These tips to seal a driveway will help you get the best results when sealcoating a driveway yourself.
First you want to fix any areas that need repair. Your sealcoat job will protect your driveway for several years so it’s important to repair any areas that are in poor condition before sealcoating over them. This includes fixing potholes, removing vegetation and dirt from cracks, and sealing cracks with a high quality crack sealer. After completing the proper repairs you can start your sealcoat job.
Sealcoat is a protecting layer to keep water, ice, vegetation, and sunlight from damaging your asphalt. Sealcoat wears down overtime. Vehicle tires are hard on surfaces as well as weather and sunlight. Your asphalt is expanding and contracting with the temperature, it is getting beat upon by UV rays, it takes a beating. Sealcoat helps to protect the asphalt base layer so that you can enjoy your driveway for a long time without having to replace it.
In order to have a good sealcoat job you must clean the asphalt very well. There are 2 methods to cleaning asphalt. The best method is to power wash or pressure wash the asphalt. This is also called water blasting when you use high powered water and turbo tips. When you water blast or pressure wash the goal is to remove all mud and dirt from the asphalt for a good adhesion of the sealcoat. The second method is to power broom and then air blow. Power brooms clean deep and very well, although not as well as water blasting they are an acceptable method to cleaning your asphalt.
After cleaning and allowing to dry you are ready to apply the sealcoat. It’s important to apply the sealcoat in the correct thickness. Usually 2 coats are recommended. Sealcoat comes in oil based sealer and water based sealer. The type you use may depend on your temperature, needs, and geography, however water based is the preferred type in many areas. It holds of well and applies easily. There are several additives you can put in your sealcoat to make it more successful, these are agents that help it dry and help it stick to oil and grease.
To apply sealcoat it is best if you spray it with a large sealcoat spraying machine however you can roll or squeegee it by hand as well for slightly less desirable results. Rolling and squeegee can apply more sealer than is needed and may cause it to shrink and crack some. This is why it’s also important to apply a second coat.
If you follow these steps you can have great looking asphalt for a long time.
Happy Striping is a professional striping and sealcoating company in Texas.
