How Does Rain Affect the Sealant Applied to Interlocked Driveway Stones? 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.
Rain and Sealcoating
Sealcoating application and drying do not pair well with rainy or even misty conditions. Rain prevents the coating from drying. Depending on how heavily the rain falls, it could also wash away the sealcoating from the surface before it has had enough time to dry.
Upon completion, we recommend to keep vehicles off for a minimum of 48 – 72 hours. You may walk on the driveway after 24 hours.
But if you want to drive on it, then you have to wait a minimum of 12 hours for it to dry and cure. If it's overcast or if rain is in the forecast, then the drying and curing process will definitely take much longer. For optimum results, we recommend that you use your driveway 48 to 72 hours after sealcoat was applied.
Driveway sealant should only be applied in dry conditions. Rain, high heat and sun can prevent the sealant from curing properly. Remember once the sealant has been applied, you will need a minimum of 4 to 8 hours before it will be able to repel rain.
The best time to sealcoat your driveway is during summer when the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It's not advisable to seal coat in the winter as the colder season will negatively affect the performance of the sealer. The sealer may not bond with the asphalt or will not cure correctly.
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.
What's the best temperature to seal a driveway? The ideal conditions for application are during the day when pavement and ambient temperatures are at least 50°F and rising, and no rain is forecasted for 24 hours. If these recommendations are not followed, the procedure will not yield desired results.
Applying two coats of any sealer will dry and create a better finish much better than one thick coat. These sealers are water based, and they cure and form a film primarily during the evaporation of water from the coating. A thin coat will evaporate much faster and create a single uniform layer.
Wait five hours after the sealcoat is dry to the touch on a sunny day, then lower a shoe-covered foot onto the edge of the driveway. Remove your foot immediately if the sealcoat feels spongy or tacky. Step fully onto the driveway if your first foot does not affect the sealcoat.
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.
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.
Industry standards recommend that you wait one year or go through one winter before you seal coat a new driveway. How often should I seal coat my driveway? Industry standards recommend every two years; allowing the sealer to wear away before you reseal the driveway.
The Drawbacks of Seal Coating
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. If your driveway is damaged, you'll need to have it repaired before sealcoating it.
If it gets saturated, then there's a good chance you'll have to go through the whole sealing process again, from the beginning. However, even a light shower after, say, four hours of the sealant being applied might mean that you need to put down another coat once the weather dries up.
While your driveway may be dry a day after paving, it still needs some time to cure. Typically, you want to keep the pavement dry for at least two days, minimally, so make sure that rain isn't going to be an issue before you start your driveway paving in this situation.
APPLYING TOO MUCH SEALER OR THE WRONG KIND OF SEALER
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.
Coverage rate:
Total of 2 coats – average coverage around 50 square feet per gallon (or 5 square yards).
Much like paint, sealer applied in 2 thin coats dries and cures much better than with 1 thick coat.
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.
Under ideal conditions, typically we recommend waiting 4-12 hours, and until the first coat is fully dry and cured all the way through the film. In optimal conditions, if the driveway is sealed early in the morning and the entire driveway is in full sun and is fully dry, you may apply a second coat the same day.
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.
While sealing a driveway can be done with hand tools like shovels and push brooms, it's faster and easier with a few pieces of outdoor power equipment like a string trimmer, blower and pressure washer. It's also smart to wear old shoes, safety glasses, and a pair of gloves you won't mind parting with.
Sealcoating should be applied during daylight hours. Sealcoating at night is not a good idea. By exploring the following common myths about sealcoating, you can gain a better understanding of why sealcoating your business's parking lot should happen during the day.