Asphalt Repair in St. Joseph, MO

Asphalt repair around St. Joseph usually traces back to water. Water gets into a crack, freezes overnight and pries it wider. In spring the base underneath thaws soft, and traffic breaks the surface into a pothole. On hills there is a second problem: storm water running along an edge can carry loess out from under the asphalt, leaving a hollow that collapses. Repairs that last deal with the water, not just the hole.

Repair types

• Crack sealing: cracks cleaned and filled with hot rubberized sealant
• Hot patching: each hole trimmed square, cleaned and packed with hot asphalt
• Saw-cut patching: failed areas cut out, base rebuilt, new asphalt placed full depth
• Edge and washout repair: undermined edges cut back, base rebuilt with stone, soil backfilled
• Settlement repair: sunken areas excavated, rebuilt and brought back to grade

Washouts on slopes

When a driveway edge on a hillside breaks off in chunks, look underneath: there is often a gap where water has carried the soil away. Patching the surface will not hold. We cut back to sound pavement, rebuild the base with crushed stone, repave, and backfill the edge with soil so water runs over it instead of under it.

When to repair and when to replace

If problems are limited to a few areas, repair is the economical choice. If they cover most of the surface, replacement usually costs less over the next decade than repeated patching.

Seasons

Hot-mix repairs need warm weather. In winter, cold patch can hold a hole closed until spring. Crack sealing is best in late summer and fall.

Bottomland repairs

On flat river-bottom lots in Elwood, Wathena or Agency, the failures look different: wide cracks across the driveway, soft areas that pump under a car, and puddles that never drain. The fix is a deeper stone base in those spots and enough slope for water to reach the edges.

Priorities on a budget

If everything cannot be done at once, start with whatever lets water in: open cracks and holes near the low end. Then fix broken edges where cars drive. Cosmetic patches and sealing can wait a season.