The Real Reason Driveway Cracks Keep Coming Back

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Some parts of homeownership are difficult simply because they're unpredictable. You fix one thing, and something else breaks. Still, you maintain what you can, but time, weather, and nature have their own plans. Nothing man-made stays perfect for long, and driveways fall into that category, too. Although concrete driveways are meant to last for up to 40 years, and asphalt can stay strong for up to 30 years, cracks in your driveway often start to form long before that. At this point, it's easy to blame the weather or assume it's just standard wear and tear. But the truth is, the real issue begins below the surface: It's possible that the ground under your driveway was never compressed as solidly as it should've been from the very start.

A driveway sits on a subbase that should behave like a mattress that never sags. But when the gravel layer is loosely packed, it acts no differently than loose stones in a riverbed, creating pockets of air between rocks. Rainwater seeps in, freezes in winter, expands, then melts and drains out. When this cycle repeats multiple times, those little air pockets become weak spots. Slowly, the soil shifts and the gravel settles deeper. As a result, the concrete or asphalt above loses the stable support it desperately needs and cracks form.

First, prep your driveway's surface. If weeds have made themselves at home inside the cracks, it's time to evict them. Grab a trusty weed removal tool like the Plantspawn Alloy Steel Weed Puller and pull them out, roots and all. Once the weeds are gone, give the driveway a good wash. A pressure washer works wonders here, but even a strong garden hose can do the trick. Removing loose debris will help repair materials bond properly.

Once the driveway is clean and dry, you can easily repair driveway cracks. For concrete driveways, you've got two solid options: First, you can use a sealant like the DAP Concrete Filler. Scoop it into the crack until the gap is fully filled. Another route is a simple cement repair. Mix a 1:3 cement-to-sand ratio and add enough water to make a smooth paste. Then, in a separate container, mix a bit of cement with water to make a thinner mixture. Apply the cement-water mix first as a base and let it dry. Then, cover it with the cement-and-sand blend to fill cracks in your concrete driveway. For asphalt driveway cracks, go for an asphalt crack sealant like the Blue Star Asphalt Crack Filler. Apply it directly into the crack and let it cure fully. 

Note that until the shifting gravel subbase is stabilized, any patch you make is like putting a band-aid on a broken bone. Addressing that requires a proper subbase replacement; an experienced professional with the right tools is the only way to ensure your driveway won't keep cracking.