Spring is when the Canadian climate takes its toll on all the driveways and walkways in your life. You can lay down a swath of asphalt or concrete in the tropics and it won't change for decades. Not so here. As frozen soil thaws, refreezes and thaws again it gets more than mushy. It also moves up and down, side to side, stressing every rigid surface we impose on the earth. Stress leads to cracking, cracking leads to more water infiltration and more water means more frost and stress. All this is why you should consider driveway sealer. It's for more than just over-diligent homeowners who insist on an ultra-black driveway. It's also one of the best ways to save big money, long-term.
Does your driveway have cracks now? Let this winter's frost come out completely, then fill the cracks with a gooey patching material before sloshing any sealant on. Sealing liquids can only span tiny gaps, so some sort of caulking-type repair is necessary to fill any chasm wider than a couple of millimeters.
Roofing tar packed in caulking tubes works well as an asphalt patching material, mostly because you can inject it deep into gaps. Polyurethane caulking is even better. Though it's not sold for driveway repair, it is the stickiest, most flexible gap-filler you can get. It's also completely paintable.
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