How to Blacktop a Driveway

Park cars in a garage or in a legal street spot. You may need two or more days to complete the project, so make sure that you can leave your car for that length of time.

Barricade your driveway. Use your car or, if that isn't possible, use trash cans or other large objects.

Remove weeds, rocks and debris from any cracks in the driveway. Pull weeds out by the roots, removing as much of the plant as possible.

Hose the driveway down to clean it of any remaining dirt. Use a high-pressure hose, if on hand, to get into deeper cracks.

Spray cracks with the weed killer. Use a store-bought chemical spray or a homemade mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Wear gloves, long sleeves and pants to avoid skin irritation.

Fill the cracks with the repair substance and trowel or other flat tool. Remove any excess filler as you go. This leaves you with a smooth surface on which to apply the blacktop and sealant. For deeper cracks, fill the hole partway with sand before adding the repair substance. Use sand that you removed from your driveway, if possible, or from your yard. Optionally, you can purchase sand from your local hardware store.

Allow the filler to dry.

Coat the entire driveway with blacktop using the brush or roller. Begin with the bottom of the driveway and work your way back towards your house. Apply the blacktop smoothly.

Allow the blacktop to dry.

Coat the entire driveway with sealant using the brush or roller.

Allow the sealant to dry overnight. Don't walk or drive on the driveway until it's completely dry.

Reapply sealant every year to prevent future damage.