Sealing concrete yearly can lead to more hairline cracks, so if you have a concrete driveway, you should consider resealing it every five years. In addition, sealing an asphalt driveway too soon may trap oils within the asphalt, resulting in a driveway that is too soft or flexible.
While slathering seal coat over asphalt in a thick layer can be tempting, a “more is better” approach is detrimental to the pavement beneath. Too much sealer can lead to premature cracking, which will shorten the lifespan of your driveway.
Ideally, you should sealcoat once every 2 or 3 years. Make it once every 2 years if your driveway gets a lot of traffic and is constantly exposed to chemicals, snow or oils. Video: How often to seal a driveway? You need to also seal your driveway after every repair.
The Drawbacks of Seal Coating
There are some drawbacks to sealcoating, however. One is that it can be messy and difficult to apply evenly. It's also important to note that sealants will not repair significant damage to your driveway; they will only protect it from further damage.
He added that sealing a driveway could yield unwanted consequences: Oil from the bitumen (the black glue that holds the asphalt together) will be tracked into the home, or the sealant could wear away unevenly, making the surface look as if it's peeling.
When sealcoating is used as part of a preventative maintenance program, it can extend the life of your driveway by up to 20 years on average.
Sealcoating involves spraying a coal-tar pitch emulsion over existing asphalt, primarily for cosmetic reasons. It does almost nothing to improve the integrity of the asphalt, wears off in a year or two, and creates fine particulates that are tracked into your home or business, to become airborne and embed in the lungs.
We recommend that you have your asphalt driveway resealed every 2-3 years at maximum. Waiting any longer could result in faster deterioration of your pavement. And doing it too often (i.e. annually) could result in chipping and flaking.
Sealers, particularly solvent-based sealers, will darken concrete. If unevenly applied, it will create light areas where there is less sealer, and darker areas where there's more. If applied by sprayer, it may appear like “stripes”.
Seal coating allows for a smoother, crack-free driveway, and because smoother pavements extend pavement life by as much as 10% to 25%, you won't have to worry about replacement or repairs for a much longer period of time.
Sealcoating is not designed to be an asphalt crack filler, it is made for sealing the surface and protecting it from the elements such as UV light, salts and oils. It is not flexible enough to fill a crack without re-cracking and it does not have adhesion quality's that Asphalt Crack Filler has.
You can apply sealer at any time of day as long as the pavement temperature does not fall past 40 degrees at night. You can even apply the sealcoat during the nighttime. Many people choose to start their sealcoat project around 10 AM as the sun's temperatures begin to rise, and the humidity is not too oppressive.
Sealcoating not only extends the life of your asphalt pavement, but it's also an effective way to save money. Unprotected asphalt leads to cracks and potholes which will cost you more in repairs.
Apply sealant every three to five years. If you've recently installed a new driveway, wait at least 90 days to a year to ensure the sealant doesn't damage the asphalt. Sealcoating a new driveway too early may trap oils within the asphalt, resulting in a driveway that is too soft or flexible.
Applying too much product can cause excess sealant to squeeze out and migrate into areas where it might cause trouble – such as clogging the screen of the oil pickup. Try to apply the gasket maker or flange sealant in one continuous and even bead to one surface.
Yes. Every driveway should be sealed with a high-performing sealer. A sealer will protect your driveway from the following: Abrasions.
Make sure there's no forecast for rain for at least three days. You want the driveway to remain dry for at least one day before and one day after applying each layer of sealant. Opt for late spring, summer, or early fall to do this project.
Rain can wash away all of the hard work that you put into your driveway. The sealer will be washed away by the rain if you don't wait long enough for it to dry.
The first coat of the first time the asphalt is sealed – a squeegee is very effective in getting sealer in all the nooks and crannies of unsealed asphalt – after that coat, sealer ought to be spray applied for maximum coverage and thickness.
Rain and Sealcoating
Sealcoat material will not properly adhere to the asphalt pavement if it is wet. Asphalt must be 100% dry in order to apply the material. Sealcoating application and drying do not pair well with rainy or even misty conditions. Rain prevents the coating from drying.
A driveway will deteriorate due to sun, rain, and snow. By seal coating your driveway, you prevent oxidation from the sun's harmful UV rays. Sunlight can cause the asphalt to become harder which in turn causes it to become brittle. Sealcoating slows this process down immensely.
Sealcoating will protect against fading, and can even improve the appearance of your asphalt. It will restore the lustrous appearance of the asphalt, even if some natural fading has occurred. It will also fill all of minor surface flaws, giving the pavement a smooth and even appearance.
You will need to let the asphalt harden before you attempt to seal it. Fresh asphalt is softer and more flexible due to the oils that need to evaporate. It is important to let those chemicals cure and harden—you will want to wait a minimum of 90 days before sealcoating any asphalt driveway or parking lot.