How to fill in a pothole?

Lizzie27

We have a pothole opening up at the end of our concrete/tarmacked drive, just at the edge where it meets the council road.  I've raked the loose stuff out and am wondering whether I could just pour in some cement/concrete. I know it wouldn't probably last long (especially as there's a natural spring a bit further up which pours down in very wet weather) but would it do the job temporarily until we get the drive redone? 

Fairygirl

You can buy bags of ready mixed/prepped tarmac and concrete from diy stores. The tarmac works well - we all chip in to fill the holes in the rear access road to our properties, as they aren't maintained by the council. Some of the guys go and do the filling. 
You might be better even using the Post Crete stuff for putting in fence posts, if it's mainly the concrete bit. It sets very quickly. 

Lizzie27

Thanks Fairygirl - I'd thought I heard about ready mixed tarmac but wasn't sure if it was still available. The Post Crete stuff also sounds a good idea and I've used that before so might go for that. As you say, it sets quickly which would be an advantage in that particular space - it's where the postman parks his van.

wild edges

The tarmac repair stuff is ideal but only really works when warm. If you have some way to heat a bag of the stuff then it might be ok at this time of year but it will just be a hard block otherwise. Think hot water in a wheelbarrow and float the bag in it, and keep the bag by a radiator indoors first maybe. The council workers around here shovel it into the pothole, run the van over it a few times to compact it and move on. They don't pay for the tyres though. Otherwise you can buy special drive repair concrete in pre-mixed bags. I think Blue Circle and the like do it.

Fairygirl

I think the chap that organised it got the tarmac in B&Q. It's the most likely place, and i'm sure  I've seen it in there. 

Lizzie27

Thanks, it looks like a trip to B & Q is likely.

B3

There's some stuff you can buy in b&q it comes in a tub and costs about £8 .I've got some but I haven't used it yet so I don't know if it works. 
I'll have a look at what it's called tomorrow if you're interested.

Fairygirl

Yes - you can get concrete in bags or ready to use in a tub B3.
The postcrete is in bags. 
Think the tarmac is only in bags you mix up. That's what the guys here had.

raisingirl

Just bear in mind that if there's water in the pothole when you fill it, there's a good chance the repair won't last the winter. Tarmac is less susceptible than concrete, but both will lift and break if ice forms underneath. Postcrete is quite a weak concrete mix, so the edges will crack in icy weather. So do it when it's dry and preferably when there's no frost forecast for a couple of days - again especially concrete - it really needs at least 24 hours frost free to 'go off' or it'll just crumble. It's a tricky combination to get at this time of year - normally dry means cold.

treehugger80

do you have a flame weed wand?

if you do it makes drying out and warming the hole up before adding the warm tarmac easier, plus if the hole is warm then the new tarmac binds to it easier and its less likely to fail in cold weather

B3

This is the stuff. As I said, I haven't tried it yet.