Asphalt Repair & Patching in Olympia, WA

Asphalt repair and patching covers everything from a single pothole to a section of driveway that has broken up over a soft spot. Most South Sound potholes begin the same way: water gets in through a crack or a broken edge, softens the base, and freezing nights push the surface apart. A cold-patch fill tamped into the hole looks fine for a few weeks. A lasting repair removes the broken material and the wet base under it and rebuilds the area.

Types of patches

• Saw-cut, remove and replace: the damaged area is cut out square, the base is repaired and compacted, and new hot asphalt is placed and rolled. This is the most durable patch.
• Infrared repair: the existing asphalt is heated, reworked with new material and compacted, leaving no cold seam. Best for surface damage on a sound base.
• Hot-mix skin patch: a thin layer over a shallow depression or rough area.
• Cold patch: a temporary fix for winter emergencies until a permanent repair can be made in dry weather.

Crack sealing

Cracks are where water enters. Sealing them before the wet season is one of the cheapest ways to extend the life of pavement in Olympia. Each crack is blown clean and filled with hot rubberized material that flexes instead of popping loose. Very wide gaps sometimes need a backer rod first, or a patch instead. Cracks that form a connected web, called alligator cracking, mean the base is failing and should be patched rather than sealed.

Root heaves

Tall firs and maples are part of the landscape here, and their roots lift pavement. Fixing a heave means cutting out the lifted section, dealing with the root where it is safe for the tree to do so, rebuilding the base and patching. If cutting a root is not an option, we tell you the heave may return.

Repair before the rains

The best time to fix asphalt here is late summer and early fall, after the driest stretch and before the November storms. A crack sealed in September keeps a winter of rain out of the base. A pothole fixed properly before the wet season will not spread. We take repair calls year-round and can make temporary fixes in winter, but permanent work goes better on dry ground.

Utility cuts and edges

Trenches for water, sewer, gas or electrical lines often settle. Driveway edges crumble where there is no support. We cut back to solid pavement, rebuild the base, and in the case of edges, add support so the new asphalt does not break off again.