Residential driveways, parking lots, and other areas paved with asphalt sustain lots of wear and tear, so they tend to develop potholes — especially after a rainy season. You’ll want to fill potholes right away; not only are they unsightly, but they also pose a safety hazard and can damage vehicles. When it comes to repairing your surfaces, you have a few options, including hot mix asphalt and cold patching.

Hot Mix

Hot mix asphalt is hardy, and it is manufactured with a high percentage of asphalt cement. Because of this, it is one of the more costly options and tends to be used on large projects in high-traffic areas like airports, roadways, and parking lots rather than residential driveways.

This type of asphalt is mixed at 300 degrees and kept hot throughout the application and compaction process. For warmer, dry climates, hot mix asphalt is ideal because it can only be applied when the ground is still dry and warm. Otherwise, the cold ground will cause the mixture to cool before setting. Moisture on the ground also prevents bonding between the layers.

Cold Patching

For basic potholes found in residential driveways and average roads, cold patching is a better option. Because it can be applied in cool, dry weather, cold patch materials are usually used to repair winter potholes. This enables you to repair each hole as needed without worrying about maintaining a specific temperature throughout the process. However, because cold patching is not the most durable option, it’s usually a temporary solution for pothole repair. That being said, you can extend the life of asphalt with seal coating.

 

If you need assistance repairing a residential driveway or commercial parking lot, reach out to T & K Sealing And Striping in Nicholasville, KY. Whether you need pothole patching or a new coat of driveway sealer, the contractors are happy to help with your next project. Visit their website to view photos of their prior work, or give them a call at (859) 338-5251 to request an estimate.