Cracked asphalt: why is it important to react?

2 February 2021

In the depth of winter, our skin and lips aren’t the only things susceptible to cracking: asphalt cracks, too! And since asphalt is 30-50% water, the harsh winters of Gatineau can be especially hard on our driveways, walkways and parking lots. If your asphalt surface was laid in the last 6-12 months, it might not be fully cured or hardened and therefore extra susceptible to winter cracking.

While we can’t patch or repair asphalt cracks during the cold months of winter, we can help homeowners understand what might be happening under all that ice and snow so that they’re fully informed and ready to spring into action when the weather warms up. The paving and asphalt specialists at Pavage Massie share a bit about what they know about the importance of dealing with cracks in asphalt right away.

What causes cracks in asphalt?

All asphalt will start to degrade after about 5-6 years as it becomes harder and more brittle. UV light from the sun is one cause as it breaks down the carbon bonds in the asphalt. Water is another cause of cracked asphalt. When water sits on the pavement too long in times of heavy rain or snowfall, it seeps down into tiny crevices.

Water that has penetrated below your asphalt causes damage in a couple of ways. Firstly, it can erode or weaken the dust and gravel in the sublayers. When this happens, your asphalt can sink or shift, resulting in cracks and crevices.

The second way that water causes cracks in asphalt to happen during the winter. Even the best-laid asphalt will see cracks deepening in the winter due to the expanding/contraction action of the water as it freezes into ice and thaws back into the water. Small cracks can easily grow into bigger crevices as more water enters and thicker ice pushes the crack open.

Another winter hazard for asphalt is the use of salt or harsh deicers on new asphalt which can cause it to crack prematurely. Instead of spreading corrosive compounds on your freshly laid asphalt this winter, we recommend using sand or gravel instead. This will not only help to protect the environment by keeping the salt and deicer off your lawn and run-off to our waterways, but it will also be less corrosive on your asphalt and help to keep cracking to a minimum.

How to fix cracks in asphalt

The best practice for maintaining your driveway is to repair cracks with fillers while they are still just minor surface cracks. These repairs must be done when both the ground and air temperatures are warm enough for the asphalt to dry. As such, most homeowners will wait until late spring to start filling the cracks in their asphalt.

If your driveway has too many cracks or if they are too deep, you may need to have your driveway resurfaced. Learn more about the difference between resurfacing and replacing your asphalt driveway in this previous blog post.  La meilleure pratique pour entretenir votre entrée est de réparer les fissures alors qu’elles ne sont encore que des fissures mineures de surface. Ces réparations doivent être effectuées lorsque les températures du sol et de l’air sont suffisamment chaudes pour que l’asphalte sèche. En tant que tels, la plupart des propriétaires attendront jusqu’à la fin du printemps pour commencer à combler les fissures de leur asphalte.

Cracks in asphalt always grow bigger

Cracking asphalt can often be repaired if treatment is sought during the early stages when the cracks first appear and are relatively small. If you delay too long, we guarantee that the crack will grow wider, longer and deeper. The solution to this problem will also have you digging deeper into your pocketbook the longer you wait!

If you have cracked asphalt that you’re not able to repair yourself, contact Gatineau’s paving specialist Pavage Massie. We’ll identify the underlying cause of the cracks and fix them before they grow too deep.