An asphalt driveway looks great when it’s new but overtime, it might need to be cleaned and repaired. We’re going to show you how to clean your asphalt driveway, make some repairs, and apply a sealer.
Why call professionals to clean and repair your driveway when you can save money by doing the project yourself? Regular cleaning followed by resealing will help your asphalt driveway last. But before you start working, check the weather forecast. You’ll need a few dry days in a row to clean and seal.
Now, on the day before you start the process, turn the buckets of sealer upside down and store them in a safe place. This will help mix any solids that might have settled to the bottom.
Okay, let’s start with the cleaning. You might need the following tools. A pressure washer or a garden hose with a nozzle, asphalt cleaner, oil cleaner, cleaning brushes, safety goggles and glasses, and work gloves. You’ll find the complete tool list and instructions for this project at lowes.com/videos.
When you’re cleaning and resealing asphalt, don’t wear your favorite shoes or jeans. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing, including closed-toe shoes. Also, follow all the proper safety practices. And if you’re using a pressure washer, don’t point the water stream at anyone, or yourself for that matter.
Okay, before cleaning, remove any weeds or grass and sweep away all the dirt. Use a brush to clean the dirt out of the cracks and holes. Next, scrub any oil spots with a brush and a cleaner recommended for this type of stain. Now, it’s important to remove oil because overtime, it can damage the asphalt.
Now, the next step is to wash the driveway. Now, you can use a hose and a stiff cleaning brush or you can use a pressure washer. If so, most importantly, make sure you use a low pressure tip. Basically, you apply detergent then rinse. For details on setting up your pressure washer and cleaning your drive, watch “how to clean and seal a concrete driveway” at lowes.com/videos.
Now, after your driveway is rinsed and dried, it’s time to make any necessary repairs. Of course, if your driveway doesn’t need repairs, you can move ahead to sealing. But to patch smaller cracks typically less than a quarter inch wide, you’ll need to use a crack filler. Fill the crack and allow it to cure according to the directions on the package. Use a putty knife if necessary.
Okay, that was easy enough, but what about larger cracks and holes? Well, to repair these areas, you might need the following materials—pavement repair compound, a straight-edge trowel, a hammer and stone chisel, a tamper and rubber gloves.
Alright, now for shallow depressions on the surface, get the repair compound, spread it with the trowel, then tamp it down.
But what about deep potholes? Well, first shape the sides of the hole with a hammer and chisel to make them even and straight. They can’t be angled. Now, if the hole is deeper than four inches, fill it with some gravel until it reaches a four-inch depth. Then apply the repair compound in two-inch increments and tap down each later. Once you fill the hole to the surface, apply just a little more compound and tamp down again, just to make sure the hole is completely filled. For wide holes, you can use a piece of scrap plywood to even out the surface. If needed, you can also use a trowel to feather the edges into the existing asphalt.
Now, once all the shallow and deep holes are filled, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for curing time before sealing.
Okay, it’s time to seal. You’ll need an asphalt sealer, a paint brush you can throw away, an asphalt driveway brush with squeegee and rubber gloves. Now, your driveway may not have a need to repair and in most cases, you’re going to apply a sealer after cleaning with water even while the driveway is still damp. Just don’t apply the sealer in the rain. Check their product directions for more details.
Now, when applying the sealer, it’s best to do two thin coats rather than one heavy coat. It works like this. Apply the first coat parallel with the house working back and forth down the drive. After that dries, follow up with a second coat perpendicular to the first coat. Alright, let’s start sealing.
Thoroughly stir the sealer if needed. Then, using a brush, carefully cut in along the edges being careful not to get any sealer on your lawn, edging, or concrete. Starting near the house or the garage, pour some sealer and work in small sections. You can spread it with either a brush or a squeegee. The brush helps get the sealer worked into the porous surface. For a smooth look, you can spread the sealer with a squeegee. Either way will work.
Here’s how you spread it with a squeegee. Pull the sealer from one side of the drive to the other. The squeegee should feel as if it’s just gliding across the sealer. At the edge’s turn, reposition the squeegee and continue pulling, overlap edges to avoid seams.
Now, it might help to have a friend pour the sealer for you but don’t have them pour too much at a time. When you’re almost finished with the first bucket, add some sealer from the second bucket to ensure color consistency. After the first coat is dry, apply the second coat in the opposite direction.
Once you’ve covered the driveway with two thin coats, allow the sealer to dry according to the manufacturer’s directions before driving on it. Place the sealer buckets at the end of your driveway to prevent anyone from driving on the surface.
This driveway was dirty and had several cracks and holes. But with a thorough cleaning and sealing, it looks as good as new. Now, it’s your turn. Not only will you save your driveway, you’ll save some money by doing the cleaning and sealing yourself. For more home improvement tips and projects, visit lowes.com/videos.
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