Asphalt Sealcoating Keeps Your Driveway Protected And Attractive

Posted on: 1 June 2023

Since a new asphalt driveway can be a large expense, you want to get a long life from the asphalt. That requires keeping up with crack repairs since cracks can turn into potholes. Then the damage gets worse and more expensive to repair. Another important maintenance step is asphalt sealcoating. Sealcoating involves putting a topcoat over the asphalt to protect it from the sun and deterioration. Here's how asphalt sealcoating works.

Sealcoating Slows Down Asphalt Deterioration

Left alone, asphalt will slowly deteriorate. It does this because the binder that holds the aggregate together gets worn away by your cars and sun exposure. You can tell this is happening because the asphalt fades as the black binder wears down. A faded driveway looks neglected and ugly, and it's at a higher risk of cracking and developing holes.

Sealcoating stops the deterioration by covering the asphalt in a black coating to restore the color and by protecting the driveway from the sun. The coating even sacrifices itself to vehicle traffic so the binder stops wearing down. A sealcoating wears off and needs to be applied every few years to continue protecting the asphalt.

The Coating Won't Stick To A Dirty Driveway

Before the sealcoating is applied, your driveway has to be cleaned properly. The asphalt sealcoating service may use a power washer to get the driveway clean. They might also use primer on oil spots so the sealcoat will stick to them. A few days before the service arrives, you may want to trim and edge around your driveway so grass is out of the way.

Once the driveway is clean, the sealcoating is applied, which is a quick step in the process. However, the contractor needs to work during dry, warm weather so the coating goes on easily and bonds with the asphalt properly.

Sealcoating Is Often Done By Hand

An asphalt sealcoating service has equipment to spray the sealcoating on, but they may use the sprayer on long driveways and parking lots. Instead, they may coat your driveway by hand. They do this with a brush, broom, or squeegee. They pour the coating out and then level it with a squeegee. They may use a hand brush along the edges of your driveway, particularly near your sidewalk and garage, to make sure none of the coating goes over the edge of the asphalt. The process of sealcoating goes fast, but it's followed by a long drying time. You may need to wait at least a day until you can drive or park on the coating.

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