Those Who Build the Buildings

Seal Coating Your Asphalt Driveway? Follow These 5 Tips

31 October 2022

Ashley Hart

Do you want to take some steps to protect your asphalt driveway? One way to do this is by applying a seal coat. It's an easy task you can do on your own, but it will help to know some tips before you get started.  

Buy Your Sealant In Advance

A common mistake that people make is buying the asphalt sealant on the day they plan on starting the job. You may not be aware that the sealant has been sitting in a warehouse for months, and much of the materials in the sealant have settled to the bottom. That's why it will help to buy the sealant a few days in advance and store the containers upside down. This will get the materials in the sealant to start mixing together again, making it much easier than if you started with them right side up. 

Clean Up The Driveway

You'll want to take some time to clean up the driveway before you start the seal coat process. You should edge the grass along the edge of the asphalt, and then use a leaf blower to get any loose debris off the surface. This will ensure that you're covering the entire asphalt, and not missing any spots because they are covered with debris. 

Seal The Cracks

Are there asphalt cracks in the driveway? Now is the time to fill in those cracks, which can be done with an asphalt crack-filling material that you can buy at your local home improvement store. The new seal coat will help give the filler material a protective layer at the same time as the rest of the driveway, but only if you remember to do the repair first. 

Cut In Along Edges

You should use a paintbrush to cut in along the edges of the asphalt, such as where your home and lawn meet the asphalt. You're not a professional when it comes to applying an asphalt sealant, so you likely will not be able to apply the sealant along the edge with a squeegee without causing a lot of sealant to pool. It takes a bit of time to use a paintbrush, but it helps create a clean look and prevents you from wasting sealant. 

Always Pull The Squeegee

When spreading the asphalt sealant across the asphalt with a squeegee, it's important to always pull the squeegee instead of pushing it. This technique will allow you to apply even pressure to the squeegee to help spread out the sealant evenly. 

Contact a local asphalt seal coating service to learn more. 

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