Seal Coating
Sealcoating is the preventative maintenance that increases the durability and aesthetic appearance of your asphalt driveway by sealing your blacktop with a high quality, long lasting asphalt sealer for a fraction of the cost of new paving.
Asphalt pavements are made up with different sizes of rock (aggregate) from fine sand to ¾ inch rock and asphalt cement.
The asphalt cement is what gives the pavement it’s black appearance and is the “glue” that holds everything together. New asphalt is jet black but begins to fade in a year or two and turns gray.That’s oxidation. Given enough time the pavement becomes brittle and has less resistance to the loads placed on it. Then the asphalt loses its smoothness and becomes sandy and rough with gravel. As the texture roughens and the gravel becomes worse you start to have an abrasive effect on your asphalt.
Asphalt is a petroleum product so any other petroleum derivatives that contact it will dissolve into the asphalt, weakening or dissolving the asphalt’s “glue like” properties. These substances commonly include motor oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid and gasoline, It’s common to see asphalt damaged by concrete cleaning products used on a sidewalk but rinsed onto a driveway.
When it comes to protecting your Colorado or Denver asphalt pavements against deterioration, there is no greater value than a correctly applied mixed coal tar emulsion. Seal coating substantially reduces maintenance costs and at the same time extends the life of asphalt pavements by as much as 300%. The cost of sealcoating is truly a minor expense when compared to the cost of pavement replacement.
A Few Seal Coating Benefits
Improved Appearance
● Reduces costs and increases value
● Slows oxidation
● Resists water and fuel penetration
● Provides a wearing surface
● Keeps your new pavement clean by filling in the voids in the asphalt
Seal Coating Procedure
● Cone off an area/areas where the work is to be completed
● Clean an area/areas by air power brooming and a wire broom where needed.
● Scrape and apply an oil spot primer on saturated oil spots if needed to make the sealer adhere properly to those areas.
● Seal coat that area with a coal tar/asphalt emulsion sealer with 3 different latex additives for extra adhesion, flexibility and toughness.
Driveways should be sealed approximately every 4 to 5 years and parking lots 3 to 4 years.
This street was seal coated. Date of Photo 1-19