Laying Down the Pavement

Sealing Your Asphalt Driveway

6 June 2022 by Clifton Sullivan

If your home has an asphalt driveway, arranging for it to be sealcoated can help to extend its life span and improve its overall appearance. However, there are many factors about sealcoating that individuals may not know, and this can lead to them failing to get the results that they were hoping to achieve.

New Driveways Should Not Be Immediately Sealed 

After you have had your driveway poured, it is necessary to allow the asphalt time to cure and settle before you have a sealant applied to it. While asphalt may be ready for use in as little as a day, it will need several weeks to a few months before it is ready to have a seal coat applied to it. This is due to the fact that the seal coat could trap some of the moisture that needs to evaporate from deep within the asphalt. Luckily, the interval before pouring the asphalt and it curing enough to be sealcoated will be short enough that the pavement should not suffer excessive wear during this time.

Seal Coats Need To Be Applied At Regular Intervals To Remain Effective

A seal coat is not a permanent addition to your pavement. While a seal coat is able to withstand substantial wear and tear, the friction from car tires driving over it, exposure to harsh temperatures and intense precipitation can all cause the seal coat to lose some of its effectiveness. Due to this gradual deterioration, the seal coat that you have applied to your driveway will have to be refreshed every few years. Otherwise, the degradation of the asphalt may reach a level where it can expose the asphalt to the elements and potentially cause it to degrade far more quickly.

A Seal Coat Will Not Be A Repair Option For Cracks In The Asphalt

Seal coats can be an excellent choice for reducing the likelihood of cracks forming in the asphalt due to moisture exposure. However, this is not a sufficient repair option for these damages. In fact, a driveway that has numerous or large surface cracks may need to have these issues repaired before the seal coat can be applied. These cracks can lead to there being gaps in the coverage of the seal coat, and this can allow water to continue to seep into the pavement. Fortunately, an asphalt patching kit may be sufficient for closing these cracks enough so that a fresh coat of sealant can be applied. Many asphalt contractors can provide patching services as well as sealcoating so you may not need to hire separate companies for these tasks.

For more information, contact an asphalt company. 

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