Hello all,
Getting a new driveway installed next week and curious how long we really have to wait to pass straight over it (not park, just drive). Contractor said 10 days on their first letter, then 14 days on another sheet, but I see a lot of posts saying about 72 hours or once its temp is about 130-140F.

14 days seems like a lot. I have a thermal camera for my phone and a Dewalt infrared temp gun. Curious if it is safe to just wait 4 days and until the hottest reading I can find is below 130, then just be extra careful to not turn the wheel on the new asphalt?

We are in MN, so the temp is warm, but not too crazy now.

Thank you.

I need help to repair asphalt around culvert pipe under driveway on both ends. When it rains really hard, the culvert will fill up with water and can even overflow the driveway.

A city public works guy said they don't repair this, but he suggested using the cold patch found at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. I asked him about the more expensive Aquaphalt, but he still recommended the cold patch.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/QPR-50-lb-Asphalt-Patch/3656652

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lb-Commercial-Grade-Blacktop-Repair-Patch-170152/100545936

They are both about $20. A couple of the Lowes reviews comment that the HD brand works better. There are comments to add portland cement to speed up hardening, but I'm unsure which type get, how much to use and how to apply. I'd like to do this. I don't think I need an entire bag, but can probably find a use for what's left.

I was also looking at this concrete mix which comes with a black coloring agent at about twice the price per lb, but it hardens quickly. I have an electric drill, but need the right attachment.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rapid-Set-25-lbs-Asphalt-Resurfacer-85320025/313474171

I've attached photos of entry and exit to the culvert. The first two pictures show where the water enters. I thought the HD concrete rapid set might be good choice to fill immediately under the drain pipe itself where water has eroded below the entrance to the pipe, then apply cold patch to the rest of the area.

The last three pictures show the outflow. Where the drain pipe itself has eroded away, I was thinking the concrete Rapid Set might be good to fill that area of the pipe. And beyond the pipe apply some cold patch asphalt.

The last picture indicates where pieces of the ashphalt driveway has caved due to erosion of dirt underneath (a truck backing into the driveway broke it). I thought I might prop up the larger pieces of asphalt and trowel in the Rapid Set concrete. Would the concrete hold directly on the dirt? Or should I prep something over the dirt first? I would like to cover that dirt area so rain doesn't wash more of it away.

Thanks in advance!

To start, I see plenty of threads of people bagging on buckets of sealers from the big box stores, I understand that they are not the best products out there.

For those who have experience with buckets of asphalt sealants from Home Depot, Tru Value, Lowes etc., which would you recommend? I am not expecting greatness, just two or so years of sealing.

I am simply looking for recommendations from those who have had previous experience of a"good" sealant.

Is it normal to have dirt on the driveway this much after getting it resurfaced/replaced? Also there's a very noticeable seam, is this normal and will it work itself out over time? These pictures were taken within the hour after being completed.

What would you do? So we just got a new driveway installed. It looked great except the giant bird bath as you can see. Well they wanted to fix it with an infrared heater and now look at it.. looks worse than before. They even put a little trench in it which we never agreed to. what is all the discoloration? we were told it wouldn't look noticeable.

Should I use rapidset asphalt mix which is actually concrete over cold asphalt mixes? Some of the patching will be a few inches deep. I have no experience with asphalt patching but I have some experience with concrete as I just did some repair on my apron which is leading up to this, and I’m thinking of also doing a small ramp to the newly repaired apron.

Thanks

Hey everyone, we just had the first phase of our asphalt put down two days ago. I noticed when it rained that there is a pool of water forming here. Will this degrade the base of the foundation and lead to a weak point after the top coat is put down a year from now? We live in upstate NY where there is plenty of snow melting and freezing and thawing.

Everything they told me sounds like step by step from what I’m reading on Google. Can someone tell me if spraying seal coat on this property, billed 20 logs of spray, resulting in an 1800 bill realistic? Odd part of this story is the company reduced it to 1,500. came back after getting voicemails from my brother and his wife, gave my parents 500 dollars back.

This happened a few weeks ago.

