Crack Filling
What is Crack Filling?
If your pavement has cracks, repaving or repair isn’t always necessary. Many times, cracks can be repaired by filling them. Cracks in the surface of pavement can be filled with hot pour rubberized crack filler, which helps seal the crack.
The crack filler material is rubberized, making it waterproof and flexible enough to withstand asphalt expansion and contraction brought on by temperature changes.
Cracks that are 1⁄4” wide and greater are great candidates for crack filling. Cracks smaller than 1⁄4” cannot be filled because there is not sufficient space for the filler to penetrate the crack.
Alligator cracks, or several cracks that intersect to form a pattern similar to alligator skin, should not be filled. Crack filling will not be able to restore the structural integrity of the asphalt in this area, and the asphalt will need to be removed and patched.
Why Fill Cracks?
Like anything, cracks in pavement weaken the pavement. It also opens the pavement up to issues from water seepage and vegetation. When water seeps into cracks and under asphalt, the ground beneath the asphalt begins to degrade. When the asphalt no longer has a study surface below it, potholes form. By sealing cracks, you greatly reduce the risk of subgrade degradation and asphalt failure – making your parking lot safer and saving yourself from more costly repairs down the road.
In addition, vegetation growing in cracks may not seem like a big deal, but it can turn into one. If plants are allowed to grow, their root systems also grow and may push the pavement up. This causes additional issues that are even harder and more expensive to repair.
The sooner you repair cracked pavement, the less likely you are to have to deal with severe damage and more costly repairs.
Our Crack Filling Process
Crack filling is the process of filling longitudinal cracks in the asphalt with a hot pour crack filler in an effort to seal the cracks and prevent water penetration.
Crack filler is an economical first step in increasing the longevity of your parking lot. Crack filler can help to reduce water penetration through the asphalt and into the subgrade. This helps in reducing the number of new cracks that form and protects the subgrade from the harmful effects of moisture content that will lead to premature failure of the asphalt. Water infiltration will contribute to the deterioration of your asphalt by softening your sub-base and causing the asphalt surface to flex and subsequently crack.
The process starts with cleaning the cracks of all dirt, grass, etc. We use a variety of methods to achieve this, including air lances, wire wheels, and blowers. Once clean, the sealant can be applied. We typically use products from Crafco, a leading manufacturer of asphalt sealants in the industry.
Interested in Crack Filling Services?
The experts at Raleigh Paving can help!
Raleigh Paving provides pavement crack filling and crack repair services in the Triangle, Triad and Charlotte metro areas of North Carolina including Raleigh, Greensboro and Winston-Salem.
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