Is sealcoat necessary?
The oil in asphalt oxidizes overtime, and makes the asphalt more brittle and less flexible. Overtime the gravel particles and asphalt will be exposed to the surface. You can even expect the particles to loosen up and flake from the pavement. Seal coat restores those oils and flexibility. It also covers and protects the exposed particles to prevent any loose material from chipping off the surface. Asphalt is durable, but not indestructible. Water, weather, oils, gasoline, and UV rays can cause damage to asphalt pavement. And overtime the surface will chip and crack. Large and heavy vehicles can also add to the stress of the Asphalt. It serves almost as a thick coat of sunscreen for your driveway. As it adds a layer of protection from the elements that could cause damage to your driveway or parking lot. & put a stop to the process of your asphalt pavement drying out.
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HoW often should you add seal coat to asphalt?
Joe Kindler, Who teaches a pavement class at Ohio State University says, “ I would recommend doing it about every three years on a driveway.” Usually a driveway seal coating is applied when the new pavement is installed on your property. Depending on the wear & tear of the pavement from traffic and weather conditions, seal coat usually provides protection for up to three years. Seal coat provides protection from excess moisture UV rays and corrosive chemicals. If your asphalt comes in contact with these elements on a regular basis, then you may need to seal coat more often. The protective layer from seal coat will also fill in those hairline cracks, tiny pits, and pores to keep out dust, debris, and moisture. By not sealing off those elements small imperfections will be exposed and grow bigger and cause the asphalt to break down. Cracks are very harmful to your asphalt pavement. If you notice any cracks in your pavement you can easily maintain them by adding seal coat to protect your pavement.
HOW LONG AFTER SEALING ASPHALT CAN YOU DRIVE ON IT?
So, how long after sealcoating can you drive on it? The timing depends on factors like your parking lot size and the weather conditions. Generally, the application can be made in just one afternoon, but you need to keep your freshly sealed parking lot free from traffic for at least eight hours. But, again, this will vary significantly for each case.
If you seal your parking lot during the summer under direct sunlight, you can already walk on the surface after two to four hours. You can then drive on it after 12 to 24 hours, but it is recommended that you wait 48 hours to be sure.
Of course, if you seal your lot during humid or cloudy conditions, you can expect the drying time to be much longer. Specifically, you need to wait at least 72 hours to give the pavement an extra day to settle. You should note that even if your asphalt dries between 24-72 hours after application, it usually takes 30 days to seal fully. You should maintain your asphalt properly and prevent using harsh chemicals on the surface.
If you seal your parking lot during the summer under direct sunlight, you can already walk on the surface after two to four hours. You can then drive on it after 12 to 24 hours, but it is recommended that you wait 48 hours to be sure.
Of course, if you seal your lot during humid or cloudy conditions, you can expect the drying time to be much longer. Specifically, you need to wait at least 72 hours to give the pavement an extra day to settle. You should note that even if your asphalt dries between 24-72 hours after application, it usually takes 30 days to seal fully. You should maintain your asphalt properly and prevent using harsh chemicals on the surface.
Protecting your investment: Sealcoating helps protect your pavement AND it saves you money in the long-run. It is significantly cheaper to sealcoat your pavement every 3-5 years than it is to re-pave neglected pavement. A sealcoat material should be applied to your pavement every 3-5 years to protect the asphalt from water penetration, oxidation, and chemical spills such as oil and gasoline. Of course, sealcoating also enhances the appearance of your parking lot by producing an attractive black surface.
Keeping costs low: Sealcoating should be viewed by property owners as preventative maintenance for your parking lot since, as stated above, sealcoating keeps your pavement repair costs to a minimum. By staying on top of a sealcoating schedule, you can tackle minor issues before they develop into more costly problems.
Keeping costs low: Sealcoating should be viewed by property owners as preventative maintenance for your parking lot since, as stated above, sealcoating keeps your pavement repair costs to a minimum. By staying on top of a sealcoating schedule, you can tackle minor issues before they develop into more costly problems.
Creating an effective schedule: Being knowledgeable about sealcoating will help you create a useful maintenance schedule for your property or business. Working with an experienced contractor will also ensure that you are kept on a proper maintenance schedule. Knowing when sealcoating is necessary will help you keep your paved surfaces looking and performing at their peak.
ASPHALT CRACKS?
Sealcoating cannot remove cracks from pavement. If your pavement already has cracks in it, the cracks will need to be filled by a hot rubberized material prior to sealcoating. It is important that cracks are filled as soon as they start to appear in your pavement. If a property owner does not address pavement cracks within one year of them developing, the cracks will continue to get larger and eventually lead to potholes, "alligatored" cracking, and pavement subbase failure.
Sealcoating cannot remove cracks from pavement. If your pavement already has cracks in it, the cracks will need to be filled by a hot rubberized material prior to sealcoating. It is important that cracks are filled as soon as they start to appear in your pavement. If a property owner does not address pavement cracks within one year of them developing, the cracks will continue to get larger and eventually lead to potholes, "alligatored" cracking, and pavement subbase failure.
WHEN IS THE TIME TO SEALCOAT YOUR DRIVEWAY OR PARKING LOT?
Summer is the best time of year to sealcoat asphalt pavement. The best weather conditions for sealcoating are 70 degrees Fahrenheit and warmer, with direct sunshine, no recent rain and relative humidity below 60%.
Traffic and use: If your asphalt receives heavy traffic, it may require more frequent sealcoating than if it receives more limited use. Use of heavy-duty vehicles can also lead to more frequent sealcoating requirements.
Winter conditions: The harsh conditions of winter in northern regions can cause asphalt pavement to need more frequent sealcoating. Frequent snowplowing, along with use by vehicles equipped with tire chains or studded snow tires, can also lead to more frequent sealcoating requirements.
Chemical usage: The use of corrosive chemicals near your asphalt surface is likely to lead to a need for more frequent sealcoating.
Summer is the best time of year to sealcoat asphalt pavement. The best weather conditions for sealcoating are 70 degrees Fahrenheit and warmer, with direct sunshine, no recent rain and relative humidity below 60%.
Traffic and use: If your asphalt receives heavy traffic, it may require more frequent sealcoating than if it receives more limited use. Use of heavy-duty vehicles can also lead to more frequent sealcoating requirements.
Winter conditions: The harsh conditions of winter in northern regions can cause asphalt pavement to need more frequent sealcoating. Frequent snowplowing, along with use by vehicles equipped with tire chains or studded snow tires, can also lead to more frequent sealcoating requirements.
Chemical usage: The use of corrosive chemicals near your asphalt surface is likely to lead to a need for more frequent sealcoating.
IS ALL SEALER THE SAME?
All sealcoating materials are NOT created equal. A quality sealcoat material will need to be able to pass a rigorous set of standards before it can be applied commercially. That being said, there are sealcoating companies that use "lower quality" sealers in order to cut their costs. It is important that a property owner hires a reputable, experienced sealcoating contractor that can provide knowledge and literature on the sealcoat materials they use. At Granite Sealcoating, our Sealmaster® Pavement Sealer has been thoroughly tested and meets or exceeds every requirement.
All sealcoating materials are NOT created equal. A quality sealcoat material will need to be able to pass a rigorous set of standards before it can be applied commercially. That being said, there are sealcoating companies that use "lower quality" sealers in order to cut their costs. It is important that a property owner hires a reputable, experienced sealcoating contractor that can provide knowledge and literature on the sealcoat materials they use. At Granite Sealcoating, our Sealmaster® Pavement Sealer has been thoroughly tested and meets or exceeds every requirement.
