Crack filling is usually its own step, and how a quote treats it changes what you compare. Here are three ways a quote can handle it, what makes the work bigger and which cracks are worth filling.
In This Article
The short answer
Filling cracks is a separate job from sealing, so it often shows up as its own line on a quote, or it is rolled into the price with a note on how many cracks it covers. Whether it costs extra depends on the driveway and on the company. It is worth doing whenever cracks are open, because sealcoat is a thin film that cannot close a gap.
The guide to crack filling before sealing covers how filler works. This one is about the money side: what you are paying for and how to check it.
Three ways a quote can handle cracks
| How it appears | What it means for you | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Included in the price | Simple to read, but the amount may be capped | How many cracks or how much length is covered, and what happens beyond that |
| A separate line item | You can see the cost, and decide what to fix now and what to leave | How the work is measured and which material is used |
| Not mentioned at all | It may be left out entirely, or added on the day | Whether any crack treatment is planned, and if not, why not |
None of these is automatically better. The point is that they are three different jobs, and comparing totals across them is not comparing like with like.
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What makes the crack work bigger or smaller
- Total length of cracks. More cracks mean more time and more filler.
- Width and depth. Wide, deep cracks may need backer material and more than one pass.
- Condition inside the crack. Roots, weeds and packed dirt have to come out before any filler goes in.
- The filler itself. A hot-applied rubberized product, needing a melter and a trained operator, is a different job from a pourable cold product.
- Cure time. Filler has to firm up before the coat goes over it, which can add a day, longer in cool or damp weather.
- Structural cracks. Webs of cracks and heaved sections need patching or repair, which is a different and larger job.
Is it worth it? Weigh the crack against the cost of skipping
| Crack | Worth filling before a coat? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hairline, finer than a fingernail can enter | Often not needed | The sealer usually covers it, and it is not a doorway for water |
| Narrow to medium, a fingernail can enter | Yes | Sealer settles into it and stays thin, and water gets in and lifts the film along the edges |
| Wide, with clean edges | Yes, with proper prep | It needs depth control and possibly more than one layer |
| Web of cracks, or a sagging surface | Filling is not the answer | The base has failed, and the section needs repair |
| Ridge from a tree root | Fix the movement first | Filler will reopen as the ground keeps moving |
The cost of skipping the filler shows up later: cracks that keep letting water in, sealer that peels in lines along them and a bigger repair next time. In Southern Ontario's freeze-thaw climate, an open crack is the first thing to widen.
When to fill cracks in Ontario
Cracks open widest in early spring, after the frost leaves, and they close a little in summer heat. Fillers need dry, mild conditions, and their labels list minimum temperatures, so a cold, damp week is the wrong week. Late spring and early fall are the two usual windows.
Filling and sealing in the same visit can save a second trip, but only if the filler has time to cure before the coat goes on. If the crew proposes doing both in one day, ask how that works with the label. A separate crack visit a few days earlier, or in the previous fall, is often the safer plan. It also spreads the work if you want to fix cracks now and leave the coat for later.
Keeping the price fair
- Ask for crack work to appear as its own line, with a way of measuring it.
- Ask what material will be used and how it will be applied.
- Confirm that the filler will be given time to cure before any sealer goes on.
- Walk the driveway with the crew, and agree which cracks are included.
- Afterwards, look at each filled crack from a low angle. It should sit level, with no gap along either edge.
D&D Home Services confirms quotes for driveway sealing in writing before work begins, and quotes are free. The published starting price is $450 for typical Kitchener-Waterloo homes, with the final figure depending on the scope. The pricing page shows every published starting price.
Key Takeaways
- Crack filling is a separate job from sealing, and a quote may include it, list it as a line item or leave it out.
- The work grows with total crack length, width and depth, debris inside the crack, the type of filler and cure time.
- Narrow to wide cracks with clean edges are worth filling first, while hairlines often are not and webs of cracks need repair instead.
- Ask for crack work as its own line with a way of measuring it, and give the filler time to cure before the coat.
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