is very good at holding back/out rust. Not UV tolerant at all, so no good outside. Pretty shiny as well so it would leave traces. I'd still go with something like Henry's in a tube. I'm not promoting a brand, just the general idea w/o having to look it up.

Someone here knows more than I if anyone wants to add to the 'bridging' idea.
Click to expand...
Yeah I forgot about the UV part. I have read good things about Henry's actually in auto enthusiast forums.
 
Last edited:
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
Chaznsc said:
This is correct. There are fabrics that can be placed and an overlay installed. That said, that’s a fair amount of cost. I assumed the OP was on a budget.
Click to expand...
Budget yes...but fixing it the best that I can (or at least hoping it stays fixed for a few years) on my own is important to me too.
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
P0234 said:
Yes, call in the pros…. I had some done by “pros”, the top rated in my area. They cracked faster than my repairs. They also shrunk by like 70%, whatever they used was as bad as the Home Depot stuff that comes in a bottle.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a Pli-stix vote to me. Sounds like you got hosed and had to DIY and are happier with the results.
 
Z

Zeke

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
17,176
Location
Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
There is a theory that to fix a crack you need to wedge it open a little so it can't move. When patching plaster I try to use an expanding patch compound rather than one that shrinks. Getting hard to find.
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
Zeke said:
There is a theory that to fix a crack you need to wedge it open a little so it can't move. When patching plaster I try to use an expanding patch compound rather than one that shrinks. Getting hard to find.
Click to expand...
You accidentally just answered why they sell that stuff by the way. It has been bugging me for years that before I knew how to patch a wall I accidentally purchased that stuff...lol.
 
J

jskicet

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
216
Location
Western NC Mtns
I've used this stuff to repair pot holes in the neighborhood as well as on my driveway. Over 3 years now and it's still holding up well. Even with large construction vehicles on these area's as well as snow plows. Not sure if this is ideal for cracks but it holds up well. The binder is chemically activated with water. You can drive on it in less than 10 minutes. Just clean the area of any loose material and add the Aquaphalt and add water then tamp it. Done. Some DOT's are using this for one off pot holes. It's about $50 per 2 gallon bucket so it's not cheap but works. My Ace hardware stocks it. Just fyi.IMG_3125.jpeg
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
jskicet said:
I've used this stuff to repair pot holes in the neighborhood as well as on my driveway. Over 3 years now and it's still holding up well. Even with large construction vehicles on these area's as well as snow plows. Not sure if this is ideal for cracks but it holds up well. The binder is chemically activated with water. You can drive on it in less than 10 minutes. Just clean the area of any loose material and add the Aquaphalt and add water then tamp it. Done. Some DOT's are using this for one off pot holes. It's about $50 per 2 gallon bucket so it's not cheap but works. My Ace hardware stocks it. Just fyi.IMG_3125.jpeg
Click to expand...
Tons of videos for this stuff. Looks like it might work well for alligator crack areas.
 
B

Beemer

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 21, 2020
Messages
1,424
Location
Northeast
ukiltmybrutha said:
Hey,

I have about 10 of these in my driveway that I tried to repair myself. These tubes of red devil asphalt repair lasted for about 6 months and then cracked in the same spot. What can I do from here without calling the "pros" in?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Our driveway is about 30 years old and the "cracks" turned out to be shrinkage cracks and continue to grow to this day. The worst is a couple inches across now.
I can't see dealing with them because they just keep moving (opening) through time and the soil supports wheel loads.

I do chisel out and fill depressions where rodent tunnels undermined the support. I use AquaPhalt. It's simple and stays put through winter weather and abuse. If only it came in a "faded" color because it sure stands out on an old driveway.
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
Beemer said:
Our driveway is about 30 years old and the "cracks" turned out to be shrinkage cracks and continue to grow to this day. The worst is a couple inches across now.
I can't see dealing with them because they just keep moving (opening) through time and the soil supports wheel loads.

I do chisel out and fill depressions where rodent tunnels undermined the support. I use AquaPhalt. It's simple and stays put through winter weather and abuse. If only it came in a "faded" color because it sure stands out on an old driveway.
Click to expand...
Can't you seal over it to make it match better?
 
OP
U

ukiltmybrutha

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Messages
684
All, what about removing the failed red devil? How are any of these products going to stick to it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom