Asphalt sealcoating is a great way to protect and restore the surface of your asphalt pavement. Due to weather exposure and damage from ice and heat, your asphalt's surface is going to slowly break down and dry out, leaving cracks and other damage. Here are some recommendations to help you take the best care of your asphalt pavement with regular sealcoating application.
Clean the Surface
The surface of your asphalt pavement is going to be dirty from many different elements, such as dirt, bird droppings, tree sap, and vehicle fluids. When you apply a new layer of asphalt sealcoating, you don't want it to seal in all that dirt and debris, because it will cause the sealant to peel off and damage the coating.
Be sure you sweep off dirt and debris with a broom or a leaf blower. It is also a good idea to clean the surface with an asphalt cleaner, degreaser, and water. It is not a good idea to use a pressure washer to clean off the asphalt's surface of vehicle fluids because the water pressure can push the fluids down into the small cracks and crevices. Instead, use a cleaning brush with a long handle to scrub the stains from the asphalt, then rinse them off with a garden hose.
Prepare Your Landscaping
Before you can apply the sealcoating to your pavement's surface, you will also need to trim back your landscaping so it does not get in the way of your sealcoating application. The layer of sealcoating goes on as a liquid emulsion, and if there is lawn growing over your pavement, it will get coated in the treatment. Asphalt emulsion is not only going to stick onto the lawn and look unsightly, but it will leave uncoated spots on your pavement that will be exposed to further damage.
Be sure you mow and edge your lawn to remove overgrowth. Then, follow up with sweeping any lawn clippings from the pavement in a final check.
Repair Cracking Damage
After you have cleaned off the surface of your pavement, you can prepare to apply the asphalt sealcoating. Whether you or a professional applies the treatment, be sure you seal off and patch any cracks that are visible on your pavement. Your asphalt pavement may need patches of repairs to fill in several cracks, or you may need a larger area of repairs to fill in voids, cracks, and potholes that will allow your pavement to further fail and lead toward needing a full resurface application.
For more information, contact a company who offers sealcoating near you.
Most people do not think twice as they drive over a nice, smooth paved road or park on a flat, well-paved driveway. But there is a lot of work that goes into creating smooth, strong paved surfaces. Paving contractors need to lay out a driveway or parking lot properly to ensure good drainage. They also need to formulate the pavement material properly for the given climate and conditions. As you start reading the articles on this website, you will gain more insight into the life and work of paving contractors. The next time you pull into a parking lot, you will definitely find yourself thinking about what lies underneath your tires.