10
Steps to Driveway Maintenance and Repair.
Contrary to
popular belief and according to the National Asphalt Pavement
Association, sealing a driveway every couple years does not
significantly prolong its life. Promptly attending to filling cracks and
holes and cleaning oil spills is an important part of asphalt
maintenance. Sealing does make the driveway look nicer and easier to
sweep. Even though repairs are typically done in the summer in
conjunction with a sealer application, the ideal time for most repairs
is as soon as you notice them. In addition, cracks are best filled in
winter when cracks are the widest. For the sake of the environment and
for easier application and cleanup, choose a water-base acrylic
filler/sealer. You can expect to cover 300-500 sq. ft. per five gallon
of sealer depending on the general condition of the driveway and if it
has been sealed previously. For best results, use sealer/fillers that
fill cracks up to 1/8-in. wide. Look for crack fillers that have
"rubberized asphalt emulsion." For cracks over 1/2 in. wide,
first stuff the crack with a non-porous foam backer rod material to make
the crack about as deep as it is wide.
Before
You Begin
Carefully
inspect your driveway to determine the materials you will need. The
checklist below will be useful. If patching or sealing large cracks is
required, plan on making the repairs early in the season so they can
cure a month or so before applying any sealer/filler. If you plan to
apply the sealer, allow the driveway to be warmed by a couple months of
summer sun, and look for a two-day dry weather forecast. Mask adjoining
surfaces to protect them. Wear old clothes and shoes.
1.
Clear Weeds:
Use an ice chipper, a lawn edging tool, or a spade to scrape off grass or
weeds encroaching on the driveway or inhabiting any cracks. Then use a
stiff broom to remove this dirt and debris off the driveway.
2.
Remove Loose Asphalt:
Dislodge loose material from the edges of small potholes and large cracks.
Use a wire brush as shown or you can blast out loose material with water
from a hose nozzle or with compressed air.
3.
Scrub Area:
For best adhesion of crack filler or compound and driveway sealer/filler,
scrub the entire driveway with a diluted driveway cleaner to remove all
dirt and oil film. Pay particular attention to areas to be filled or
patched. Oil stains may need repeated cleaning and seal any remaining
stain with an oil spot primer.
4.
Use Water Pressure:
Hose the driveway with as much pressure as possible. A pressure washer is
optimal and might be worth renting, especially if you have other exterior
cleaning chores to do. Work from the center out to the sides or from one
side to another. Start uphill, too, so the dirt won't wash back onto the
cleaned area.
5.
Vacuum Debris:
Use a shop vacuum to remove all remaining dirt from the cracks to be
filled. These must be very clean and dry before filling. Don't use
compressed air at this point or the dirt will blow out of the crack and
onto your just cleaned driveway.
6.
Fill Cracks:
For cracks up to 1/2 inch, use crack filler, packaged in no-mess
cartridges for the caulking gun or in pourable squeeze bottles. Squeeze
the caulking gun trigger steadily as you either push or pull the tip along
the crack. If using a pourable filler, use it to fill the crack. Smooth
with a putty knife and keep the filler in the crack, not on the surface.
7.
Pack Holes:
For potholes or wide cracks, shovel packaged blacktop into a well-cleaned
hole and then use an iron rake to level large patches. Use a cold chisel
and a hand-drilling hammer to undercut the edges so the hole is wider at
the bottom than it is at the driveway surface. This will lock in the patch
once it has been compacted.
8.
Compact Material:
Compact the material as best as you can with a tamper (a rental item) or
the end of a heavy board, adding more material until the hole is slightly
overfilled. Then place a piece of scrap plywood over the patch and drive
you car back and forth across it to further compact it
9.
Apply Sealer:
Mix sealer/filler well before you start and once or twice during the
process. After masking adjoining areas, mist the driveway with water. Then
pour a 1-ft. wide ribbon of sealer across the driveway. Push and pull the
sealer with the squeegee side of the applicator to spread it until it's
about 3 or 4-ft. wide.
10.
Finish Sealing Process:
Using
the brush, pull the sealer toward you and apply enough pressure to remove
all excess sealer. Repeat this procedure down the driveway. Two thin coats
are better than one thick one. Allow the first coat to dry about 12 hours.
Block the end of the driveway to keep cars off until it is completely
dry-at least 24-36 hours
Written
by Roy Barnhart, home improvement expert, Fairfield, CT.
Concrete Driveway
maintenance
Concrete and Cement
Repair
Concrete is an extremely strong, durable
material made from cement and aggregate. Concrete is porous, whether used
as a floor in garage, porch or patio, driveway or walks.
Often porch or patio floors will
have an extra smooth surface, but it will still absorb stains easily. It
may be sealed or painted. Concrete floors are sealed to prevent
staining, since without sealing it absorbs stains readily. The floor must
cure and dry after it is laid before it can be sealed, with the time
required varying with weather, temperature, building conditions, etc.
Floors must be clean, and any remaining alkali in the concrete must be
neutralized before sealing. Contact a good paint store or cement dealer
for complete instructions and materials to use.
Painting concrete varies depending on its use. Latex floor paints react
with rubber tires in garages, as well as with bicycle tires, lawnmower
tires, etc. The result is peeling. Alkyd floor enamels are more moisture
resistant, and normally old up better under these conditions. But they are
more slippery when wet. If there is moisture rising from beneath the
surface of the floor it may also cause enamel floor paint to peel.
To clean, wet with clear water.
