Potholes breed. In no time at all, potholes on the street outside your home can breed smaller potholes in your driveway or even a walkway. Fortunately, you don''t have to wait for the road crew to get an asphalt surface repaired. You can fix it. Here''s how.

Asphalt is a dark brown or black tarlike substance found in petroleum deposits. Heated up and mixed with crushed rock or other materials, asphalt becomes a relatively hard, smooth surface to support cars and people. In addition to being used on public roads, asphalt is popular for paving residential and commercial driveways, walkways, and paths.

To fill a minor crack:
1.Sweep out loose material or vacuum it up with a shop vacuum.
2.If the crack is deep, fill it with sand, and compact it to within 1/2 inch of the surface.
3.Use a caulk gun to apply a continuous bead of asphalt-based caulk. Follow the instructions for drying time (usually about 10 minutes).
4.Compact and smooth the surface with a putty knife, being careful not to spread caulk too widely

To fill a small hole:
1.Brush out any loose material or vacuum it up with a shop vacuum.
2.Clear away loose chunks and break off any unsupported edges of the old asphalt.
3.Spread asphalt patching compound in the hole using a trowel until the compound is mounded slightly higher than the driveway.
4.Use the end of a piece of lumber to tamp the patch down, level with the driveway surface.

To fill a larger hole:
1.Remove any loose debris and smooth jagged edges around the hole with a hammer and chisel. If the hole is deep you can place and pack solid debris (rocks, etc.) in the hole as a foundation for the asphalt patch.
2.Fill the hole about half way to the top with asphalt patch and tamp it down with the end of a piece of lumber.
3.Fill the hole to slightly above the surrounding asphalt.
4.Place a piece of thick plywood over the patch.
5.Drive a car slowly over the plywood to compact the patch.

Fill the hole with rocks and other solid debris to form a base to reduce the amount of asphalt patch needed.

Pour the asphalt patch in to the hole.