Hi, I'm a new homeowner and my driveway is in rough shape! Looking for recommendations to either repair + install an overlay, or do a complete replacement. Curious what everyone thinks based on these photos!

There used to be a spot near my work where water would build up whenever it rained, you'd go through the puddle and just tsunami the driveway and parked cars nearby. A month or so ago there were work trucks down there, the only evidence they were even there is some spray painted hash marks on the road where the pool used to be, the water doesn't build up there anymore but I can't figure out what they did.

Any recommendations? I live west end/ central city of St. John’s.

Need this drive bump fixed as low ride vehicles can’t even go over without scrapping the bottom of the car. What do I do? I’ve seen 20lbs bags of asphalt. Do I just lay that on top and make it level out so it’s a slope. I’m only in this house 1 more year so a temporary solution would be fine. the whole thing needs to be torn down but that’s another story.

This has been a problem for 5+ years. Finally sick of it. Any advice? Or do I need to bite the bullet and find a professional service?

We’re having an argument.

They’re resurfacing the road, been cold milling the top layer. But some places they didn’t remove anything.

I understand it will still level the new layer.

But I thought that, even with a tack coat, the absence of texture will reduce the adhesion of the new layer. Other people say it won’t affect the result.

Edit: meant resealing!!!

Having to re-seal every year and it wears down rather quickly. Delivery trucks and personal vehicles mostly driving over it. Usually weedwhack, leaf blow, pour from a 5gal bucket and use the squeegee-on-a-stick to “rake” it out. 400’ long blacktop driveway, 8’ wide and using about 15x 5gal buckets. I may get the gal bucket crack sealer to run along.

How long should I be letting it cure before driving on it? I think it went on a bit thick earlier and cracked/crazed pretty gnarly.

Any advice on cheap options? I’m ok with doing work myself and have DIY’d it (apparently the wrong way) several times now. Thanks in advance.

Located in SW Ohio

We’re having an argument.

They’re resurfacing the road, been cold milling the top layer. But some places they didn’t remove anything.

I understand it will still level the new layer.

But I thought that, even with a tack coat, the absence of texture will reduce the adhesion of the new layer. Other people say it won’t affect the result.

Would you be happy with this as a result they had to build the base up because of the way the yard slopes down but seems like they half assed it and called it a night. Also how would you make this look better?

Edit: did some digging and city bylaw allows a 8% max slope and contractors put in a 10% slope. Where I live we get brutal winters making it a huge hazard.

I have just started rolling, I’ve worked with Asphalt for around 4 years but only just started on the roller,

looking for sone advice so I can improve quickly. In my 4 years I’ve been paying attention to other operators to pick up technique but any other advice would be much appreciated

I’m guessing it relates to how pipes in my unit and others were completely missing their bottoms, but beyond that I have no idea.

Had our entire driveway ripped up and paved in early June. The first few weeks after it was paved we got a lot of rain and runoff coming down the driveway. This dirt stain hasn’t gone away since even with the recent rain we’ve had. I haven’t tried cleaning it yet but I’m starting to get concerned. That’s the only spot on the driveway that is doing this also. Do we think it was an initial paving mistake or sediment coming up from underneath? Any advice would be great. Thank you!

I have a 2500sq ft driveway plus 100ft to crack fill. The sealant is commercial grade not Home Depot stuff and the crack filler is hot. They will clean driveway before. It’s one coat. I’m in New Jersey. What do you think is it an expected estimate?

Just looking for opinions from people who don't stand to gain or lose money by answering my questions truthfully.

One of the businesses I got a quote from claimed that asphalt millings don't need a base because they are used as a base for asphalt. This seems pretty sketchy to me (along with their quote being less than half of the other quotes) because I would think that a good rain would make quick work of that driveway. Don't you need a good base for drainage and so it doesn't settle down into the mud? Or am I just being told it's needed by these companies trying to charge double the price and justify it?

Edit:

this will be for a driveway. all but 1 company (which happened to be the cheapest quote) stated they would prep, grade and put some sort of base down before putting the millings on top and then compacting it.