Robert,

I thinking that each time you see one of my posts for you, you are probably wondering whether I've come up with another obscure question.

So this time is probably another obscure question but I'm guessing you've got the answer as usual.

This time it's cracks in asphalt, less than 1/2 inch wide

I would prefer not to replace the asphalt area until next year but I want to deal with the cracks now.

Is there some technique or material that would provide the best solution. It doesn't need to be good looking. The crack repairs can show.

I am happy to hire asphalt company to do the work. I just have no idea about whether their solution would be good, bad, or somewhere in between as I've never needed to do this type of work before.

Any suggestion as to what to ask for?? Patching material applied hot or cold??

The only thing I know for sure is to spray the cracks with weed killer ahead of time.

Others will have their own ways of dealing with asphalt cracks. Here's mine:

1. Clean out the crack. Weed Wacker, wire brush, screw driver. Then blow out with air compressor. Or use shop vacuum to clean out crack.

2. Small cracks under 1/8 of an inch you can use a Black Top Crack Filler, comes in a tube like caulking.

3. Larger cracks use Speed Fill (By Black Top). Comes in 1 gallon or larger, Mud goo you pour into cracks and then trowel over.

I also use a wire brush to make sure the surrounding are doesn't have loose rocks, etc.

I also sometimes use my roofing torch to heat us the asphalt before applying the crack filer then use the roofing torch to make it dry faster. The warmer the weather the faster it will cure.

O.K., thanks.

Speed Fill, any type of ballpark estimate for drying time for this product this time of year??

If I hire a pro, any type of equipment they can use to apply patch hot which will mean faster dry time, and less likely somebody steps in it and brings it on to their apartment floor??

Lastly, any pro or few pros you know of that do this type of work in a competent way?? Repairs don't need to look pretty this time. I'll replace asphalt in future.

I vaguely remember some type of machine that heats asphalt patch and then applies it into cracks in the asphalt.

Is there such a device or am I thinking of something else??

The device I was thinking of is something that can be wheeled around the asphalt area after you add the patching material in it. The machine heats the patching inside. You then apply the heated patch as you roll the machine over the crack in the same way that the boundary lines might be applied to an athletic field but they use some white powder instead of heated black patch in the cracks.

Does what I am describing exist or have I got it confused with some other type of device??

That is something different. There are many devices out there to accomplish the same tasks, or we can adapt a product for one use for another. I do not know of a small device that heats up a batch of surface tar materials for a dense packing of driveway goods. But there are tar machines to heat up tar that is a liquid type material for coating roof or filling in cracks on the ground. Not a solid bulk material device.

I don't know whether the material that is heated starts in solid or gooey type material. I'll call some asphalt contractors and see what the story is on it.