Asphalt Repair & Patching

As asphalt ages and is exposed to the elements and vehicular traffic, cracks can form. If ignored, these cracks allow water to penetrate the surface, weakening the base and causing cracking.

Traffic, continued penetration of water into the cracks over time, and lack of maintenance causes the asphalt to further deteriorate.  If not addressed, potholes eventually develop.  Potholes are not only unsightly, but also a liability if they become a tripping hazard or damage vehicles.  Repairing asphalt is an important step in achieving pavement longevity, as well as traffic and personal safety.

Asphalt repairs can take many forms, including crack sealing, pothole filling, skin (aka surface) patching, mill & patching, and dig out patching.  If your asphalt surface has cracks or potholes forming, contact St. Louis Paving to assess your project before it gets worse.  St. Louis Paving can help you find the root cause of the problem and give you the best options to extend the life of your pavement.


Mill & Patching

Milling (rotomilling) is a high-quality method of removing the surface layer of asphalt that has begun to fail, to provide for a solid base in which to install new asphalt.  If repaired soon enough, milling and patching can prevent further deterioration of the asphalt and more costly repairs.  Milling can be done to any variety of depths but is typically done to at least 2-3 inches.  Once an area has been milled, it is swept clean and an adhesive tack (prime) coat is applied. Next, new hot mix asphalt is installed and compacted.  Finally, the edges of the patch area are sealed with tack or crack sealant.

Milling and patching (as opposed to skin patching) is a long-term repair method, as the damaged asphalt has been removed in the process.  Additionally, all patch area edges are milled to the same depth as the patch, allowing full depth installation of new asphalt in all areas.


Full Depth (Dig Out) Patching

Full depth patching is performed when extensive repairs are needed not just to the asphalt surface, but also to the asphalt base and/or base rock beneath. Full depth patching includes saw or slot cutting the perimeter of the patch area, digging out the asphalt, inspecting the base rock (and replacing it if necessary), recompacting the base rock, and reinstalling and compacting the asphalt. Finally, the edges of the patch area are sealed with tack or crack sealant.


Pothole Filling

Simply filling a pothole (without milling the area first) is often done as a short-term and low-cost fix. The quickest and most economical method is using cold mix (cold patch) asphalt. This material is commonly sold in bags at local home improvement stores or in bulk through local asphalt suppliers. A higher quality method of pothole filling uses “hot mix” asphalt. Hot mix asphalt is available through local asphalt suppliers, and typically purchased and installed by a local contractor.

Although both pothole filling methods are considered temporary, using hot mix asphalt will last longer than using cold mix asphalt. For either method, sweeping the pothole and installing tack (prime) first will assist with material adhesion.


Skin (Surface) Patching – (Not Recommended)

Skin/surface patching is a low-cost, short-term repair method; which St. Louis Paving does not recommend. Skin patching is simply covering up the problem area with a thin overlay of asphalt, but not fixing the problem. As a result, in a short period of time cracks will begin to reflect up through the thin overlay and the patch will begin to fail.

St. Louis Paving has the knowledge and experience to perform all types of asphalt repairs, for all budgets and longevity requirements. When you need an expert evaluation of why your asphalt is failing and the best method to fix it, call St. Louis Paving.

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(314) 727-8280

St. Louis Paving, LLC

1415 Ashby Road

St. Louis, MO 63132

Fax: (314) 727-8284

sales@stlouispaving.com