Sealcoating is one of the most important elements of a pavement management plan. A sealcoat consists of either coal tar pitch or asphalt cement mixed with inert fillers, water, emulsifying agents or additives. Applied in thin coats, this surface treatment is used to protect off-highway pavement surfaces against gasoline, oil, salt, water and ultraviolet rays.
Benefits
Beautification
When covered with a dark black sealant, pavement looks and wears like new. Sealcoating a parking lot helps to project a positive image of the company, facility or residential complex.
Slows Oxidation and Water Penetration
Sealcoating fills surface voids, which reduces exposure to oxygen and UV and reduces the depth to which oil or gas can penetrate the pavement.
Sealcoating acts as a waterproofing agent, minimizing the rate at which water enters pavement. Without it, water can permeate more freely resulting in freeze/thaw expansion and contraction of the pavement.
Resists Oil and Gas Spills
Gasoline dripping from topped-off fuel tank during hot weather can soften and break down unsealed asphalt pavements. Coal tar used in sealcoat are impervious to gas and oil spills.
Easier to Clean and Maintain
Sealcoats fill surface voids while coating the pavement surface. The resulting smooth and even texture makes the surface easier to maintain year-round. For example, snow is easier to remove from a smooth surface and sweeping is far more effective on a smooth surface.
Increases Pavement Flexibility
Sealcoat brings a dark black color to the pavement. The blacker it is, the more heat a pavement draws from the sun. And, the hotter it gets, the more pliable it becomes, which helps it to withstand traffic without cracking.
Protects Asphalt from Pressure Washing
Restaurant parking lots often extend to areas near dumpsters, where food-processing machines are pressure washed. Food waste near the dumpsters may also need to be washed away if it can’t be swept away. Sealcoating protects asphalt cement from the high-volume water pressure and detergents used in pressure washing.
Cost Effective
The price of asphalt will always be affected by crude oil prices, which fluctuate when supplies vary. Sealcoating preserves asphalt for pennies per square foot.
Preparation and Application
Prior to applying a sealcoat, any structural failures or cracks on the pavement must be repaired. All potholes must be removed and replaced, cracks must be cleaned and filled, and oil spots cleaned or primed.
Once the pavement is ready, the application can proceed.
Facts About Sealcoating
Sealcoating should only be performed under the proper weather conditions.
The recommended air and pavement temperatures should be at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit and rising during sealer application and for 8 hours afterward.
Traffic should be kept off a newly sealed surface for a minimum of 24 hours to allow for drying (curing) time. If this timeline is not practical, Commercial Asphalt Maintenance will perform sealcoating in separate mobilizations to maximize convenience. It is also important to refrain from using sprinklers near the area, hosing down or washing the area for 48 hours before and after work is completed.
Failure to keep cars off the sealcoat before it dries and cures will result in tracking throughout the lot and onto sidewalks and halls of adjacent properties.
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