Why should I sealcoat my driveway or parking lot?

Why should you sealcoat? When I explain seal coat to somebody, I like to compare it to what polyurethane does for wood. It protects the wood from damage, and seals it from moisture. That is the easiest common household thing that most people have some knowledge about. Sealcoat also acts like sunscreen for your asphalt, protecting it from the harmful rays of the sun. Your asphalt has oils and binder in it that hold it together and keep it from breaking apart and crumbling. When your asphalt is first put in, it is loaded with oils that keep it soft. Those oils need to oxidize out so your driveway, street, or parking lot can harden. The sun dries out the blacktop of your driveway or parking lot and as the oils leave, your pavement gets harder. But if you allow too much of the oils to oxidize out, the pavement becomes brittle and more susceptible to cracking. So you need to sealcoat before that happens. Sealcoat replenishes those binders, protects, and strengthens your asphalt. Studies have shown every $1 spent in preservation eliminates or delays spending $6 to $10 on rehabilitation or reconstruction later according to a University of Minnesota study.

With a wide range of asphalt sealants and quality available, how do you know what to use? Should you use Coal tar emulsion or Asphalt emulsion? How do you know if a contractor is using a quality product? These are all great questions. Each company will say they use industrial grade, and the highest quality. You could say, that we are no different in that thought process.

However, when choosing our supplier there was some criteria we looked for so we could feel confident in those claims. We did not choose the closest, most conveniently located supplier either. We travel over 2 hours one way for our product. We wanted a supplier that we could easily and productively communicate with, who proudly stood by their product, and who would give us the same quality product from the beginning of the season to the end of the season. Out of all the suppliers we have been to, our supplier is the first ever that we have seen with an in-house laboratory. They have actual beakers and lab equipment, with ongoing experiments, and results. We were so amazed, as we have never seen another company do that. They have a precisely measured mixing process with exact successive steps they do not deviate from. The end product is the same every single time. We have had a few suppliers in 40 years, and have extensive first hand experience with Coal tar sealers, and Asphalt Emulsion sealers. In the past 10 to 15 years there has been a number of studies on the negative health and environmental effects of Coal tar sealers. You can find a list of studies and information here. We wanted a product that actually worked, had longevity, looked good, and was safe for your health. Which is why we chose an eco-friendly asphalt emulsion sealer.

We use the same products on our residential jobs as we do on our commercial jobs. Some sealcoat companies water down their product and/or apply a light coating to your asphalt at a bargain price. They will even use a low quality rubber on your cracks that will only last a couple months, usually opening back up just before winter or at the very start of. Bargain price sounds great to the wallet or check book. But, you are faced with needing sealcoat again the following year, and those sealed cracks failed at the beginning of winter and have allowed water to work under the asphalt and freeze. So, what did you really pay for? Contact us today for a free, no obligation consultation/quote. We’d be happy to come meet with you.