I Saved $610 - DIY - Asphalt Driveway Crack Repair

🌟🌟🌟Product links🌟🌟🌟

It’s important to reseal any cracks in your asphalt driveway to prevent further damage from vegetation, like you see here in my driveway. It’s also important to fill these cracks as water will get in here and slowly erode the base aggregate. Once winter comes, any water that made it ways through the cracks and under the pad, the resulting ice could cause pieces of the driveway to break away and the surface could even start to heave or sink. I’ll be getting my driveway professionally sealed in a few days, so I decided to save some money and do this part of the job myself. The pros quoted me $650, but I’ll be doing it for $40.
In today’s demonstration, I’ll be using the following:
1. A flat head screwdriver or similar tool to help loosen any packed soil, debris, or weak pieces of rock from the asphalt. This will be your first line of attack.
2. A steel brush to remove any packed in soil or dirt and to help clean up the cracked area.
3. A soft brush to sweep away any material in the crack or around my working area.
4. A blow torch to kill any vegetation I am unable to successfully remove by hand.
5. A paint-stick to help smoothen out the filter material once it’s poured into the cracks. A 2” or 4” putty knife would work equally well.
6. An air compressor to blow out any dead grass or unwanted particles from within the crack. This is probably the most useful tool once the debris and rocks in the crack are loosened with the screwdriver.
7. You’re going to want safety glasses because that compressor can really make the sand and dirt fly everywhere.
8. Also, gloves are important, so don’t forget those.
9. Lastly, the fill that I am using today is called Speed-Fill by Black Jack. It comes in a container about 1 gallon in size or 3.4 liters. It costs about $20 at my local hardware store. For my project, I will need 2. I’ll add links to similar products from Amazon in the description below. The one I am using, works best on warmer days around 16 degrees Celsius or 61F, or warmer. Smaller cracks will dry and can be driven on within 2 hours while larger cracks will require 5-6 hours.
The idea is to remove any weeds or moss that could be growing out of the cracks. That flathead screwdriver comes in handy for loosening up the root area and pulling it out. It can also be used to scrape along the crack to loosen up any debris. The idea is to clear out the foreign material so the filler liquid has maximum surface area on each side of the crack to made full contact and seal up that area.
I’ll give it a little blast with the torch to ensure the root of that dandelion is dead. Same thing for this next weed. I don’t want them coming back in a week or 2. There we go; the screwdriver and the brush really got this crack cleanup up very nice. Let me run over that area with the steel brush ensuring there are no loose rocks.
Now, for the best tool of all, the air compressor. Let’s blast away any remaining debris like dead grass, leaves, seeds and small rocks.
The crack is now ready for the filler. Make sure to shake the filler bottle for 3-4 minutes. When you buy this stuff, you can feel the liquid in the top portion of the jug and sludge in the bottom half. It needs to be mixed very well, or it will be too watery with chunks of sludge.
Opening the jug is a little tricky. Have a piece of paper towel on hand. Remove the cover and place your finger in the tip so it can be easily removed without touching the filler substance on the tip. Clean it up with the paper towel and attach it to the top of the jug. Now cut the tip about a half inch down at a 45-degree angle. Pour the filler liquid into the crack. I like to use that stir stick to broaden the coverage area on each side of the crack to ensure I have a good seal. For larger cracks, the filler will sink and it could even split while it’s drying over the next hour. This is totally normal as the liquid is working its way into the depths of the crack. Reapply a second coating within an hour or 2 to top up the crack. For larger cracks, adding a little sand to the crack will help save on filler solution. I like to top them up about half way so I don’t use as much filler and I still get a large enough surface area on the crack’s sidewalls.
On this smaller crack, it’s quite simple. After having cleaned it out, the filler is applied and then spread out for surface coverage.
Once dried, the filler is nice and durable and even on this hot day, a day later, it’s totally dried and hard to the touch. The driveway is now ready to be professionally sealed and I saved myself a handful of cash.

[rayb]

Take out the nozzle first and flip it around, reinstall the cap with the nozzle pointing outward. Then shake it up and the nozzle will not have hardly any filler on it, if any. 👍🏻

[carolmontalto]

Wow! As a single female homeowner now retired, I am trying to learn to do small tasks myself. Thank you for detailed explanation and product info and brief clear video...eze to follow, this is my next task to accomplish myself. Carol

[daiiahi]

By power washing the crack, it did remove a lot of loose debris but then I did the same thing a filled the larger cracks with some gravel material...I started laughing at myself because i removed the debris by power washing the cracks then refilled it with some gravel!....Should have just left the debris and just filled in the cracks. LOL

[scubatrucker]

You could've sealed the driveway yourself. You did the hardest part. Great job.

[severobecerra]

First time home buyer. Thank you for posting this video. I'm learning from all you youtubers. Thank you.

[daiiahi]

I used a power washer to clean out the cracks and a propane burner to get out the weeds. Works well.

[Mobius-vzef]

I appreciate how you explained everything fully throughout the video, nice job sir. Thank you!

[moboutmen]

I have tried many of these crack fillers. It's more expensive, but for my money, I used 100% black silicone on my existing driveway cracks. Three years now, and not one has opened up or started a new crack. And this is Northeast weather.

[roseymalino]

Well detailed video. One recommendation: should have filled crack with coarse sand to fill void especially where there has been water intrusion. Also, the driveway appears ready for re-coating; a messy job. I used the thick stuff with filler.

[functionalvanconversion]

Great demonstration! That seems like the stuff I have been using from lowes for the last 12 years. Lowes is my favorite store, but Home Depot sells some crack filler that seems to bond much better (just discovered it last year). It's in the same type of 1gallon jugg and it's about $10.00.

[RAMPHD]

I have crack filled and sealed my driveway three times over the years now. Nothing works as the next year, cracks are opened back and the rubberized, or aggregate based filler is no match for asphalt movement in winter. Yes, sealed entire driveway to with Airport grade sealer.

[CARTUNE.]

The sand technique was a great idea. I didn’t even think of that.

[ajalbetjr]

Wowww I am LOVING this video! As with many, many others, I find myself in this exact same scenario, and every year have just pulled weeds and used a weed killer to try and control them... but overlooked the fact that the roots well below the surface would still be alive! Now I know what to do to address this until I can get a professional service to come and do the whole driveway, which could be a while in this economy lol! Thanks and you just picked up a new 'scribe!

[blinko]

I power washed today with a power washer. Obviously. and Sacramento, it’s 100° so within two days everything is dry. I filled in deep spots with sand and then my only option was Henry’s purchase from Home Depot.

[DrLoveQc]

good job, Im from Montreal and I found that using driveway resurfacer (black knight) over 1/4in or more is more effective then pouring liquid.. liquid seems only good for very small cracks. Also it cracks in winter but you just apply a bit more in spring and its like new again. Last time I paid 450 to get it repair and sealed.. now I.do it myself

[slidedudeski]

Good job sir! Spot on, helped me greatly. Now I can seal my driveway!

[VigilanteMian]

Thanks for the wonderful demo. Your neighborhood looks so serene. I didn't shake mmine hard enough so I saw some liquidy filler followed by sludge and later the tip was jammed. The brand I am using gave me a dark brownish look instead of black like this brand.

[B]

This product works great! It sets up hard like asphalt.

[seancosby]

I would have done the crack filling using hot pour crack filler which is better than cold pour for $1 a foot so It would have only cost him about $80 instead of $650

[davidbutler]

great video, i actually have the same product, the black jack speed fill. Now, i as you just showerd me i now know what to expect. One thing though, you did not mention how long it takes to dry.