Check out some similar questions!

asking · Sep 8, 2009, 11:55 AM

I have some pretty substantial holes in an 22-year-old asphalt driveway over baserock. Lots of alligatoring, but still useful. I cannot afford a new driveway and I can patch the smaller holes with a few bags of asphalt (which I've done before successfully).

But one of the holes is on a steep hairpin (fedex and UPS shift there) and has developed a hole that is nearly 3 feet long and 14 inches wide and WELL into the baserock.

Do I need to hire a professional paver to do this one? The rocks that are coming out of the hole are tearing up the rest of the asphalt down hill from there.

ballengerb1 · Sep 8, 2009, 12:05 PM

Age of the drive and size of the hole says time to call the pro.

asking · Sep 8, 2009, 12:11 PM

Thanks, B! I have requested an estimate.

hkstroud · Sep 8, 2009, 12:56 PM

Me, I'm cheap. I'd dump a couple bags of concrete mix in, sprinkle it down well. After concrete set up a couple weeks I might put some asphalt over it.

ballengerb1 · Sep 8, 2009, 01:23 PM

Harold, I am cheap too but you are lucky to get 22 years out of asphalt to start with.

asking · Sep 8, 2009, 01:54 PM

The driveway is 1200 feet long by 10 feet. Repaving the whole thing is not an option now.

If I WERE to put some concrete in there--not saying I would--how long before it could be driven on, with or without asphalt? The trucks are pretty hard on the road (crumbling the edges, spinning out unnecessarily), but I could block the driveway to them for some period.

hkstroud · Sep 8, 2009, 02:03 PM

Day or so. Three foot by 14 ", how deep. All you are doing is making something to fill up the hole, right. Do like everyone else, set your lawn chair in front of it.

asking · Sep 8, 2009, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Day or so. Three foot by 14 ", how deep. all you are doing is making something to fill up the hole, right. Do like everyone else, set your lawn chair in front of it.

Funny you should say that. I just set a lawn chair in a different driveway a couple weeks back and somebody moved it and parked right where I put it. Some people.

I'd just put tape across the bottom of the driveway. If somebody got half way up, I don't want them backing down and going off a cliff.

No word from the paver yet. I'm itching to go buy some concrete now. You just pour it in dry and wet it down? I have never done this before...

Not sure how deep. Not counting the asphalt itself, 1-2 inches? I'll measure it on my next trip out.

Thanks for the help!

ballengerb1 · Sep 8, 2009, 03:26 PM

One or two inches on crete will likely crack when the first truck rolls over it but at least its cheap.

hkstroud · Sep 8, 2009, 03:32 PM

So.

ballengerb1 · Sep 8, 2009, 03:35 PM

So, its so cheap he might give it a try. However, I am fairly certain a 2" pour will not hold under the weight of a truck.

asking · Sep 8, 2009, 05:51 PM

Good news and bad. It's only an inch deep max, mostly about a half inch or less (not counting the asphalt). But the hole is 58 inches long and ranges from 17 to 20 inches wide. So big and shallow.

I will continue with the estimate and see if I can afford that.

If the paver is over my budget, would it make any sense to use straight asphalt, since it has a little more flex?

jon123 · Sep 9, 2009, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Me, I'm cheap. I'd dump a couple bags of concrete mix in, sprinkle it down well. After concrete set up a couple weeks I might put some asphalt over it.

Hk, excellent quick fix is using a dark concrete mix.. it is what we used on our 20+ yr old driveway for a temp patch until we save enough to fit such an expensive job in our home budgit.. not only is it less expensive to use concrete over that canned asphalt patch but it is a lot stronger especially on a sloped driveway such as is the case with ours. Unlike aspalt,concrete won't soften and slide in hot weather. Perfect example for this is knowing how often road construction crews need to resurface or redo macadum highways versus a concrete highways, concrete last a lot longer

zippit · Sep 9, 2009, 05:59 AM

We have a concrete plant here that sells what they call "washout" its from the pit where the trucks clean out they mix it with soil and sell it for 10$ a yard I used it and it stayed put and was cheap

jon123 · Sep 9, 2009, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by zippit

we have a concrete plant here that sells what they call "washout" its from the pit where the trucks clean out they mix it with soil and sell it for 10$ a yard i used it and it stayed put and was cheap

Yeah man, upstate ny they use a lot of what is termed "crusher run" basically pulverized stone that has no dirt and can be rolled and stengthen using cheap bags of pulverized lime. But really, the easiest cheapest strongest lasting method would be using a dark mortar sand/concrete mix.. asphalt or crusher run will not hold up as long along where old drives usually start letting go,which is around the perimeters.. concrete fill will stay longer especially if you trowel out for a 4 in deep sunken curb.. than you won't see anymore slide in the upper driveway that is likely to be sliding and breaking apart by its own gravity.. this is only temp fix.. we need a new driveway but will wait for another year or so.

asking · Sep 9, 2009, 07:42 AM

The hole is on a Very steep hairpin where truck drivers shift down as they (finally) realize they're not going to make it. (The hole started when a fedex driver spun out and then sat there spinning one wheel for several minutes, generating a 75-foot column of smoke. I had to walk down and talk him down.)

It may be years before I will be able to repave this driveway. So, yes, it would be nice to have something sturdy. This is not for looks.

I will put up signs telling the drivers to go up in first gear as well. :)

I'm not sure what "dark concrete" is. Is the darkness to make it match the asphalt or part of how it works?

We do have a cement plant in town, by the way. But I was assuming I'd get what I needed from a construction supply place.

Thanks for the continuing advice. No word from the paver yet...

hkstroud · Sep 9, 2009, 08:36 AM

Wait a minute.

Two 80 lb bags of concrete mix, a 5 gal bucket about half full of water, a wheel barrow, a hoe and a shovel, and about 45 minutes.

You are filling up a pot hole. You ain't building a Swiss watch.

Get 'er done.

zippit · Sep 9, 2009, 10:49 AM

I didn't see this anywhere but for just a little more you can buy the fast set concrete and it can be driven on easly the next day

Also not sure what you get delivered how often etc etc.
I was in that predictament ups was tearing my drive up and I requested van delivery they said it might take a little longer but my stuff wasn't time sensitive