FAQ
Sealcoating Benefits
When covered with a dark black sealant, pavement looks and wears like new. Parking lot sealcoating helps to project a positive image of the company, facility, or residential complex.
Sealcoating fills surface voids, which reduces exposure to oxygen and UV rays 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.
Gasoline dripping from a topped-off fuel tank during hot weather can soften and break down unsealed asphalt pavements. Coal tars used in sealcoat are impervious to gas and oil spills.
.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.
DSealcoat 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.
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.
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 pavement sealing, 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 as outlined.
Sealcoating Facts
Sealcoating should only be performed under the proper weather conditions. The recommended air and pavement temperature should be at least 55 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 18 to 36 hours to allow for drying (curing) time. If this time frame is not practical, midwest seal coating 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.
Benefits Of Crack Sealing
- Saves You Money – For pennies on the dollar, you can avoid costly asphalt replacement with crack sealing performed by professionals. The cost of replacement can be 20 – 30 times more expensive than a single maintenance procedure.
- Prolongs Pavement Life – Routine Maintenance (proper crack sealing and sealcoating) can double the life of your asphalt. Crack sealing is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT STEP you can take to prolong the life of your asphalt.
- Slows Oxidation – Left untreated, cracks allow water into and beneath the base which leads to pavement failure. Water is the number one enemy of asphalt.
- Prevents Water Penetration – Weather-proofing agents repel water – the number one enemy of asphalt. Asphalt is naturally porous; left unsealed, water will pentrate through the pores and cracks and disturb the base – eventually leading to failure of the pavement.
- Improves Appearance – First impressions of your home or place of business are greatly enhanced with a deep, rich, satiny black finish.
Crack Facts
- Small cracks allow moisture into asphalt.
- Water expands and contracts with temperature causing larger cracks.
- Larger cracks allow more water penetration to weaken base.
- Weaknesses in base accelerate asphalt failure.
- Small cracks always become big cracks.
- Big cracks soon become potholes.
- Cracks ¼” and larger can be sealed with specially formulated hot rubber sealer