Driveway

Driveway

Fixing expansion joints

• Level of difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated time taken: 1-2 hours
• Tools required:

1. Self leveling caulk
2. Waterproof silicon caulk
3. Half inch backer rod
4. Wire brush
5. Putty knife or something firm
6. Matching sand/gravel

Step 1: Remove any excess material in the joint

1. Scrape and brush away everything in there
2. Get it as clean as possible for better application

Step 2: Lay backer rod

1. Lay the backer rod in the expansion joint and cut to length
2. Caulk down the backer rod with the regular silicon caulk

Step 3: Self leveling caulk

1. Apply self leveling caulk heavily across the entire joint to give it a nice seal
2. Cover the backer rod entirely

Step 4: Pour sand

1. Sprinkle sand over the caulking while it is still wet
2. Pour plenty of extra sand to ensure good coverage
3. Let sit for 2 days then sweep away

Example Video:

Filling driveway cracks

• Level of difficulty: Moderate
• Estimated time taken: 1 hour
• Tools required:

1. Asphalt repair sealant
2. Wire brush
3. Putty knife or something firm
4. Matching sand/gravel (optional)
5. Pressure washer

Step 1: Clean the crack

1. Using a pressure washer, pressure wash the crack to ensure all lose material is out of the crack
2. Use a wire brush or something similar to ensure the crack is clean
3. Let dry

Step 2: Seal the crack

1. Make sure your bottle of sealant is at least at room temperature
2. Prepare your bottle and get it ready for application
3. Apply a small bead of sealant into the crack, filling the crack to the top
4. Ensure you do not apply too much sealant as it will be harder to disguise
5. If you do not care about disguising the sealant and crack, use a putty knife or flat headed screw driver to slightly spread the sealant to the edges of the crack for a better seal

Step 3: Disguise the crack

1. You can easily hide the crack with a few basic steps that usually don't require buying anything additional
2. Look around your driveway for rocks and sand that have come loose and collect them
3. With the sealant still wet, strategically place rocks along the sealant.
4. This will strengthen the sealant and make it harder to see
5. After you have placed rocks, sprinkle sand over the sealant
6. This will completely cover the crack and make it nearly invisible. It also prevents tracking if someone happens to step on it before it's dry.

Example Video: