Overfilling a pothole before compacting prevents future settling and creates a flush, stable driving surface.

When you repair a pothole the correct approach is to fill slightly above the surrounding pavement and then compact until the material is flush with the road. Use a hot mix asphalt when available because it bonds better, but a high quality cold patch can work for temporary fixes if you clean and dry the hole first. Remove loose debris and edge feathering so the new material can interlock with existing asphalt; use a broom and a wire brush or compressed air. For compacting use a hand tamper for small holes or a plate compactor for larger ones and compact in layers no thicker than two inches to avoid voids and poor density. Add a small chamfer at the edge by tapering the final layer so traffic traffic does not dislodge the repair, and if you have access apply a tack coat to the existing surface before placing material for better adhesion. Check the repair after a few days and recompact if you see initial slight settlement because proper density may take a short settling period under traffic.

A common mistake is leaving the hole level with the surrounding pavement without overfilling which lets the new material settle below grade and creates a water collecting dip; the fix is to overfill and compact until flush. Another issue is failing to remove loose debris and moisture which prevents bonding and causes the patch to dislodge; solve this by cleaning to solid edges and drying the hole before placing material. People also compact in one thick lift which traps air and creates a soft patch; avoid this by placing material in thinner lifts and compacting each lift thoroughly.

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