The last foot of a number of blacktop driveways in Sun City are becoming cracked and are sinking. They will soon need to be replaced unless some required maintenance is done. To see if you have neglected your driveway enough to have this problem, inspect the last foot of your driveway where it interfaces with the concrete sidewalk and where it interfaces with the concrete apron in front of your garage.
An informal survey around neighborhoods ten and eleven indicates that on over one half of the driveways, the blacktop has pulled away from the concrete sidewalk and the garage apron by one-quarter of an inch up to three-quarters of an inch. When it rains, water flows into these cracks, and the sand and gravel base under the driveway is washed away. As the base disappears, the blacktop settles into this void and cracks away from the rest of the driveway. In the winter, water flows into the cracks and the void. It then freezes and breaks away the last foot of your driveway.
After the driveway has been destroyed, the fix is very expensive and requires a construction company to come to your house with four trucks and a steam roller. You donât want this to happen, and the prevention is very easy and not very expensive. Go to the local hardware store or one of the big-box home centers and get one gallon of blacktop crack sealer. The container has a tapered spout on the top that allows you to pour the sealer directly into the crack, but before you start to fill the crack, clear out all the loose debris. This can be done with a shop vacuum, a leaf blower, or with an air compressor. If you use one of the latter two, be sure to wear a dust mask and safety glasses.
Do not apply the filler more than Âźâ thick in a single application. If the cracks are deep or wide, fill them with sand or backer rod to within Âźâ of the surface. It is not unusual to have cracks that are 2â deep, and these should be filled before applying the crack filler.
When the crack has been cleaned of loose debris and if necessary filled with sand or backer rod, simply put the spout into the crack and fill it with sealer. If you are having trouble keeping the black sealer off the concrete, you can protect it with blue or green painterâs tape. Donât use tan masking tape, as after a couple of hours in the sun, it will be difficult to remove.
When you have finished sealing the cracks, be sure to put up some signs to warn people walking along the sidewalk to keep themselves and their pets off the sealer until it is dry. Cars should not drive over the sealer for twelve hours.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure could never be more true than with this fix. You should recheck these seams every year, and you will probably have to reseal them every two years. If you keep up with this maintenance, we wonât see a fleet of trucks in front of your house replacing your driveway.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home, submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com.
