Below you will find the most common types of asphalt defects found on driveways in this area. Some of the repair processes are also explained. Your Estimate will indicate the best approach to handling your asphalt defects. Sometimes the best approach is to simply leave it alone. Please review the information below. If you have any questions, it would be our pleasure to answer them! It is our goal to ensure the money you invest in asphalt maintenance is invested wisely.  If you have additional questions please contact Garden State Sealcoating and Maintenance at 201-666-8299. 

LARGE CRACKS

Large cracks are easily filled and sealed with a hot applied rubberized material (flex-a-fill). If needed, the cracks will first be cleaned and dried with a hot air lance / crack jet. Once the crack is filled, we take an extra step of applying Black Beauty sand to residential repairs. This enhances the appearance of the repair and provides a better surface for the sealer to adhere to. On deeper cracks, the repair material may settle after applied and dip down a bit. As long as the crack is covered and sealed, the repair is fine. Some large cracks are actually “breaks” that penetrate the full depth of the asphalt. We may try to repair with method above. If this process fails (re-opens), a saw cut hot asphalt patch will have to be performed. All large crack repairs are visible through the sealer when completed.

                                                  

MINOR / SMALL CRACKS

These cracks are large cracks in their early stages. Though we fill them with a trowel applied repair material (gatorpave), they continue to grow and expand. Because of this continued growth and expansion, most filled / repaired small cracks will re-open. Nothing can be done to prohibit their growth. They may never re-open, but most do. We have seen these repairs last years or mere days before growing and re-opening. Regular maintenance (every two years) is sufficient to monitor and work with this type of defect. All small crack repairs are visible through the sealer when completed.

                                                    

STRESS CRACKS - ALLIGATOR CRACKS

 This defect is actually caused by a failure in the base (gravel) that was applied beneath your asphalt. These inter-connecting cracks will continue to grow and the pieces of asphalt will eventually become loose enough to break off or be lifted out of the surface. More often than not, a saw cut hot asphalt patch will have to be performed to fix this defect.




BROKEN EDGES / BROKEN ENDS

Broken edges and broken ends are very common. They are found along the sides of the driveway or at the road end of the driveway. Though not yet completely separated, the asphalt is actually broken off . The pieces could be lifted up and removed with ease. No basic repair process, including cold patching, will hold broken asphalt together or in place. Hot asphalt patching is the only way to eliminate this problem.



TREE ROOTS

Tree Roots are a common problem in this area. Roots are known to grow twenty or more feet from the tree. Eventually, the roots will push up from underneath the asphalt. As the picture indicates, there are places where the roots actually push up through the asphalt causing the cracks in this image. These types of cracks CANNOT be repaired. To address this problem, the asphalt must be torn out and the tree roots would then be removed from the ground. This could be an expensive problem to fix. A landscaping company might be able to help. A paving company would come in once the roots were removed.



HAIRLINE / CRAZED CRACKS

These tiny hairline cracks can be caused by either the freeze / thaw cycle of winter or from hydraulic (water) pressure from beneath the asphalt. This type of surface crack is not addressed in the sense of repairing. The cracks must open up and further develop before a repair technique can be applied. The sealer is simply applied over the asphalt surface. More often than not, these cracks will be more visible immediately after being sealed. You may have never noticed them before. Again, there is nothing that can be done until they develop into larger cracks.