Creating A More Beautiful YardCreating A More Beautiful Yard

Shade trees may be a desirable component of your landscaping, but they can be a nightmare if the roots push up and damage your asphalt driveway. Fortunately, the damage can usually be fixed, and techniques can be used to prevent the damage from happening again.

1. Cut Out the Damage

The damaged paving must be removed since the root damage likely penetrates through the base materials. Your asphalt contractor will use a special saw to cut out the damaged section, or alternatively, they will use an infrared heater to effectively soften the asphalt so it can be shoveled out and kept warm for reuse. The asphalt and base materials must be removed sufficiently to reveal the problem roots. 

2. Remove Problem Roots

The problem root will need to be cut out so that it doesn't damage the newly repaired asphalt once it's installed. Your paving contractor can handle the job if it's a small root, but you may need to bring in an arborist if it is one of the main large roots and you hope to keep the tree. The arborist may recommend using a barrier to train the root to grow downward, or they may decide to cut out the root but prune the tree and anchor it with stakes until it can grow new roots and recover. 

3. Rebuild the Base

The base material must be rebuilt or the asphalt will sink and crack after the repair. Your contractor will lay down fresh base materials, which are often made of crushed gravel and sand. Next, the base materials are mechanically compacted so that the base is stable and doesn't shift easily. Often, much of the old damaged material can be reused during the base repair process.

4. Patch Application

The final step of the actual asphalt repair is to lay down a hot asphalt patch. Your contractor may even be able to reuse the damaged asphalt in this process. First, the asphalt for the patch is heated so it is soft and malleable. Then, the asphalt driveway surrounding the damaged area is also heated. This ensures the patch material bonds with the surrounding driveway. The patch material is shoveled into place and compacted until it is level.

5. Install Root Barriers

If you chose to keep the tree, your contractor may recommend installing a root barrier alongside the driveway. This is a heavy sheet of metal that is installed vertically in the ground along the perimeter of the driveway. The metal creates a barrier that the tree roots can't grow through, and it's inserted deeply enough so the roots are unlikely to grow underneath it. 

Contact an asphalt paving company for more help with tree root issues.