- Mon–Fri: 8am–5pm
- [email protected]
- Licensed · Bonded · Insured · OR CCB #223290
Home Repair & Maintenance
Hairline cracks, potholes, and alligator cracking do not fix themselves. Porter catches them early with crack filling, patching, and an honest read on what the surface actually needs next.
Asphalt does not fail overnight. It shows warning signs before a small problem turns into a section that has to be cut out. Here is what to look for.
See what the fix looks like in the before-and-after gallery.
Thin cracks in a web pattern. Porter fills and seals them so water cannot get underneath and start breaking up the base.
Cracking that looks like alligator skin means the base has failed, not just the surface. That section gets cut out and patched, not filled over.
A base failure that has already broken through. Porter cuts out the damaged area, corrects the base, and compacts fresh asphalt back in layers.
Water pooling instead of draining wears on asphalt with every freeze. Sometimes it is a crack-seal fix, sometimes a patch and a regrade.
Gone from black to gray, it has lost its protective layer to sun and weather. That is a sealcoating signal, not a repair one.
From one pothole to trench patching after a utility crew tears through a lot, these are the repair calls Porter runs most across Gresham, Portland, Troutdale, and Oregon City.
Also called crack sealing, hot sealant pressed into cracks before they widen. The cheapest repair here, and the one that prevents most others.
Full-depth repair: cut out the failed asphalt, correct the base, then compact fresh asphalt back in layers so it holds.
Larger soft spots and low areas that hold water get cut to a clean edge and patched to match the surrounding grade.
Water, sewer, and cable crews cut trenches and backfill them loose. Porter compacts the base and patches it flush, the repair most property managers and HOAs call about.
Not every crack needs a repave, and not every pothole is worth patching a third time. Here is how Porter decides.
Cracking limited to one section, not spread across the whole surface
The base is solid; only the top layer took the damage
One pothole or a handful, not a pattern that keeps reopening in the same spots
Sealcoated on a normal schedule, and just needs the damage addressed
Cracking or alligatoring has spread across most of the surface, not just one spot
The base has failed, so patches keep reopening within a season or two
Drainage or grading problems keep sending water back into the same low spots
A full repave or overlay costs less than patching the same spot again and again
Every repair on this page has a cheaper version of itself: the one that happens before the damage spreads. Sealcoating every 3 to 5 years protects the surface from the sun and water that start most of these problems.
Crack filling before that sealcoat goes down keeps cracks from working under the new seal instead of getting sealed shut. It costs far less than cutting out a section later, or a replacement.
Years between sealcoats
Years to resurfacing, with upkeep
“I was skeptical because of past experiences… No worries with Porter … Great job .. I would recommend him to do the job …”
“Porter and his crew did a great job. They use quality products and their customer service is on point. Highly recommended.”
Ask the owner. Porter looks at it in person and tells you straight.
About a year or more, depending on traffic and weather. A properly compacted patch buys real time, though a busy driveway apron will not hold up as long as a low-traffic corner of a lot.
Yes. Utility crews cut trenches and backfill them loose, which is why lots often end up with a dip along the cut months later. Porter compacts the base and patches it flush with the surrounding asphalt.
When cracking covers most of the surface, when the base itself has failed, or when the same spot keeps reopening no matter how many times it gets patched.
It does not heal the crack, but it keeps water and debris from working underneath it, which is what turns a hairline crack into a pothole. Sealing it early stops the spread.
With regular sealcoating and crack repair, most driveways and lots go 20 to 25 years before needing a full resurface or overlay. Skip the maintenance and that window shrinks fast.
Tell us what the surface is doing, cracks, potholes, or a soft spot after a utility cut, and we’ll tell you what it actually needs. Every estimate is free, and there’s never pressure.
Tell us a little about the project and we’ll take it from there.
