What material should be used to fill potholes?
If you want to know “what is the best material to fill potholes?”, the answer depends on what your company’s parking lot is made from. The vast majority of parking lots are made of asphalt. However, there isn’t just one type of material that can be used when performing parking lot repairs. If you want to be certain that you select the right material, it’s essential that you know what the best material to fill potholes with is.
When to Request Parking Lot Repair Services
Every commercial parking lot eventually requires parking lot maintenance and repair services. These services should be requested if:
- The pothole has caused surface drainage problems
- The issue is relatively small
- You’re searching for a more cost-effective option
- You need to fix the asphalt damage immediately
How to Determine the Best Material for Pothole Filling
Pothole patching can be done with a variety of materials, the most common of which are cold mix asphalt and hot asphalt patching. Even though hot asphalt filler is highly effective, it must be handled with care and applied at exceedingly high temperatures.
In most situations, the best material to use when repairing potholes is cold mix asphalt, which is designed specifically to adhere to the base and walls of the pothole. This type of cold patch cures in accordance with the hardness of the nearby pavement. On the other hand, the materials below the surface of the patch cure at a significantly slower rate. By using a slow-curing technique, the asphalt is able to move as it expands and contracts.
If you want to permanently repair a pothole, it’s highly recommended that you use a slow-curing product. Cold mix products that cure quickly will cause the asphalt patch to be inflexible and rigid. This rigidity could lead to the patch failing once inclement weather, high traffic loads, and standard wear and tear set in.
In these conditions, the patch will be unable to effectively adhere, which means that the pothole will reappear. Since slow-curing asphalt patches are able to move alongside the pavement, the changes in conditions caused by load-bearing traffic and weathering do not matter.
How to Fill a Hole with an Asphalt Patch
The pothole patching process can be completed in three simple steps, the first of which involves cleaning the surrounding areas. Even though cold mix asphalt can be applied in any weather condition, the area still requires the removal of all dirt, debris, dust, and loose asphalt. On the other hand, water doesn’t need to be removed from the pothole.
The second step in this process involves pouring the asphalt mix into the pothole, which is done with a flat-edge shovel or similar item. The mixture is typically applied in two-inch-thick layers, each of which must be compacted before another is applied.
As for the third step, it involves compacting the crown. Once traffic resumes over the affected area, compaction and settling are likely to occur. The compaction can be prepared for by leveling off the crown of the cold mix solution. Once the pothole has been compacted, the asphalt and aggregate will interlock, which further stabilizes the repair.
With the right material, parking lot pothole repairs are simple and straightforward. By using slow-curing cold asphalt, the asphaltic patch that’s created will stand up to all adverse road and weather conditions, which saves you a considerable sum of money in the long run.
Contact PLS for Tampa Bay Pothole Repair.
Parking Lot Services (PLS) is here to provide asphalt repair and maintenance services throughout Tampa Bay. If your parking lot has potholes or needs other repairs or maintenance, our team is ready to assist you.
Contact us today for a free parking lot and pothole repair consultation.