UPM® Cold Mix asphalt repair material is a cold asphalt patch mix for municipalities, contractors and business owners who need to permanently fill potholes and repair roads.
Our skilled laboratory technicians design region-specific formulas to create a custom, high-performing cold patch for asphalt for your area. Watch the video to learn more about our proprietary asphalt cold patch.
Benefits of UNIQUE’s UPM® Cold Patch Asphalt Repair
With a team of dedicated chemical engineers, we deliver scientifically tested formulas that:
Help reduce future potholes and unwanted road damage
Hold up over time in all-weather conditions
Eliminate the costs associated with repeat repairs
Returning potholes grow bigger and compromise the surrounding pavement’s integrity. If you have repaired the same roads and potholes repeatedly, you know how frustrating and expensive asphalt repair can be.
Don’t pour money into the same potholes. With our cold mix asphalt, you get an asphalt patch that outlasts the surrounding pavement over 90% of the time—we guarantee it. Use UPM® Cold Mix to eliminate a pothole once and save on repeat cold weather asphalt repair costs.
All-Weather Workability
Many asphalt patching materials fail in challenging weather conditions. Our pothole repair material keeps working and stays workable in all weather conditions, from snow and ice to rain and extreme heat. We guarantee our winter-grade formula stays workable in sub-freezing temperatures—or we will replace it.
Use All Year Round
UPM® Cold Mix is a dependable pavement patch solution. Use our cold asphalt patch year-round on highways, roads, driveways and more. Discover our seasonally adjusted asphalt cold patch solutions and never delay a pothole repair again:
Spring/Fall
Summer
Winter
How to Implement UPM® Cold Mix Asphalt Repair
Cold patch asphalt repair is easy to use and doesn’t require heavy machinery or a primer. In fact, all you need is a shovel and a hand tamper. UPM® Cold Mix requires no heating equipment, will not bleed through hot-mix overlays, and is ready to use straight from a bulk stockpile or bag.
How UPM® Cold Mix Measures Up as a Cold Asphalt Patch Material
Some cold mix asphalt suppliers falsely refer to their products as being comparable or equal to our cold mix asphalt solution. However, none can match the high performance or success of the UPM® Cold Mix for pothole and asphalt patch repairs.
We work hard to ensure your asphalt patch lasts longer than other asphalt repair products. Our skilled laboratory technicians consider these elements:
Cohesion
Workability and stability
Cold workability
Stripping
Film thickness
Sieve analysis
Asphalt Repair Resources
Not sure how much cold mix asphalt you need? Try our pothole repair calculator.
Ready to try UPM® Cold Mix? Place your order today or find a local sales representative in your area to discuss a regionally formulated product for your contract or municipal project. We’ll get you the cold patch asphalt repair that lasts.
Product Resources for UPM® High Performance Cold Mix
UPM® Permanent Pavement Repair Material is high-performance cold mix asphalt repair material that can be used by municipalities, contractors and homeowners to fill potholes year-round. For more information, browse our resource library below for product data sheets, safety data sheets and more.
UPM® Cold Mix Data Sheet
This contains the cold, hard facts about our cold mix solution including benefits, limitations, usage instructions, and more. Learn more about our cold mix now.
Answers to frequently asked questions about UPM® cold mix.
You’re wondering about UPM® bulk mix: Questions about stockpiles, shelf life, sealing, seasonal grades, all-weather usage, VOC compliance, and much more. We’ve got answers.
Sufficient quantities (100 + tons) have a 1-year shelf life, smaller quantities last several weeks to several months depending on storage conditions.
The UPM® mix stockpile will form a protective barrier on the outside of the pile, which keeps the interior of the stockpile fresh. Do not disturb protective barrier until ready to use. Load from one end of the stockpile only. Stockpile on a clean, paved pad away from dusty areas.
YES!UPM mix is available in winter, spring, fall, and summer formulas. These grades are designed for optimum performance during the various temperatures of application. Winter grade 2 (40F and below), Spring/Fall grade 3 (40F to 60F), and Summer grade 4 (60F to 80F). Proper installation including compaction maximizes UPM mix survivability in the repair.
Upon compaction, the aggregate and asphalt interlock making the repair stable enough for immediate traffic. The surface of the patch will cure to the hardness of the surrounding pavement. Depending upon the depth of the patch, UPM mix below the surface will cure at a very slow rate. This slow curing process allows the patch to move with the pavement during weathering, expansion, and contraction. The UPM liquid film on the aggregate is self-tacking, meaning UPM mix will partially dissolve the pothole wall, gluing UPM mix into the pothole in addition to profiling the pothole wall.
How soon can sealer be applied to a UPM mix repair?
NO! UPM mix is self-priming. The proprietary asphalt blend used in manufacturing UPM mix provides a tenacious binding property to the walls of the area being repaired.
Hand tamper, vibratory plate compactors, rollers or compaction by wheel rolling with a vehicle are acceptable. Sufficient compaction of UPM mix after installation will increase initial surface stability of the repair and prevent rutting, pushing and raveling. UPM mix can be opened to traffic immediately following compaction.
Can UPM mix be used to patch in extremely wet conditions?
Yes! UPM mix is designed for permanent performance in wet holes. Simply remove loose debris or ice, any amount of water is acceptable. Apply UPM mix to repair area and compact.
One 50 lb. bag covers 0.48 cubic ft (compacted); 105 lbs./cubic ft; always reference compacted amount to customers.
