The cost of resealing a driveway isn’t as high as the cost of kitchen remodeling. However, having as much information as possible about any home repair endeavor is beneficial. This is why we’ve created this blog article to address some of the most often asked questions about asphalt driveway seal coating from homeowners. Everything you need to know about resealing your asphalt driveway is right here.
Asphalt is without a doubt one of the best driveway materials due to its strong adhesive and waterproofing properties. Time, on the other hand, takes its toll on asphalt. At the molecular level, several substances like as salt, water, and others are capable of breaking down asphalt.
When an asphalt driveway begins to deteriorate, you are left with a pavement that loses its waterproofing and binding properties over time. It is only degraded asphalt that causes a section of highway to become grey in hue.
Because asphalt is a petroleum product made through petroleum distillation, it is vulnerable to deterioration when exposed to various petroleum-based materials. When petroleum-based products come into contact with the asphalt pavement due to regular gas and oil leaks, the asphalt driveway begins to break down.
What Materials Can Be Used to Seal a Driveway?
For driveway sealing, a variety of compounds are available, ranging from asphalt emulsion to coal tar emulsion to acrylic.
What Is the Process?
Sealing an asphalt driveway can help prevent difficulties in the future. In a nutshell, preventative care is the best method to keep your driveway from deteriorating. This is how it goes.
- The driveway must be cleared first. This will be accomplished by the sealing team removing any overhanging vegetation. They will also remove any dust, debris, or dirt from the pavement and ensure that it is clean. A clean surface is required for effective seal coating.
- If the asphalt road has oil markings, heat is applied to those areas to remove any surface solvents. Our crew applies one layer of oil spot primer to these areas. This primer creates a tight link between these places and the driveway sealant that will be applied later.
- If the crew discovers cracks in the driveway that are larger than 3/8 of an inch, the dirt and debris will be removed first. The fissures are then filled with a hot tar crack filler, followed by one coat of Black Beauty sand. It aids in the adhesion of the sealant to the surface.
- If there are any chicken wire cracks, they are filled with hot rubberized crack sealer. Our experts can also repair existing potholes at your request.
- A brush is used to apply the seal coating by the team. A mixture of polymer pavement sealer and rubberized polymer epoxy latex was employed as the sealant. This mixture gives the seal coating material more flexibility and gives it the rich black color it has after drying. The sealant also contains sand and silica for added traction and durability.
- After applying the seal coating, the surface must be left alone for 48 hours. You should treat it gently once it has dried. If you make abrupt bends right after the seal coating procedure, the surface will be marked. As a result, it’s critical that you only turn your car’s wheels when it’s moving.
Durability of Asphalt Driveway Seal Coating
Many people wonder how long the seal coating lasts, and the standard response is two years. The industry standard is two years since the sealant naturally wears away after that time, necessitating a new coat. However, a lot of factors affect the sealant’s longevity, including the amount of traffic on the driveway, as well as exposure to oil and sunlight.
We’ve encountered numerous instances when homeowners elected to have their driveways resealed only after many years, if not decades, resulting in a stretch of faded grey asphalt. On the other hand, we’ve worked with customers who are a little too meticulous and apply a coat of sealer every year. The accumulation of sealant eventually causes peeling and cracking.
If it’s been a few years since your last asphalt driveway seal coating, or if your driveway is showing symptoms of wear and tear, Ideal Sealcoating can help.
To learn more about our asphalt driveway sealcoating services, give us a call right now.
