Sealcoating is one of the best ways to protect your driveway and increase the value of your property. Because your driveway is the first thing people will see when visiting your home, you should always keep it in a good condition. And, sealcoating will go a long way towards making that possible. In addition, sealcoating will prevent any form of damages from happening. The common damages that affect driveways include cracks, potholes, fluid stains, and crumbling areas.
Please note that your driveways add a significant value to your property. This shows the importance of addressing any issues immediately when you notice them. With that said, you should sealcoat your driveway regularly—since this is a cost-effective and long-term way of keeping your driveway in a good condition.
How sealcoating a driveway works
Today, there are different types of sealcoating materials. In addition to this, all sealcoating methods involve a process of cleaning and repairing the surface. After that, coating the entire asphalt surface with a sealer helps to create an impenetrable blockade once the sealer is dry.
An asphalt sealer keeps the surface intact, thus protecting the underlying asphalt from the effects of water, sunlight, wind, and ice, which can damage the asphalt, and make it crack and crumble.
Importance of sealcoating driveway
Sealcoating a driveway comes with numerous benefits, which include:
- Helps to extend the lifespan of your driveways by preventing the damages caused by extreme weather conditions.
- Sealcoating creates an appealing and uniform coat over the surface, especially if you fill cracks and holes properly before applying the sealer.
- Sealcoating protects your driveway from chemicals, moisture, and salts, and prevents them from penetrating the pavement.
- You can do sealcoating as a DIY project, or hire a contractor to do it on your behalf. But, regardless of the option that you choose, sealcoating your driveway is cheaper than repairing or replacing a damaged driveway.
- Once applied, the new sealcoat has a bold and dark color. Sealcoating enhances the appearance of asphalt, both new and old, adding some vibrancy and value to your property.
It’s important to ensure your driveway is clean, and in a good condition before the sealcoating project begins. With that said, let’s look at the steps to preparing your driveway before sealcoating:
Inspect your driveway
It’s important to inspect your driveway before you sealcoat it. Generally, you don’t need to sealcoat your driveway if you installed it within the past 24 months. When inspecting your driveway, check for signs of deterioration and potential damage, as this can affect the quality and appearance of the sealcoat after applying it to the driveway.
Here are some of the common issues to check when inspecting your driveway:
- Potholes
- Crumbling areas
- Cracks
- Fluid stains
If you notice potholes in your driveway, it’s a sign of fatigue, which is mostly caused by heavy loads or aging. It’s important to address these issues right away if you want your driveway to last longer. Besides, it’s a good thing to document all the damaged areas. This can assist you to identify areas that require professional attention quickly in case of future damage.
Clean the surface
Once you inspect the pavement, it’s time to clean it. Make sure the surface is clear of any debris and any other form of dirt. If you fail to remove the debris from your pavement it will not make the sealcoating effective. Besides, cleaning the surface ensures you don’t miss any potholes and cracks that need to be repaired.
Here are a few things to remove from your driveway:
- Remove all dirt and dust
- Trim the grass encompassing the driveway
- Remove any other form of debris, like fallen leaves
- Use soap and scrub brush to wash all fluid stains
Identify any areas that need repair
The professional sealcoating contractors at ABC Paving say that it’s important to identify any area that requires repair in your driveway. Here, you will need the assistance of professional contractors who are experienced in identifying such areas. Some damages like potholes need to be repaired immediately—otherwise they will grow, and lead to more costly damages.
When you notice potholes on your driveway, you should use ready-to-use or cold patch asphalt to repair them. This also applies to depressed areas—use a shovel to apply asphalt, as this will work fine. Then, proceed to compact the area, and repeat the process as required. Allow the repaired area to cure for at least 24 hours, and then check to see if you need to repeat the process.
Seal all the cracks
Just like potholes, cracks have the potential of creating serious problems, which can be costly to repair. Therefore, you need to immediately address all the cracks on your driveway. The best way to deal with the cracks on your driveway is to apply filler. This prevents the sealer from penetrating to the base of the surface.
Bottom Line
Asphalt sealcoating is not a one-time job—it requires numerous applications. Thus, you should schedule asphalt sealcoating every 2 – 3 years. And, you should understand that asphalt sealcoating is an investment, and helps to keep your property in good condition, with an improved curb appeal.
Lastly, you should always consider the weather conditions before starting a sealcoating project. For best results, always schedule a sealcoating project during sunny days, with a temperature of at least 50 degrees.
