The asphalt right in your parking lot or driveway can take quite a beating in between snowstorms, heavy rainfall, and daily wear and tear of traffic. A sealcoat added to your asphalt can help in protecting your driveway and investment.
But what exactly does sealcoating do?
To assist in answering that question, we first need to discuss how asphalt works.
Asphalt is generally used for road construction and paving since it is flexible and waterproof and has some adhesive factors used for binding and holding the aggregates in the pavement.
It was a step up on the old techniques of constructing roads that required graded stone aggregate to spread, a system that needed regular repairs and worked if the materials used stayed in place and dry.
By using asphalt, aggregate used in building roads is prevented from absorbing water, which makes them durable and improves their overall load-bearing ability.
Modern asphalt is a combination of asphalt cement and stone aggregate. The top side of the road is essentially the pavement covering a bed of stone that carries traffic load. It has to be elastic to allow for expansion and contraction while still remaining intact.
Why does asphalt require to be sealed?
Despite the adhesive capabilities and superior waterproofing properties of asphalt, when it comes to its chemical composition, it has its downsides making it easier for salt, water, and other chemicals to break down its molecular structure.
As the asphalt molecules degrade, the pavement loses its waterproofing and binding capabilities. This phenomenon is easily exhibited when roads turn from black to grey.
What’s more, since asphalt is the product of petroleum distillation, it can also get dissolved by other petroleum products like grease, oils, and fats.
Therefore, if gas or oil leaks onto the asphalt, the similar chemicals in the asphalt get dissolved. On roadways, this isn’t much of an issue where traffic continuously kneads oxidized surface layers into the pavement.
However, on surfaces like driveways and parking lots, with less traffic, asphalt break down becomes an issue.
How Does the Sealcoating Process Function?
Sealcoating comes into play here. By taking a preventative approach, you can aid in protecting your asphalt from this kind of breakdown.
Here’s how the process works:
1. Workers will power trim grass overhanging from your pavement’s edge.
2. The whole pavement is cleansed of accumulated debris, dust, dirt, and stone. A great sealcoat job needs a clean surface.
3. Oil, together with other petroleum marks, will be heat flashed to help clear the asphalt from surface solvents. This is before getting a single oil spot primer coat to make sure of a strong cohesion between the newly applied sealant and marked regions.
4. Workers clear 3/8 inch cracks or bigger debris and dirt and filled up with hot rubberized tar crack sealant plus a Black Beauty sand coat to enhance adhesion to the sealing material.
5. The sealing crew will then clean and cover any spots that show chicken wire cracks together with rubberized hot crack sealant. If the owner of the property requests, potholes can get repaired.
6. A brush is used to apply sealcoating. This sealcoating materials used is a blended pavement sealer polymer combined with rubberized epoxy polymer latex that adds rich black color and more flexibility after drying. For more durability and traction, sealants contain silica and sand.
7. After the application of sealcoating, it will need to stay untouched for around 48 hours. After that, be gentle. Sharp turns mark the surface. So while the vehicle is stationary, don’t turn the wheel.
How Sealcoating Can Assist
Ideal Sealcoating can assist if the time has come to revamp your parking lot or driveway with a new lease on life. We have worked alongside homeowners and businesses to assist in keeping their driveways and parking lots sturdy and safe while ensuring they appear at their best.
Call us today to book an appointment, or visit our website and request a quote.
