Many homeowners prefer to repair their driveways using DIY methods once the driveway develops defects. However, some homeowners use wrong tools and methods because they did not make a correct assessment of the defect. This article discusses three common driveway defects. Use this information to help you to select the most appropriate method and materials for the repair job that you want to undertake.

Potholes

These refer to the holes that are left in your asphalt driveway once some pieces of the asphalt detach from the surface. These potholes vary in size. They usually develop after spider web cracks are not attended to. You will need to buy an asphalt-patching product from a hardware store in order to fill these potholes. A tamping tool will also be needed to compress the patching material so that it does not have airspaces within it. You can complete this repair job in a few hours if the potholes are not extensive. You may also need a tool (such as a hoe) to remove any vegetation that may have sprouted within the pothole.

Spider Web Cracks

These form a pattern similar to the squares on an alligator's back. The cracks are tiny and interlock to look like the web of a spider. These are much easier to fix when compared to other driveway defects like potholes and sinkholes. You will need a special spider web patch and a squeegee to apply it. You may also need to buy a sealant to keep moisture out of the patch material that you have just applied. In case there are weeds within the cracks, apply a weed killer within the crack to prevent further weed growth.

Birdbaths or Sinkholes

These refer to depressions within the bitumen driveway. They differ from potholes in the sense that birdbaths or sinkholes do not have missing asphalt. When it rains, water can collect within that sunken area. Birds play in such pools of water and that is why this defect is called a birdbath. Larger depressions are called sinkholes. You can use a pothole patch to level out a birdbath. You may need to rent a vibrating machine to compact the material that you have poured into the sinkhole. You may also need to dig out the entire sunken asphalt area before filling the resulting hole with patching material. This job is very tedious and expensive.

Talk to a bitumen restoration professional, like one from B & P Bitumen Repairs, for advice regarding the repair methods for your driveway that will produce lasting results. Otherwise, you may end up having to repair your driveway very often if you use only temporary materials and methods.