Filling Asphalt Cracks in the Winter
Filling asphalt cracks is the process used to prevent water from penetrating the subgrade and stone base of asphalt. The process consists of injecting a hot pour rubberized sealant into cracks in the asphalt pavement.
Frequently Asked Questions About Filling Asphalt Cracks
Can you fill parking lot asphalt cracks in the winter?
Cracking filling can be completed in the winter months as long as it is dry. In the summer months, the cracks contract, so it is actually best to fill asphalt cracks in the colder months when cracks have expanded with the cold and are as wide as possible.
Up North, crack-filling season, as it’s known, begins in April and ends in November; however, here in Florida, the temperatures rarely prohibit a paving contractor from completing the job.
When should a parking lot be crack filled?
Although asphalt cracks can be filled throughout the life of a pavement, only isolated cracks should be filled with sealant. If alligatoring appears in an area, where the pavement looks like the back of an alligator, these cracks can’t be fixed with crack filling alone and here’s why: When a series of cracks are grouped together, this indicates subgrade problems. The closer the cracks are to one and other, the shallower the failure. The further apart the cracks the deeper the failure.
Why can’t alligator cracks be filled?
When alligator cracks appear in a parking area it means that water has penetrated to the subgrade layer and the pavement can no longer support the weight of the traffic. Unfortunately, it’s a sign of extreme pavement deterioration that requires complete pavement reconstruction to fix.
Can you sealcoat after crack filling?
Absolutely. Sealcoating seals the asphalt pavement, preventing the oxidation and erosion of the top layer of asphalt. Once a asphalt crack has been crack filled and the pavement sealcoated, the two materials will bond. A few things to note – because the crack sealing material is designed to expand and contract through a wide temperature range, sealcoat can chip away from the crack sealant. Also, there is a color difference between the two materials, so you can tell if a crack filled area needs to have another layer of sealcoat applied to blend the two.
Are there any other benefits to sealcoating asphalt pavement?
There are many benefits to sealcoating! On older pavements sealcoating replaces fine particles lost from the asphalt surface. Selacoating also seals the small cracks that, if left untreated, can turn into large crack that allow water to seep down to the base material. Sealcoating helps protect the asphalt from sun as well as the harmful effects of chemical spills such as oil and gasoline. It also provides an attractive black surface that’s ideal for painting lines and other pavement markings. A sealcoated surface is also very smooth and parking lot sweeping can be conducted with more ease – lowering cleaning costs.
About ABC Paving and Sealcoating
With more than 20 years of experience, ABC Paving and Sealcoating is Florida’s local paving contractor. ABC Paving and Sealcoating provides commercial organizations with the highest level of customer service, professional workmanship and services including: asphalt paving, asphalt repairs and prevention, pothole repairs, sealcoating, line striping and pavement marking, thermoplastic, crack filing, signs and safety devices, concrete sidewalks, concrete curbs, site preparation and signs and safety devices. We use our experience and the latest equipment available to get the job done right the first time in a timely, cost effective manner. For more information about ABC Paving and Sealcoating, visit our website at https://pavingandsealcoating.com or call 866-934-7623 for a free estimate.
