Big Mistakes Most People Make with Asphalt Sealcoating

Big Mistakes Most People Make with Asphalt Sealcoating 

Going the do-it-yourself route with asphalt sealcoating appears to be a great idea...at first, for homeowners looking to save money on routine maintenance of paved surfaces around their homes, and for commercial business owners and managers tasked with keeping vast parking lots and access driveways in shape. When done incorrectly, driveway sealing and sealcoat application to asphalt in parking lots can create a lot of headaches and a waste of time and money. 

Blunders made by non-professionals when attempting to replace the pavement surfaces under their care? 

Excessive Sealer Application 

While applying a heavy layer of sealcoat to asphalt may be tempting, doing so is harmful to the pavement beneath. Premature cracking might occur if there is too much sealer on the surface. Should you thin out your sealant by watering it down before applying it? After all, some less reputable asphalt paving PA firms do just that to boost their profit margins on specific types of sealcoating work. The answer is a loud no, and you should always ask any professional sealcoat application contractor if they do this. You have every right to inquire about any part of your contractor's process, including which parking lot or driveway sealing product they intend to use and who their supplier is. 

Application Tools That Are Inadequate 

Another important reason to hire professionals to sealcoat your business's parking lot or your home's driveway is that they have the necessary specialized equipment—such as pressurized spray equipment—to apply sealcoat quickly and effectively, regardless of the product manufacturer's specific instructions. Don't buy squeegees to distribute sealcoat on your driveway if you find yourself searching for them online! Hiring a professional to conduct the task for you and using their much higher quality tools will certainly save you money. 

Gap Or Crack Filling with Sealcoat Products 

Inexperienced sealcoating specialists frequently believe that if they apply sealer thickly enough, fractures and breaks in asphalt surfaces would be filled automatically, and they won't have to worry about patching. This is a clumsy strategy that doesn't work! The truth is that problems must be fully addressed before the sealcoat can be applied. This could entail filling in potholes, patching with fresh asphalt, and utilizing specialized crack repair materials to provide a more uniform surface for sealing. 

Before Applying Sealcoat, Do Not Clean Your Asphalt Properly 

For optimum adherence of sealcoating solutions, the asphalt must be clean and dry. An effective cleaning technique is to block or sweep waste like fallen leaves, loose dirt, and rubbish away. You may need to use the power washer to clean filth and grime that isn't easily broom-swept. Applying a sealcoat will have to wait if your asphalt isn't completely dry which might take a long time depending on the thickness of the pavement and weather conditions. 

DIY Sealcoating Projects Are a Waste of Time and Money 

A dependable, experienced commercial paving contractors PA is your best bet for sealcoat application, whether you own or manage a huge commercial or industrial complex with acres of paved surfaces or you're a homeowner with a single driveway to maintain. Purchasing inferior sealcoating ingredients off the shelf at your large local box home improvement store and attempting to apply these nasty substances yourself is not a good idea, as we've discussed previously.