As durable and low maintenance as asphalt paving is, it is bound to crack over time. Most small cracks are insignificant, and they don't even need to be repaired. In fact, if the crack is less than 1/4" thick, you shouldn't waste your time trying to fill it because the space is too small. But, anything bigger than this can be easily patched using premixed, cold formula asphalt patch. This article explains how to apply your own patches to crack asphalt.

Using A Cold Formula

First of all, steer clear of hot formula asphalt patch. This needs to be heated to a very hot temperature in order to be poured. It is only meant to make repairs on large holes. Hot formula is usually the method used in the original pouring of an asphalt patch, but it is not suitable for small jobs. Cold formula patch is sold at any home improvement store, is affordable, and it comes in resealable tubs. You can also find it in caulk tubes too, which work extremely well when filling narrow cracks. 

Using a Putty Knife Squeegee

The patching asphalt is not much different than patching wood. Except, asphalt patch is much stickier, messier, and dries into a rubbery consistency. You can even use a traditional wood putty knife to spread the patch on your asphalt. However, a rubber squeegee will probably work a little bit better. Whatever tool you use, it will probably get damaged during the process, and you will end up just needing to throw it away.

It is very important that you clean out the crack before you apply any patch. Any dirt or weeds underneath the patch will only make it weaker.

The trick to applying asphalt patch is to not only fill in the cracked or aged area, but also to spread it on to the top of the asphalt. You want to cover either side of the crack by a few inches. This covers up the edges of asphalt, and prevents the crack from growing bigger. If you just fill in the crevice, the edges of the old asphalt will probably still stick out and chip away overtime.

As you can see, the actual process of repairing asphalt cracks is not very difficult or time consuming. However, some people continue to neglect their cracks and they grow bigger and bigger. Of course, it also means that they become more and more expensive to repair. So, it is always a good idea to repair your asphalt cracks as soon as possible.