Why Your Driveway Needs Asphalt Seal Coating Applied Regularly
by Floyd Dunn
An important thing to know about owning an asphalt driveway is that the asphalt has to have a seal coat applied every few years. If you don't keep up with asphalt seal coating, your driveway will have a shorter life since it's natural for asphalt to degrade. Here's a look at why asphalt gradually breaks down, how sealant slows the process, and how asphalt seal coating is done.
An Asphalt Driveway Is Made With A Binder
Asphalt is made with aggregate and binder. The binder is what holds the aggregate together and gives the asphalt a black color. However, the binder dries out and gets brittle as it's exposed to UV rays.
When the binder dries out and wears away, the light-colored aggregate starts to show and your driveway starts to look faded. Without the binder to hold the aggregate together, your driveway will start to deteriorate, crack, crumble, and form potholes.
A Seal Coat Protects The Binder
Asphalt seal coating is not the same as adding more asphalt to your driveway. Instead, the coating is a thin, watery material that's made from acrylic or other material that coats the asphalt to protect it against further UV degradation.
The coating blocks the sun and rain to protect the asphalt below it. If you keep up with applying the coating every few years, the sun won't be able to break down the binder and your driveway will last longer. That means you can put off getting a new driveway for several years.
The Coating Is Easy To Apply
The coating can be applied by spraying it on or spreading it with a squeegee. It's easy to apply, and it's much less expensive to have the coating put on regularly than it is to make frequent driveway repairs and replace the driveway before its time.
Since the coating is black, regular application of it keeps your driveway attractive while it's protecting the asphalt from damage. The seal coat has to be applied during proper weather conditions for it to bond well. For that reason, you probably won't be able to have your driveway coated in the winter unless you live in a warm climate.
The coating needs to dry completely before you can start using your driveway again. The contractor will let you know on the day the coating is applied when you can park on your driveway again because it depends on the weather conditions. However, you may be able to start using your driveway again the next day.
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Welcome to a blog about the two C's. The two C's, as you might have already guessed are construction and contractors. These words are closely related. "Construction" refers to the art and science of building something. That something could be anything from a shed to a sidewalk. "Contractors" are the people who do the building. There are general contractors who do all sorts of building work, and then there are specialists who do work such as plumbing, electrical work, and drywall. Stop by and read a few articles when you have the time, and we promise you'll learn more about these two C's.