They Key to Successful Crack Filling

Crack filling is the first line of defense for maintaining asphalt driveways, parking lots, or roadways and if done properly can be a huge revenue generating service for your business. Proper crack filling techniques can add years to the life span of an asphalt driveway, parking lot, or roadway. The key to successful crack filling is the crack preparation. When crack filling contractors understand the importance of a cohesive bond between the crack itself and the crack fill rubber they are applying. Proper adhesion between the crack and the rubber will be the difference in a crack fill job lasting 3 weeks and 3 years. If you want your work to last, proper preparation is an essential step that cannot be overlooked.
Proper crack preparation includes three main steps: cleaning the crack, drying the crack, and etching the walls. When cleaning the crack you want to ensure that you are removing all dirt, debris, and vegetation from the crack. The second step is drying the crack. Moisture is a crack filler’s worst enemy. If you try crack filling while a crack is still wet you are compromising the adhesion between the rubber and the inside of the crack walls. Etching the walls is the last step in successful crack fill prep and arguably the most important factor but often overlooked or not understood properly. We refer to “etching” the walls as the process of creating pours inside the crack walls giving the crack fill rubber a space to fill and adhere to. The last thing you want is the inside of the crack to be a smooth surface. Smooth crack walls don’t allow be the rubber to adhere to the inside of the crack therefore compromising the bond.
Crack prep may seem like a long process requiring multiple pieces of equipment to complete the process however there are machines out there, such as the Crack Jet II that enable the crack to be cleaned, dried, and the walls etched all in one motion.