How to Blacktop & Refinish a Driveway

Refinish a driveway and get rid of those cracks.

Blacktop or asphalt driveways are durable with minimal maintenance, can withstand freezing temperatures and thawing, and are unaffected by salt and sturdy against winter conditions, making them cost effective. The only hassle may be the installation process and the potent tar odor from the patch mix. Just make sure to work during warm and sunny conditions to assist in installation.

Things You'll Need

• Ice scraper
• Detergent
• Scrub brush
• Car
• Patch mix
• Trowel
• Plywood
• Wire brush
• Crack filler
• Caulking gun
• Driveway sealer
• Applicator brush

Instructions

1. Trim back any lawn that has overgrown onto the driveway with a ice scraper.

2. Use household detergent to clean any oil or dirt spots with a scrub brush.

3. Pack in patch mix with a trowel for any shallow depressions. Thicken latex mixes with sand to fill holes deeper than an inch. Use tar-based cold patch for large potholes.

4. Lay a piece of plywood over the patched pothole. Drive over the plywood with a car to compress the patch mix into place.

5. Clean small cracks with a wire brush.

6. Fill in the cracks with crack filler fitted into a caulking gun. Smooth the surface with a trowel and let it dry.

7. Mix driveway sealer following the manufacturer's directions.

8. Pour the sealer onto the driveway in four-foot sections.

9. Use an applicator brush to spread out the sealer. Use the squeegee side of the applicator brush first and work evenly into the driveway with the bristle side of the applicator brush.

References

• Popular Mechanics: How to Repair your Driveway