Pothole Repairs Reading

Patching is the process of filling potholes or excavated areas in the road surface. Quick repair of potholes helps control further deterioration and expensive resurfacing repairs.

They are commonly caused by the shape of the underlying ground. After the road surfacing has been laid, it will soak up rain. When temperatures drop below zero degrees the water freezes and expands causing damage to the surfacing. When thawed, it will cause the surface to break in a way that matches the underlying shape of the ground therefore creating a pothole.

Pothole repairs prevent further damage. Water is the root cause of potholes. Existing potholes let more water in under the sub-surface and repairing a pothole now will prevent the formation of larger potholes and further damage down the line.

Pothole filling is generally carried out using a 4-stage process:

1. Potholes are cleared of loose debris and poor-quality tarmacadam
2. A ‘tack coating’ of bitumen is applied to the hole’s inner surface
3. A hard-wearing tarmacadam mixture is poured into the pothole and levelled off
4. Edges where the pothole repair meets the main surface are sealed with bitumen.