With a little cold asphalt patch and a bottle of pourable driveway sealant, you can level the playing field on your tried-and-true driveway without calling in a professional resurfacing crew.

Step 1: Use a chisel and hammer to break away any loose chunks of asphalt. For pot holes or cracks wider than half an inch, use the chisel to undercut the edges of the area to be filled. This will allow the patching material to lock in beneath the existing driveway.

Step 2: Wire brush any loose edges and clear away any debris inside and around the areas to be patched.

Step 3: Use gravel to fill any deep hole or crack to a depth no more than 4 inches deep.

Step 4: Use a hand tamp, 4-by-4 piece of lumber or any appropriate tool to compact the gravel before proceeding.

Step 5: Use driveway sealant, in either the pourable liquid or caulk form, to fill cracks that are less than a half-inch in diameter.

Step 6: For larger holes, cracks and low spots, work on one area at a time. Use pourable driveway sealant to prime the edges of each void.

Step 7: Fill the spot with a layer of cold asphalt patch no more than 2 inches deep.

Step 8: Compact the patching material with a hand tamp or appropriate tool, as before.

Step 9: Continue to fill the hole in 2-inch increments, mounding the final layer slightly above surface level before compacting it even with the surrounding driveway.

Step 10: Once all of the holes have been filled, sweep up the loose debris and put away any tools.

Step 11: For driveways with multiple patches, consider using a large lawn roller to assure the patches are all properly compacted and level.

Wait 12 to 24 hours before driving over the patched area, and wait at least 30 days before sealing the driveway with any type of asphalt sealant.