I've never pre rinsed my cracks. Hmmm. Maybe that's part of my problem. I guess I've been concerned a pressure washer would tear it up, and that the water would be slow to dry. I probably need to change my mindset.

Professional crack filling is done by routing the joint out with a router then blown out with compressed air. After that hot rubber is poured into the crack. Single ply toilet paper laid over it so it isn’t picked up with tires etc while curing.

Chip sealing is a good option to be done after crack filling. Problem is the machines used to do it are so large and heavy they usually will damage the driveway more than fix it. For that reason you will be hard pressed to find anyone to do it on a residential property. If they do, more than likely it’s not done correctly.

Just hire someone to professionally crack fill it then have them seal coat it afterwards. Any sealer or filler bought at a big box store is nothing short of garbage.

Keep in mine this is only my opinion. I do work for the largest paving company in the state though.

use sonoborn concrete crack filler. Its a urethane self leveling caulk. the trick is to clean the crack with powerwasher then paint the sides of the crack with a primer made for that purpose. Don't remember the name but good construction product stores should have it. don't get lumber yard crap. most all my cracks and joints have held for over 10 years!!

Our county has started doing a lot of manual chip coating just on the cracked areas and it holds up amazing.

I used to work for the hwy dept so I'm aware the huge seal coating machines that lay chips are probly too big for a driveway. I'm just interested in using chips on the cracks, niot the entire driveway. I might use that stuff that comes in the sand sausages from Ace. It has many granuals that seem to be about the right size for home use.

Last time I just used air compressor instead of h20 to clean the cracks. Maybe h20 is better, so long as it drys.

I've never heard of that stuff 653.

I wonder how this would work

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/....htm?tid=2375610473459930103&ipos=40

That’s the type contractors would use. Melt it down in an old pot on a turkey fryer? Might get difficult to pour it out though. They usually have a wand that pumps it out of the kettle. Let us know if you attempt it.

I’ll take the other 47 boxes on the skid off your hands for $10 / box?

Here's something interesting I saw at Menards:

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/...m?tid=679487815860451718&&ipos=1

A relative went to Menards and tried to buy it for me, but they didn't have it. He said I could probably order it on Menards website. I'll look into that.

I went to Menards to buy this but discovered it must be a pitch they make to contractors, because they strangely had a requirement that I must by 48 of them. I want to give this a try, so am hoping I can find somewhere that will sell me a block or 2.

It is your sub grade that's why it is cracking and the only way to stop it is to have it completely re-done. Crack sealers are just temporary you can get a paving company saw out down both sides of the cracking and put hot mix back and roll it in. Then seal it the cracking is coming from water staying under the mat and freezing and thawing. I worked for a large paving company here in Virginia for 12 year on a crew and in the lab. For the past 14 years I've helped a friend who paves driveways and parking lots.

Freeze/thaw definetly makes it worse.
Ants sometimes seem to like to use the cracks, as I see it when they have fresh sand on the driveway.

Clean the crack out well and buy a sack of ready mix cold asphalt repair. Fill the crack heaping full and pound it flat with a hammer, then apply sealer.

My cracks aren't that big yet, but the hammer idea with cold mix sounds good. I might powerwash the blacktop & then try that.

Do many of you powerwash blacktop?

I just had my driveway sealcoated professionally. They power washed it the day before.

Ok, thanks Cork.

BigBob, I went to Ace & bought a bag of cold patch. Your idea sounds good.

BigBob's cold patch trick worked well. Excellent tip Bob, thanks. This is the best my driveway has ever survived a winter. I hammered the patch material into the cracks like he recommended, then I went over it with a torch, then I slathered driveway sealer on top of the crack.

Listen to Nimzy It's what he does for living when he Isn't trapping.

I'll consider that, thanks.

As far as sealing the entire driveway surface, do you guys on here feel it is worth spending extra $ for those 5 gallon containers that are advertised as 7-10 year sealant vs the lower priced 2-6 year rated pails?
It may be too late in the year to put it on anyway.

A lot of jobs are not done right from the start ground needs compacted to stop frost heave and the proper amount and application of hot mix if not you will be patching most every year. Spider cracks can be fixed with sealing as far as large cracks clean them well with compressor or pressure wash, let them dry then cold or hot patch, seal the following year.