Not all jobs will call for the same repair product. A crack has different needs than a pothole, and even two similar repairs may call for different materials based on the pavement condition. Here are five tips to choose the right products for each job so you can leave the guesswork behind and be sure the right material is packed in your truck before you head out.
Cracks under a quarter inch wide need a pourable crack filler, since it's thin enough to flow into tight spaces and seal them from water. Wider cracks and small potholes need a cold patch or hot mix asphalt instead, because crack filler won't hold up under vehicle weight once the gap gets bigger. Measuring the damage before you load your truck saves you a wasted trip back to the supplier.
Cold patch asphalt works in wet or cold conditions because it's designed to compact without heat, which makes it a go-to for winter repairs. Hot mix asphalt needs warmer temperatures and dry ground to bond correctly, so it's better suited for spring and summer jobs. If you show up to a job site in January with hot mix, you're going to have a hard time getting it to set.
A quick patch job for a client who's selling their property soon doesn't need the same durability as a permanent repair for a busy shopping center lot. Cold patch is a solid short-term fix, but it wears down faster under heavy traffic. Hot mix and specialty repair compounds cost more upfront, but they hold up longer under repeated vehicle loads, which matters when you're repairing a lot that sees hundreds of cars a day.
A residential driveway and a commercial loading dock put very different stress on asphalt. Products rated for light residential use won't hold up under delivery trucks or heavy equipment, and using them anyway can lead to a callback within weeks. Look at what the repair rating on the product label says about weight capacity, and match it to the type of traffic the lot actually sees before you commit to a product.
A repair isn't finished the moment the patch or filler sets. Sealcoating protects the surrounding asphalt from UV damage and water penetration, which extends the life of both the repair and the lot around it. Skipping this step means the new patch is more likely to crack again at the edges where it meets the older asphalt, since that seam is the weakest point in the whole repair.
Now you have a better idea of how to choose the right asphalt repair supplies for each job. The last thing you want is to forget a product or tool the repair calls for, so check what the job needs before you load your truck.
At NAC Supply, you’ll find asphalt repair products from brands such as Aquaphalt, Perma-Patch, and Sakrete. Our selection includes cold patch products plus asphalt repair tools for pavement work. Shop the collection to stock up for your next job.
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