New Law, New Sealer!

As of October 1, 2024, coal tar emulsion sealer has been banned in the state of Maine, which joined the ranks of Minnesota, New York, Washington, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin—all of which currently have bans or restrictions on the sale and/or application of coal tar sealer.

What does this mean for you? It means a safer, more environmentally-friendly alternative that has a darker, blacker matte finish. It does have a slight odor for the first couple hours after application, but nothing matching the intensity or duration of the toxic mothball smell associated with coal tar.

We are still sourcing our product locally in Portland from the same supplier who has converted their supply tanks to dispense asphalt emulsion. We have years of experience working with AE sealer, and have dialed in our mix and use premium fortifying additives to optimize performance and aesthetic value.

Keep in mind however that this sealer forms weaker molecular bonds than coal tar sealer, so you may find yourself wanting to re-coat every 2-3 years instead of 3-5 years like you would with coal tar. We generally recommend applying two coats of AE instead of one in order to more closely match the durability and longevity of coal tar. AE also requires 48 - 72 hours of no traffic to set and cure properly as recommended by its manufacturer.

As always, we’re more than happy to consult with you about the new sealer and what you can expect.