Asphalt sealcoating is a critical part of extending the life of your pavement. Sealcoating your asphalt provides protection from weathering, which reduces cracking and crumbling. An appropriate sealcoating maintenance routine could extend the life of your asphalt by more than 30 years. That means you spend less on asphalt repairs or replacement.
Keep reading to learn how asphalt sealcoating can help you get the most out of your investment. If you need asphalt paving services, including sealcoating, get help from pavement professionals, like the team at Morgan Pavement.
What is asphalt sealcoating?
Water, oil, and ultraviolet rays can all get into the microscopic cracks in your asphalt and begin destroying it. The water can freeze when the temperature changes and cause the asphalt to crack. Oil and sun damage can degrade the cohesive chemicals in your asphalt.
Asphalt sealcoating is the process of applying a protective emulsion to your asphalt. The emulsion is called Sealcoat. It coats and penetrates your asphalt to renew its cohesion and add a protective layer. The additional layer prevents water and harmful UV rays from penetrating your asphalt’s surface. It also reduces damage from regular wear and tear.
The asphalt sealcoating is a mixture of water, sand, polymers, acrylic, and other materials. It goes on as a liquid, penetrates the asphalt, then the top layer exposed to oxygen dries. It leaves your asphalt with a renewed color and a stronger surface.
How do you fix crumbling asphalt?
When we sealcoat your asphalt, we start with a project bid based on the specifics of your asphalt.
Once we have a project agreement in place, we send out our cleaning team. They thoroughly clean your asphalt. We need to remove any dust or debris because it can prevent the sealcoat from reaching the asphalt and interfere with its application.
Next, we apply the first of two layers of sealcoat to the clean asphalt. The first layer will penetrate the surface of your asphalt and renew some of the binding agents in the asphalt. Then we apply a second layer to create a sealed surface that keeps water, oil, and UV rays from seeping into your asphalt.
After applying both layers, you’ll need to wait 24 to 48 hours for the sealcoat to dry. Then, our striping team can help you repaint your asphalt if needed.
How long does asphalt sealcoating last?
Sealcoating lasts about four to five years on average, but weather conditions will play a significant role.
The hot summers mixed with cold winters we experience in the Intermountain West can be tough on asphalt and sealcoating. The high deserts of Arizona, Utah, and Idaho may not see much rainfall. Still, the nightly freezing of winter runoff in early Spring can crack asphalt quickly.
We recommend sealcoating your asphalt within the first 18 to 24 months after it’s first laid. Then, continue to get asphalt sealcoating done every three to five years.
Is asphalt sealcoating worth it?
Yes. Your parking lot is often the first thing people see, and it can send the wrong message if not well maintained. Laying down asphalt is an investment. It’s the ground level of an opportunity. Asphalt sealcoating protects your investment.
Unfortunately, asphalt deteriorates slowly over time. Oil and the UV rays in sunlight can gradually affect asphalt’s ability to remain cohesive. Water can seep into the asphalt, then freeze and crack the asphalt. The regular traffic on your asphalt slowly wears away the protective coating. Once that happens, the asphalt will slowly begin to turn gray from weathering and eventually start to crumble.
Not only does a cracked or discolored roadway, driveway, or parking lot look terrible and potentially scare away customers, but it’s also potentially dangerous. Repairing or replacing asphalt requires a lot more time and effort than maintaining your existing asphalt.
It’s imperative to regularly apply a new protective coating to your asphalt, which is essentially what sealcoating does. By applying a fresh layer of asphalt sealcoating at recommended intervals, you can extend the overall life of your asphalt by up to 30 years. Plus, it will keep your pavement looking great!
This short asphalt sealcoating video will help explain.
How much does it cost to sealcoat asphalt?
The cost of asphalt sealcoating varies depending on the size of the paved area and the conditions.
Sealcoating a small residential driveway could be as little as a couple of hundred dollars. On the other hand, Sealcoating a one-acre asphalt parking lot could cost more than $10,000. For roads, the cost will depend on the total area of the entire section of road that needs sealcoating. Plus, the prices will vary depending on how many layers of sealcoating your asphalt needs.
One way to get a very loose approximation of how much your asphalt sealcoating would cost is to find the square footage of the area you need sealcoated. Just measure the length and the width, then multiply them together. That’s your square footage, but it’s also the estimate for your project because we’re estimating about one dollar per square foot. That’s for two layers of sealcoating and labor, but it’s a very vague estimate.
To get a more accurate price estimate for your asphalt sealcoating, contact a pavement and sealcoating professional. They can give you an estimate based on the specifics of your pavement.
Contact Morgan Pavement for a Free Bid on Your Asphalt Sealcoating
At Morgan Pavement, we know how the weather conditions of the Mountain West can wreak havoc on your asphalt. That’s why we offer an array of asphalt pavement services. From laying fresh blacktop to maintenance and treatment options, we can help you keep your asphalt looking great and staying safe.
In addition to asphalt sealcoating, we also offer asphalt crack repair, asphalt patching, asphalt paving, concrete paving, grading and excavating services, onyx mastic sealing, slurry sealing, and striping and marking services.
Contact Morgan today for all your asphalt pavement services, and be proud of your pavement.
