Residential Sealcoating
Sealer
We use Sealmaster brand coal tar emulsion sealer. Sealmaster is a name synonymous with quality among sealcoating contractors. Coal tar sealer is an environmentally friendly water based asphalt sealer that contains 40% solids. When sealer is put into our tank it is in concentrated form and per the manufacture 30 to 40 gallons of water may be added per 100 gallons of sealer concentrate. We NEVER add over the amount recommended because of decreased solids content, premature wear, and most importantly an unhappy customer. In certain circumstances we actually use less water. We use this exact same product on most of our commercial work. This sealer is not what you buy at your local home improvement store; it is of much higher quality. The sealer that is sold there will typically only last about a year and cost about 4 or 5 times what our sealer cost. In a majority of cases we can sealcoat your driveway for about the same price that it would cost you to go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy the material and all the supplies necessary. Never mind the time it will take you to seal the surface yourself and the clothes and shoes that will be ruined during the process. We have heard these complaints numerous times from our customers and wish to save you the time and frustration of doing it yourself.
Surface Preparation
The first step in surface preparation is for us to use weed eaters to trim back the grass as far off the asphalt as possible. This allows us to better apply sealer to the edges of your driveway. Also any grass sticking up through cracks will be weedeated. Next we will use brooms and shovels to remove any heavy debris such as dirt or rock from the surface as sealer will not properly adhere to dirty asphalt. The final step is for us to use commercial push blowers to remove any remaining debris to ensure a clean working surface. If crack sealing needs to be done this will be done when the asphalt is free of any debris.
Additives
Two pounds of sand is added and power agitated to every gallon of sealer. Sand is used as an abrasive to maintain traction in wet conditions. More sand will be mixed in depending on the texture of the asphalt. Sealer that has the proper amount of sand mixed in will not be slippery when wet. During the cooler months a drying agent is used to ensure proper curing in the colder temperatures. We also use various other additives depending on certain conditions that improve the look, quality, and drying time of sealer.
Crack Sealer
Not only are cracks unsightly on your driveway they will also allow water to get under the asphalt and damage it. This isn’t as destructive in months where freezing weather isn’t a factor but when the temperature dips below freezing water will expand and contract further damaging your driveway. We recommend that you seal off your medium to large cracks from moisture. We use one of two methods to ensure no water will get under your driveway through the cracks. The first method is to use rubberized hot tar and a crack bander to seal cracks. A propane fueled torch and a kettle is used to heat this material to 300-400 degrees Fahrenheit and the material is smoothed with a squeegee to remove excess crack sealer. The second method is to use a cold applied liquid crack sealer. This method involves applying the material and smoothing it with a squeegee. Although both of these processes will improve the appearance of your driveway the cracks will not disappear or be “leveled off”. The primary purpose of crack sealing is to prevent further damage to your driveway. The improved appearance is simply a byproduct.
Benefits:
Sealcoating protects your driveway from the harmful effects of the suns UV rays and oxidation (Oxidation is why asphalt loses most of its color within the first year). It will improve the look of the asphalt from gray to a rich jet black color which overall improves the curb appeal of the entire property. Asphalt that is properly seal coated every three or four years will last significantly longer than an unsealed surface assuming the asphalt was installed properly. Asphalt is a naturally porous material and sealcoating will create a protective barrier from water, fuel, grease, oil, and chemicals that penetrate unsealed surface causing rapid deterioration. Another added benefit is snow, ice, and rain dry faster on a driveway that has been seal coated resulting in reduced down time due to snow and ice.
Application
Sealer is applied to sensitive areas such as landscaping, garage doors, concrete, and entrances from the road, buildings, curbs, etc. by placing puddles of sealer away from these areas. Then we use brooms to “cut in” to insure sealer doesn’t get on anything except the driveway. The remainder of the surface will be sealed using a pressurized spray system that allows us to apply a uniform coat on the pavement with no broom marks when the sealer starts to wear.
Drying Time
The time it takes for sealer to dry depends greatly on the temperature, humidity, additives, and amount of sunlight. Our sealer typically is ready for vehicles within 12 to 24 hours. As the sealer is drying it will go from a high gloss “wet look” to an eggshell finish and may change to different shades of black before its final rich color.
Number of Coats
For all of our residential customers we recommend one coat of sealer. This is more than sufficient to give you all the benefits listed above. More is not always better especially if you driveway has been previously sealed. Our sealer will typically last three to four years. This is a conservative estimate and sealer will last longer on a driveway that has been previously sealed.
