Self-dialogue about when to sealcoat a parking lot or driveway happens when you own or manage a property. The cost, time, and mess can push your good intentions months or years down the road. The job might seem easy enough to where you purchase the supplies at Lowe’s or Home Depot and tackle it yourself. For a more rapid solution, you may call on a sealcoating company or experienced handyman. For more significant properties, you may not feel like you have a choice. No matter your course of action (and we would love for you to call us), acknowledging the benefits and understanding proper time frames for applying asphalt sealcoating could save you big money.
Identifying if your asphalt pavement needs sealcoating is the first step. The first sign of too much wear is finding sand at the corners. If rocks or sand is showing, this means deterioration of your asphalt is occurring. The second sign is the color of the asphalt. If your parking lot is grey with sealcoat layers or striping beginning to peel, water will soon penetrate the surface. If there are cracks and potholes, water and other elements have already started to breakdown your foundation. Sealcoating significantly slows down the aging process in all three instances. If your asphalt is aged or the damage is more pronounced than we have described, it is time for milling, patching, minor paving, and replacement.
The timing of when you apply your sealcoat is more critical than the frequency. It would be easy to assume that you should apply sealant every 3-5 years. As described above, wear and tear, weather, or improper installment might warrant you to sealcoat sooner. No matter the timeframe, if your pavement is cracking or starting to fail, addressing the issue can save you a lot of money in the long term.
The mixture ratio is also vital, especially when dealing with sealcoating contractors. If you decide to tackle the project yourself, the responsibility is clearly on you. Read the instructions for proper mix ratios needed, and you are on your way. If you do not feel like spending your summer days using a squeegee or scrubbing sealcoating off of your skin, a contractor is often the way to go. Most sealcoating companies can provide you a finished product that looks decent enough. But if you want to know that your asphalt is protected and not just painted, we have supplied a video from our supplier of choice, Neyra.
Many new products are also manufactured for diverse needs. For the first time in 30 years, the sealcoating industry is starting to offer new products that make a difference. There are now products for dust control, removing oil spots, quick setting, and reducing heat, to name a few.
It is unfortunate, but often smaller companies and single-person enterprises do not invest in proper resources or continuing their education. Sealcoating is a trade in which it is easy to produce a subpar product without the client recognizing it until a year later. Watered down solutions, skimping on the product, and an overall lack of pride are present in most companies.
We have made a substantial commitment in 2020 to expand our services to add a full sealcoating division to ADC Paving. We have provided sealcoating services for years, and we are now dedicating tools and education to a specific team dedicated individuals. We are striving to be the best Asphalt Paving and Pavement Maintenance Company in Louisville, if not the region, if not the nation. We take this challenge with the utmost sincerity as asphalt longevity truly matters when building relationships in this industry. We are proud to offer our employees this opportunity because they have shown their pride in their work and are indeed professionals. We want to show that professionalism in sealcoating to the Louisville area and beyond.
Let us know if you have any questions.
Take Care,
-ADC Paving
