What is Sealcoating and Why is it Important? How Often Should I Sealcoat?
Protect your investment.
Sealcoating is the process by which a protective durable layer is applied to an asphalt surface. This layer is applied as a thick liquid or a gel via brush, squeegee, and/or spray. The coating is typically black, as to match the underlying asphalt color.
While industry standards recommend sealing every two years, we at Toothy Sealcoating advise sealing once a significant portion of the well-trafficked area of your driveway has worn off, between 2-5 years typically.
Sealcoating increases the life of your driveway by repelling water, blocking UV rays, and protecting it from vehicle wear.
Water damages asphalt by seeping into small or large cracks and freezing/thawing. This is the same process by which mountains and large rocks fracture. Known as frost-weathering or cryofracturing, the expansion and contraction of the asphalt base near cracks will result in further fracturing of the pavement. To make matters worse, if the underlayment of your asphalt doesn’t allow for adequate water drainage, water will pool directly at the base of your pavement and cause the asphalt to fail, resulting in “alligator” cracking. This is typically costly to repair, as it requires cutout and removal of the damaged areas. The base is dug out and drainage is put in, and new asphalt is installed. In addition to rubber crack sealing to seal the cracks, a layer of sealcoat will fill hairline cracks and prevent their spread.
A particularly severe case of alligator cracking
UV rays are responsible for the deterioration and evaporation of the bituminous binder in asphalt. The “tar” portion of asphalt is the asphalt bitumen, which makes the asphalt black and also gives asphalt its flexibility. If you’ve ever wondered why new asphalt is a deep black color, but old asphalt is often an ashy gray color, it’s due to the weathering caused by exposure to the sun over time. Sealcoating prevents this by adding a protective “sunblock” layer to your driveway. It works on asphalt in the same way that sunblock works on your skin. Keep your driveway looking young!
This asphalt patch is a good example of new, black, bitumen-rich asphalt compares to the surrounding UV-weathered asphalt. Proper sealing will keep your asphalt flexible and black significantly longer
Vehicle wear is an inevitability due to the abrasion and friction endured by a driveway surface. Turning tires, dragging heavy items, and daily traffic will create scuffs and contribute to general surface fatigue. Sealer, when dry and cured, is a durable barrier that absorbs much of that force. As sealer is cheaper to re-apply than the asphalt base of your driveway, it is the best way to avoid these issues and extend the life of your driveway by years. Sealcoating is known as a “wear product” and should be reapplied once it has worn off significantly.
The friction of tire wear will contribute to surface fatigue and can leave scuffs without proper sealing
We hope you’ve learned about the importance of sealcoating as well as how a properly sealed driveway mitigates different types of damage. Reach out to us if you have any questions about sealcoating!
