Driveway Sealing Tips

We need to seal our driveway one day in the next couple of weeks. We have been meanign to do it for 3 years and we always wait til its too cold to do it, so, this year we will get it done.

Its about 7-8 years old and NEVER SEALED. Well, can't cry over spilled milk. We want to do it right...

This article says that acrylic sealers are best. Tips on Sealing New and Old Blacktop Driveways | Ask the Builder Is this really true? Are there drawbacks? Like off-gassing?

If we go with regular sealing, is there anything we ought to know abut that?

Thanks you.

 

I don't think that it's spilled milk. Has the driveway deteriorated, in the 3 years? I'd leave it alone.

 

Well, its still a nice surface. I meant that its not as pristine as when new.

 

Most of the members here will disagree with me but I don't see any reason to change a maintenance free surface into something that will require maintenance every few years.

 

Asphalt will last longer if it's sealed. While many say that needs to be done yearly, I think 3-5 yrs is good enough.

You want to make sure the driveway is clean and dry before applying the sealer. You'll also need to keep an eye on the weather forecast as it's next to impossible to protect the freshly applied sealer from rain. It needs 12-24 hrs before it can be rained on and 36-48 hrs before you can drive on it.

Asphalt sealer is like most things - the price is a good indicator of the quality.

 

Okay, Thanks. We definitely want it to last longer. I wonder if anyone has an opinion on regular sealer vs. the new acrylic?

 

Okay I am getting an answer to my sealer question. I will post the article I just found, in case someone else has the same question and looks at this thread:

https://theasphaltblog.wordpress.com...ar-vs-acrylic/

Oh, dear, and here is more. Lots to learn! http://pavecoat.com/know-fact.html

and more: http://www.asphaltkingdom.com/blog/blacktop-sealers/

 

I'm anything but an asphalt driveway expert, having only sealed one driveway in the banana-belt (Montrose) of western Colorado. However, I used an oil-based sealer sold by the local asphalt plant, and it had the advantage of not requiring resealing every few years (unlike most acrylic sealers, which do). The supplier only sold it in bulk, so I had to bring an empty 55-gal. oil drum for hauling the stuff home in my pickup truck. But it went down quickly, using a rubber squeegee, and also dried fairly quickly. We sold the place a few years later, but when I drove by 5 years after sealing it, the stuff still looked good, having hardly weathered at all.

 

Here's some tips to make the job easier. The night before, clean driveway and using a paint brush paint a boarder of about 6" to 8" around the perimeter using the sealer. Next morning get up at dawn and begin the actual sealing process using a brush, roller and or squeegee. It will be easy and cool and you can walk on it by noon time. I've been doing it this way for nearly 20 years. Doing it mid day is a PITA. It's like spreading glue and it's hot and uncomfortable. Make life easy, do it in the morning.

 

all you really need to know is in bridge's post - buy pro stuff (it doesn't come in 5gal buckets from apron/vest/hdwe stores),,, buy a GOOD driveway broom & 2' squeegees,,, wear OLD tennis shoes + socks along w/old jeans - throw all away when finished,,, thin coat's preferred over thick as its an aerobic curing process,,, no foot traffic for 24 & no cars for 48,,, despite pulpo (he is a good guy otherwise), neither blacktop nor concrete's maintenance-free,,, natl asphalt pvmnt assoc suggests an annual maintenance budget @ 10% of replacement cost,,, what actually gets done much less as most defer maintenance & repairs so they wind up patching,,, that's expensive + it reveals owner's level of self-respect & respect for his property

annual sealcoating's unnecessary but asphalt cement degrades when exposed to sunlight - it if didn't, we wouldn't have to sealcoat - good luck & don't forget the beer when you're finished