Your driveway undergoes wear and tear every day and is always exposed to the elements. Over time, you’ll notice cracks, deterioration, and potholes in a paved driveway. Just like any other part of your home, the driveway requires periodic maintenance and repairs. Here are some ways to fix various driveway problems.
What Causes Driveway Problems?
Cars driving over the surface combined with freezing temperatures, ice, snow, and rain take a toll on your driveway. A small crack grows larger when water freezes during winter and expands. This gradually pushes driveway cracks out longer and wider. In spring, check the driveway for new holes and cracks.
Repairing Driveway Cracks
If your driveway has cracks that are less than one-quarter inch wide, they are cosmetic and don’t threaten the integrity of the driveway. It is still a good idea to repair them while they are small because they may be one winter away from becoming larger.
Buy a liquid crack filler from the hardware store that is “ready-mixed”. This is used straight out of the container and applied directly to the problem area. Larger cracks and holes require patching with a different type of filler.
Larger Driveway Problems
For holes and cracks that are more than one-quarter inch wide and a couple of inches deep, use a concrete patch material to fill them. Purchase the product and mix it in water. Fill it in and tamp it down until it is level with the surface of the driveway.
Patching holes and cracks this way is a temporary solution to maintain the integrity of the driveway. Water still may be able to seep in between the joint of the patch and the original driveway surface, so the fix may last for a couple of years before needing attention.
Resurface the Driveway
The alternative to re-patching the driveway every few years is having it resurfaced. This is a job best left to professionals because it requires removing the entire top layer of the driveway and replacing it. It requires major machinery to demolish the layer and pour a new surface. The pros will also take care of proper debris disposal.
Hire Professionals
You’ll pay about twice as much to have professionals patch a driveway for you as opposed to doing yourself. Patching small cracks is manageable for any homeowner, but it’s best to hire professionals for large and more significant repairs.
Robertson Home Inspection serves the Piedmont Triad in North Carolina with home inspection services. Contact us to schedule an inspection.