Apply a hot solution of 2 to 2 1/2 ounces washing soda or 1/2 ounce TSP
(tri-sodium phosphate) per gallon of water. TSP can be found in paint,
hardware and home center stores.
Grease Stains: In a garage,
it is advisable to place a shallow metal pan under the car to catch
dripping oil. Spreading the area under the car with sand or sawdust will
help absorb dripping oil. Periodically saturated sand or sawdust should be
scraped away and fresh, clean material put in place. This will prevent
tracking oil to other areas of cement or into the house. If oil or grease
is spilled on porch or patio cement, apply an absorbent powder such as
fuller's earth, cornmeal, or sawdust to absorb as much oil as possible
immediately. Leave it on stain for a few hours and sweep up.
Here are some various methods to remove grease stains:
- Using a stiff long handled brush,
scrub stain with concentrated detergent suds. Rinse well with hose.
Dry and repeat if necessary.
- Sprinkle "dishwasher"
detergent (dry) on wet concrete. Let it stand a few minutes; pour
boiling water on area. Scrub and rinse. Use rubber gloves on hands.
- Commercial products are available
in paint/hardware home centers. Some can also be used on blacktop
surfaces.
- On wet oily surface of concrete,
sprinkle with tri-sodium phosphate. Allow to stand 15 to 30 minutes,
then scrub with stiff brush and hot water. Rinse with clean water.
- Dissolve a cup tri-sodium
phosphate in 1 gallon of hot water. Pour over stained cement surface
generously and allow to soak 15 to 20 minutes. Scrub vigorously with
stiff brush or broom. Rinse off with hose. Repeat if necessary.
- Scrub the concrete with a grease
solvent to remove as much as possible of the grease stain. Have good
ventilation and avoid spark or flame as solvents are flammable. Naptha,
often recommended, can ignite, just from a spark from friction or
rubbing.
- Mix 1 part sodium citrate to 6
parts water and 6 parts glycerin and add enough whiting or fuller's
earth to make a thick paste. Spread paste on oil or grease stain. Let
stand 1 week. Add new paste when it dries. Flush with water after
brushing dry paste away. Repeat if necessary.
Rust Stains : Make a paste of
1 part sodium citrate crystals to 6 parts water and enough whiting or
fuller's earth to make a paste. Spread paste on rust stains and allow to
dry. Scrape off. Rust should be removed. Repeat if necessary.
This article has
been contributed in part by Michigan
State University Extension
Paver
Follow
concrete care
For
driveways, paths, parking areas, utility areas, weed and fire control and
a variety of other uses, crushed rock can be an inexpensive solution.
It’s durable, virtually maintenance free, reasonably priced, and
available in a variety of colors and sizes for different applications.
While just
about any crushed rock can be used for just about any application, some
rocks are better choices then others for certain uses. For example, some
rock packs down better than others, making it a better choice for roads.
Others are smooth and rounded, and while they don’t pack as well,
they’re softer underfoot and may be a better choice for some walkways
and dog runs. You’ll also find some regional differences as well –
some areas may carry more river rock than others, or more lava rock or
different grades and sizes of crushed rock.
Some of the
more common rocks and their applications include:
River Rock
River rocks
are rounded and smooth in appearance, with no sharp or pointed edges.
Their rounded shape causes them to roll slightly underfoot and they
don’t pack down hard against one another, but they drain water very well
and are more attractive than some other types of crushed rock. Common size
ranges, which indicate the average diameter of the rock, include 3/8
inch-1/2 inch, also called pea gravel; 1/2 inch-1 inch; and 1 1/2 inch-2
1/2 inch. Larger sizes are also available.
Common uses
include paths, landscaping, and drainage areas. River rock is also
sometimes used for animal areas and driveways. Pea gravel is a common
additive in decorative exposed aggregate concrete, and the larger river
rock is common for use in septic drain fields.
Crushed
Rock
This is the
generic “gravel” and is more sharp and irregular on the edges. The
sharper edges cause the individual pieces to interlock with one another,
packing them down more firmly underfoot. The two common sizes include
0-3/4 inch, called “3/4 minus,” which has rocks ranging from 3/4 inch
down to powder. The powder, called “fines,” fills in all the little
areas between the larger rocks for good compaction, although it can be
dusty to drive on until it gets a sufficient amount of water to settle
everything into place. The other size is 1/4 inch-3/4 inch, which packs
just about as well without as much dust, although the packing may take a
little longer to occur. Common uses for both materials include roads,
driveways, base rock for asphalt and concrete slabs and paths and
walkways.
How
Rock is Sold
All types of
crushed rock is sold by the ton, or by the cubic yard, which is equal to
an area 3 feet wide by 3 feet long by 3 feet high. One cubic yard is also
equal to 27 cubic feet. As a general rule of thumb for calculating your
coverage needs, you can figure that one cubic yard will cover: 160 square
feet at 2 inches deep, 108 square feet at 3 inches deep, 80 square feet at
4 inches deep, 54 square feet at 6 inches deep.
You can haul
the rock yourself if desired – the dealer will load it for you – or
you can have your dealer deliver it for a nominal cost, which is usually
waived if you buy a large enough quantity at one time. If your site is
accessible, most dealers will also drop the rock off the truck so that it
spreads out, rather than just dumping it in a pile – something that can
save you a considerable amount of shoveling and spreading by hand.
Concrete
Sealers, cleaners
Visit Concrete Science here
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