A common approach to repairing a pavement pothole is to fill the void with asphalt concrete. If there are only a few potholes, a few bags of cold patch material from the local builder’s supply store can be use to fill the holes. Here are some tips that will make the filling perform better:
- Clean out any debris and water from the pothole
- Spray or pour asphalt cement from a gallon jug on the pothole sides (also from builder’s supply)
- Warm the patch material by placing in the sunlight or on the vehicle engine
- Fill the hole with the patch material – slightly overfilling
- Tamp-down the patch material with a hand tamper or a mechanical compactor to make a tight, smooth finish
- If, absolutely necessary, use the vehicle tires to push down the mixture
The photograph shows potholes patched with the throw and go technique and tires were used to help compact the pothole. For this location, the throw and go approach is effective but creates an uneven pavement surface and isn’t a long-term solution.
For larger projects, Zimmer Consultants can help develop a maintenance & rehabilitation plan to get your pavements looking as good as new.
Top Photograph from Zimmer Consultants
Hand tamper photograph from Grainger
Mechanical tamper photograph from Wacker Neuson
