What To Do If Weeds Start Growing Through Your Asphalt Driveway

Asphalt driveways should have a nice, unbroken surface, but occasionally you start to see weeds actually appearing among the aggregate. That's not a good sign, although it's not always a signal that the driveway is in dire need of help. You do need to have an asphalt paving company see what's going on so that you can get rid of the weeds and stop new ones from growing. While weeds aren't always huge, if the asphalt is old and weak, the roots and stalks could apply enough pressure as they grow to do more damage than you realize.

You Can Try Weedkillers

The first line of defense is weedkillers, either commercial or homemade, such as white vinegar. Chances are they will kill the weeds, but then you have to see if the weeds come back. Weeds that poke up from asphalt are sometimes from seeds that were dropped into small crevices in the asphalt, formed by the aggregate used. Weed seeds are sometimes very, very tiny, and while the asphalt may look like there are no cracks or openings, there are some that these tiny seeds, along with soil, can fall into. These weeds should respond well to the weedkillers. Other times, the asphalt is visibly cracked, and the sand base under that section has eroded away. The exposed soil and resulting exposure to air and water form a nice growing environment for any seeds that manage to fall in there. These weeds may be harder to get rid of.

Patches for Isolated Areas

Sometimes the weeds seem to take over a small portion of the asphalt and no other part. Whatever the cause, if you can't kill off those weeds, then an asphalt paving company can cut out and patch that section of the driveway. If the asphalt has been there a while, the patch will be a darker color for a while until it fades due to traffic and UV rays from sunlight.

It Might Be Time for a New Driveway

If the weeds come back after you killed what you saw before, or the weeds are growing through much of the driveway surface, it may be time for a new driveway. While asphalt aggregate does normally have some space in which a weed seed could potentially lodge and germinate (and this does happen), if you've got them all over the driveway and can't get rid of them, you have to take a good look at the condition of the asphalt. Having weeds all over the place could indicate that the asphalt and base are breaking down. If this is an old driveway, it may be time to remove it and pave another one.

Contact an asphalt paving company and have them take a look at what's going on. They can patch areas as needed and see if there's a visible reason why so many weeds are appearing in the driveway. If a new driveway is needed because the old one is just too damaged, you can arrange for that procedure after the inspection.

Contact a company like Sol & Simon Asphalt Paving to learn more.