Seal coat extends the life of your asphalt surface by protecting it from the elements, while greatly improving its appearance. Since your parking lot is the first thing people see when approaching your property, seal coat helps you make a good first impression.
It should be applied 1 year after initial asphalt construction, and again every 2-5 years, depending on weather and use conditions.
Seal coat of neighboring residential driveways
Benefits of Seal Coat
- Can double or triple the life of your asphalt pavement
- Save money on repairs down the road - the cost of seal coating is truly a minor expense when compared to the cost of pavement replacement
- Protects your asphalt surface UV rays, which causes brittleness and loss of up to 50% of the original asphalt thickness in five years
- Protects your asphalt from water/moisture, which can get into cracks and cause your pavement to fail
- Resists damage from man-made elements, such as engine oil, fuel, anti-freeze and other harmful chemicals
- Improves the aesthetics of your property by restoring the dark charcoal color of newly applied pavement. It can also help hide rough spots, small cracks, patches and some surface depressions.
- Higher contrast to traffic lines
Seal Coat vs Slurry Seal
Seal coat is often confused with a slurry seal, which is designed primarily for streets and high traffic areas, whereas a
seal coat is designed for driveways, parking lots, private roads, and similar low-traffic applications.
Application
- Seal coat must be applied to structurally sound pavements by experienced applicators
- Seal coating should only be performed under the proper weather conditions - air and pavement temperature should be at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit and rising during sealer application and for 8 hours afterward
- For optimal coverage, two coats of properly diluted (13-17% water) seal coat should be applied. Material applied too thick slows the cure time and will be prone to cracking.
- A latex rubber additive and silica sand may be added for increased traction and durability
- Traffic should be kept off a newly sealed surface for a minimum of 18-36 hours to allow for drying (curing) time. If this is not practical, Alaniz Construction will perform seal coating in separate mobilizations.
- Refrain from using sprinklers near the area, hosing down, or washing the area for 48 hours before and after work is completed.
How to Recognize a Quality Seal Coat Job
A quality seal coat job can be seen in:
- the cleaning of the surface
- the number of coats applied: the industry standard is 2 coats
- the dilution rate of the material: the industry standard is 13-17% water
- the coverage around the edges
- care in "cutting" around concrete surfaces
- the application of the material
- special attention to detail
When do you need more than just a seal coat?
Seal coat won't add any structural value to your asphalt, so it should only be applied to structurally sound pavement. For individual cracks, a crack filler should be applied prior to the seal coat application, for best results. However, asphalt with interconnected cracks, potholes or settling should be repaired by asphalt patching.
Your parking lot isn't complete until the cars know where to park - and that requires line striping.