Tools and Materials

• Shovel
• Wisk or broom
• Dustpan and brush
• Hose and spray nozzle
• Shop vacuum (optional)
• Heat gun (if needed)
• Gloves
• 8-foot piece of 4”x4” lumber (for tamping)
• Asphalt patch (bitumen)

What my Dad knew was that the sooner you fix a pothole, the better.  Potholes cause awkward skateboard wipe-outs and I’ve got the scars to prove it.  But more importantly, if you don’t repair driveway potholes, rainwater collects in them and seeps under the driveway surface.  When that moisture eventually freezes in winter, it heaves the surface, further breaking down asphalt around the pothole.  

Steps

• Start by using a shovel to remove the bulk of the gravel and debris from the pothole.  Keep going until you’ve reached the layer of compacted gravel that forms the foundation of the driveway.   Remove any loose asphalt chunks around the edge of the pothole too.
• Next, use a broom or whisk to rid the cavity of dust. If you have a shop vac, you can even vacuum the cavity.  This may seem like overkill, but if you leave a layer of dust, the fresh asphalt won't get a good grip on the bottom layer, and your patch will ultimately come loose and reinvent itself as a tripping hazard.
• The final step in the preparation sequence requires blasting the hole with a quick spray from a hose fitted with a nozzle.  This dampens any remaining dust without saturating the cavity.
• Dump enough bitumen into the hole to reach half an inch higher than the surrounding driveway surface.  If the bitumen is cold, stiff and chunky, soften it up with a heat gun or hair dryer, or just leave it out to warm up in the sunshine for an hour or two.
• Use the bottom end of a hunk of lumber to tamp the loose bitumen down. You can also use the flat side of a cinder block.  Make sure you grunt.  This puts you in touch with your inner hellion, but in a wholesome way.  (Your mother may have told you that it isn't polite to grunt.  But there are times when it is polite. Like in some cases of childbirth or in all cases of moving a toilet.  Your body needs a vocal outlet for the effort, and a grunt is way nicer than a prolapsed pyloric sphincter.)
• Pay special attention to tamping the edges of the patch; the more tightly compacted they are, the less likely they are to bust up under the usual driveway wear and tear. 
• Once you’ve tamped the patch into an invincible little plug, sweep some sand or dust over the top of it to prevent it from sticking to tires and shoes.

If the tamping thing seems dangerously close to a primal ritual, you’re on the right track.  If, on the other hand, you feel tamping is too much work, simply drive a vehicle over the patch a few times.  But while you're driving over it, at least make the sound of a steamroller.

TIPS:

• Pick a nice hot day for this. Not only will you get a more realistic road crew experience, but you’ll also find the asphalt is more malleable when it’s warm and soft.
• You can remove asphalt patch from your skin by rubbing toothpaste onto the stain.