Things You'll Need
Old clothing and safety apparel
Broom
Hose
Asphalt cleaner
Oil and gas stain remover
Cleaning brush
Crack sealer
Putty knife
Trowel
Asphalt repair product
Asphalt sealer
Paint stirrer
Seal coating squeegee brush
Caution tape, signs or cones
Asphalt is difficult to get completely smooth and uniform. Add to that wear and tear from use and weather, and you can find yourself with a rough and uneven surface. Though it's impossible to get asphalt completely smooth once it's set, you can take steps to smooth out cracks, holes and bumps. Sealing your asphalt is the most important thing you can do to get it as smooth and even as possible and to protect it from the elements.
Step 1
Clear the edges around your asphalt area, including trimming grass and pulling weeds.
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Step 2
Sweep the area thoroughly, removing any debris.
Step 3
Spot-clean any oil or gas stains.
Step 4
Use a hose to wet the entire area and scrub it with a brush and asphalt cleaner.
Step 5
Rinse the asphalt thoroughly and let it dry completely.
Step 6
Use asphalt crack filler on any small or medium-size cracks, being careful not to spill any or to fill too much. Let it dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. Touch it up if necessary.
Step 7
Apply smooth asphalt repair product to large cracks, to fill indents and to smooth out rough areas. Apply several layers, per manufacturer's instructions, allowing time to dry between each layer.
Step 8
Ensure that the asphalt area is dry from cleaning and that any repair product or crack filler has dried for the amount of time specified on the product.
Step 9
Apply several coats of asphalt sealer, allowing each coat to dry for at least 24 hours before applying the next. Mix the sealer with a paint stirrer and apply it around the edges of the area. Push it evenly around the surface using a seal coating squeegee brush.
Step 10
Place cones, caution tape or rope around the asphalt area to ensure that it is undisturbed while drying.
Tip
Touch up your seal job every few years.
Warning
Do touch-ups and asphalt sealing only if the temperature is above 50 degrees and is expected to stay that way for the next few days.
Make sure that rain is not in the forecast for the next few days and that overnight temperatures will not go below 32 degrees.
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