Homeowners often have many questions about asphalt seal coating. How long will it last? Why should I seal coat the asphalt? What about cracks in my driveway? What about these ugly stains? If you are a homeowner/business with an asphalt driveway or parking lot you have probably asked yourself these questions, and they probably led to more questions, so we will attempt to provide some answers for you.

1) Why should I have my pavement seal coated? Besides making your pavement look brand new again, pavement sealer protects asphalt pavements from the destructive elements of weather, gas, oil, antifreeze, and many other chemicals that could damage the paved surface.

2) My pavement has some depressions that hold water; will sealer fix this? No; pavement sealer will not fill depressions or holes in the asphalt pavement. These types of repairs should be performed in advance.

3) How often should pavement be seal coated? Asphalt pavements should be seal coated every one to two years. The amount of traffic is the deciding factor. Surfaces that receive light traffic like home driveways require re-coating less frequently then parking lots receiving moderate to heavy traffic.

4) Will pavement sealer make the pavement slippery? No; pavement sealer will not make the surface slippery. We use a sand-slurry mix of pavement sealer.

5) Are all brands of pavement sealer the same? All brands of pavement sealer are definitely not equal!

6) Can pavement sealer be applied to concrete? No; pavement sealer will not permanently adhere to concrete or cement surfaces.

7) What causes scuff marks in the new coating of pavement sealer? Scuffing of the newly seal coated surface may occur on very hot days when the temperature rises above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Scuffing is normal and temporary, usually occurring within the first month after the seal coating has been applied. The best way to minimize scuffing is to prevent sharp turns when driving a vehicle on the surface.

8) How soon can new pavement be seal coated? Newly paved asphalt surfaces should not be seal coated until they have had sufficient time to cure. Curing allows the excess oils that are always present in new asphalt pavements to diminish through a process called oxidation. This process can take as little as 30 days or as much as 90 days depending on the percentage of oil present in the new pavement. We usually recommend that a new asphalt pavement be allowed to go through one winter season before seal coating. This ensures that the surface will be properly cured when pavement sealer is applied.