As discussed in our previous blog post, potholes are a type of asphalt failure that can be caused by a variety of issues from poor construction, an eroded base, freeze, and thaw cycles to name a few. Once a pothole is developed, it’s important to call an asphalt paving professional to identify the root causes and provide a solution.
Ways to Fix a Pothole
There are several methods that can be used to fill potholes and repair them. Here are the most common fixes, starting with short-term to long-term: pothole patch, skin patch, and cut-out patch.
Pothole Patch
For pothole patching, our crew shovels or uses equipment to place asphalt mix into the pothole. The asphalt is then compacted using a roller or tamper, and this process is repeated when necessary. This solution can be short-term and usually does not address root causes.
Holloway Paving performs pothole repairs with hot-mix asphalt. Cold-mix asphalt is usually a temporary fix during the winter months until a more permanent fix can be made.
Skin Patch
Skin Patching involves placing a layer of new asphalt over suitable, unbroken asphalt that has settled over time due to improper placement or base failure. Skin patches are best applied over sunken asphalt that has not crumbled but has a divot or a “bird bath” in the asphalt surface.
The advantage of skin patching is that the process is fairly fast and has less traffic disruption when compared to options that involve excavation.
Cut-out and Patch
Dig-out and patching involves saw-cutting a large square around the pothole and with equipment, completely removing the asphalt layers surrounding the hole. The pothole is then repaired, the aggregate base re-graded and compacted to stabilize the area. Then new asphalt is laid and compacted to make the surface smooth again. This is the best solution because it addresses root causes and provides the structure necessary to support the asphalt.
Contact The Experts At Holloway Paving
It is normally necessary to hire a paving expert to properly fix potholes because they can get complex. If you are experiencing any type of asphalt pavement failure, from potholes to cracks, you may reach out to us by calling (403) 975-3030 or by sending us an email at info@hollowaypaving.ca for a free quote today!
