How do I pave a driveway?

Question

The drive way at my mothers home needs paving. I think I can do it myself I've seen it done (many years ago when my dad did it). I don't think it looks hard to do there are a few cracks and one or two places where the old tar has come up and left a small hole. HELP can anybody tell me how to go about it? Thanks

Answer 1

If you are looking at paving a driveway you will need a roller, gravel, and hot asphalt. it's probably best left to contract this out. If all you want to do is patch a hole and some cracks, go to Home Depot or Lowe's. They will have what you need.

Answer 2

Depending on the size of the driveway, you'll need a couple gallons of sealcoating and those squeegie brushes. You can get all of that at Home Depot for a cheap price. Just make sure you've swept the driveway prior to this to get all dirt and clutter cleaned up. It's just like painting a room in a house.

Answer 3

Concrete driveway repair and asphalt driveway repair entail similar work, but asphalt is a more specialized product than concrete, meaning the materials you shop for to do a repair will be less familiar (to most of us).

Concrete driveway repair can be accomplished through an application of -- you guessed it -- concrete, which is readily available at home improvement stores. In addition, whether the crack is 1/2" wide or 2" wide, you can still fill it with plain old concrete. Thus you can keep it nice and simple; although, if you wish, you can buy more specialized products.

But shopping for the patching compound for asphalt driveway repair is a bit more daunting for beginners. You won't be using hot asphalt (unavailable at home improvement centers, as far as I know!), just a product meant to fill cracks in asphalt.

Moreover, the size of the crack does matter in determining what product you'll purchase for asphalt driveway repair. You'll be repairing cracks that are less than 1/2" with "crack-filler," a product sometimes available in handy cartridges. But cracks 1/2" or wider require "asphalt cold-patch," a product sold by the bag or can. Use these patching compounds only when the temperature is warm enough (consult instructions on product label).

Steps for Asphalt Driveway Repair and Concrete Driveway Repair:


If weeds are growing out of the cracks, pull them.
Clean the cracks, using a strong spray from a hose.
Apply weed killer.
When the crack is deep, fill it to within 1/4" of the surface with sand.
Tamp down sand.
Apply patching compound (for asphalt driveway repair) or concrete.
Allow it to cure.
Apply sealant.

Note that these instructions pertain to asphalt and concrete driveway "repair," by which I refer to do-it-yourself projects that involve minor cracks (2" wide or less) in pavement. More serious damage should make you contemplate replacement, which must be handled by professionals.

Answer 4

Good advice from others (except for the "steal someone else's driveway"!); just remember when you have depressions and missing asphalt that it's usually the result of something going on with the soil in that area. I suggest that you dig ~18" and then fill the hole with crushed stone or dirt that you compact very well (100 blows with an 8"x8" hand tamper, for instance).

Good luck with the project.

Answer 5

You first need to buy a steam roller. Get a good used one. Then order up a load of blacktop. After it is delivered, spread it out with a rake, make it nice and even. Then just drive over it with the steamroller and that's it!!!! New Driveway.

Answer 6

If you get someone to tear it completely up ... I can get you 26 ton of very hot asphalt for about 2300 ... plus delivery charge ... of course ... we would still need to find a roller ....

Answer 7

Home Depot can help...they'll have people who know more than people who post on Yahoo answers

Answer 8

very carefully... I suggest just stealing someone else's driveway...