Examples:
3 ft. x 3 ft. x 0.17 ft. = 1.5 cubic ft.; 1.5 cubic ft. x 105 lb. /cubic ft. = 181 lb.; or four 50 lb. bags. (105 lb. / cubic ft. is compacted)
On web 3 ft. x 3 ft. x 2 inches = 3.15 bags; 3.15 bags x 50 lb. bags = 158 lbs. volume of pothole only. Adding 15% for compaction; 3.15 bags x 0.15 = 0.5 bags; 3.15 bags + 0.5 bags = 3.65 bags; 185 lbs. (4 bags).
1 cubic yard = (3 ft. x 3 ft. x 3 ft.) x 105 lb. / cubic ft. = 2,835 lb.; or 2,835 lb./2,000 lbs./ton or 1.4 tons.
4 ft. x 5 ft. x 4 inches; 4 x 5 x .3 ft. = 6.7 cubic ft.; 6.7 cubic ft. x 105 lb. cubic ft. = 704 lbs.; 704 lbs. / 50 lbs. per bag = 14 bags.
Listed on bag: One 50 lb. bag covers 5 square ft. x 1 inch =0.42 cubic ft.; there exist minor discrepancies due to loose material or compacted. Always round bags up to whole bag.
The web is based on volume only. Need to add additional 15% for compaction. Multiply the web values by 1.15 to determine needed material (compacted) example: 3.15 bags x 1.15 = 3.6 bags or 180 lbs.
105 pounds per cubic ft (compacted). 2,835 pounds per cubic yard (compacted). 50 lb. bag per 0.42 cubic ft (compacted, 5 ft x 1 ft x 1 inch = 0.42 cubic ft).
What is the difference between UPM mix and other asphalt patching materials?
YES! Contractors, municipalities, and Departments of Transportation have successfully overlaid UPM patches without “bleed-through”, pushing or rutting. Wait at least 30 days prior to overlaying.
YES! UPM mix is an engineering designed high-performance cold mix made following a custom recipe for each production. Each production is sampled, tested and certified in the UNIQUE lab. Certificates of compliance are issued for each production. The QC production procedures including; pre-component qualification, production design, safety procedures, on-site analysis and post-analysis and certification, are what keep UPM mix Best-In-Class. In comparison, conventional cold mixes are not controlled by a QC program and as a result, do not perform like UPM permanent pavement repair material. UPM mix is designed for survivability. It stays in the repair for “Once and Done” performance. UNIQUE designs UPM mix for maximum survivability and verifies performance through continuous lab and field testing.
UPM mix is a cutback because a viscosity modifier is used to control workability. UPM blend is delivered to the production site at approx. 180 (degrees symbol missing)F. Combined with the viscosity modifier, the material is mixed with local aggregate to make UPM mix. Emulsions use water and a viscosity modifier to make lower performing cold mix. The water replaces the heat when delivering the blend to the aggregate. Once the emulsion is applied to the aggregate, the water in the emulsion either evaporates or flows to ground water collection drains. The viscosity modifier is essentially the same for both cutbacks and emulsified cold mixes. The viscosity modifier provides the needed shelf life for cold mix. In cold weather emulsions are susceptible to freezing, cutbacks are produced year round.
Is UPM mix compliant with state VOC laws i.e. is UPM mix green? (Volatile Organic Carbon emissions into air)
VOC state laws vary across the nation. UPM mix is compliant in 49 of the 50 states? (Connecticut) Nearly all states exempt cold mix if long life storage characteristics are incorporated into engineering design. The reason is the viscosity modifiers (hydrocarbon solvents) required for long life storage do not significantly contribute to VOC. UPM mix has a VOC of less than 0.1%, the limit in many states is 3%.
Is UPM permanent pavement repair material competitively priced with conventional cold mix?
Yes! In fact, the SHRP study (Strategic Highway Research Program) and every other study comparing cold mixes concluded that using the best performing or highest survivability cold mix available is the best and most cost effective means to repair pavement. The three cost contributors to pothole repair are labor, equipment and material. The material is less than 10% of the overall cost. Inexpensive, poor performing cold mixes requiring multiple repairs are significantly more expensive.
UPM® is a registered trademark of UNIQUE Paving Materials Corp
Features and Advantages:
Year Round Use: Use UPM Permanent Pavement Repair Material to repair asphalt or concrete pavement in any weather.
Ready-to-Use: No primer or tacking materials are required prior to patching.
Permanent Repairs: UPM mix repairs have been proven* to outlast the surrounding pavement. (*Strategic Highway Research Program – SHRP-H-106 Report plus other independent studies)
All Weather Application: Permanent repairs under wet or dry weather conditions.
Seasonal Grades: Specific formulations to accommodate year-round patching requirements.
Easy to Use: Pour or shovel UPM mix into the pothole using our 3-step method; cleanout-install-compact.
Readily Available: No waiting for hot mix in long lines at the plant.
Emergency Patching: Always ready for repairs 24 hours a day from your inventory.
Immediate Access: Repaired jobsite can immediately be opened to traffic.
PREPARE: Scrape or sweep the loose fragments and debris from the hole providing a solid base and clean edges.
APPLY: Shovel UPM mix into the hole and level out 25% higher than desired depth to allow for compaction. For deep potholes, apply and compact UPM mix in separate 2″ layers. Apply only over solid base material.
COMPACT: Compact UPM mix with a hand tamper, roller, plate compactor or roll over with vehicle wheel.
Additional Information:
Do not seal coat over new UPM mix patches for at least 30 days (preferably 6 months to 1 year) to allow for proper curing.
Packaging: All units sold by the pound are available in: