:::Drivewayguys:::

Article Index
The Benefits of Driveway Sealing
Driveway Sealing
Doing it Yourself
Going with Professional
Beware the Fly-by-Night Sealers
Understanding Driveway Sealing
All Pages

Asphalt pavement is a mixture of graded stone aggregate and asphalt. The asphalt is the binder or glue that holds the pavement together. If left unprotected, asphalt is subject to degradation from oxidation and water penetration. Ultraviolet rays from the sun begin to break down the asphalt binder, changing the pavement surface color from black to gray. Gas, oil and other petrochemicals will dissolve the asphalt binder, causing holes and raveling.

As the asphalt binder is further broken down from the sun's rays, water begins to penetrate the surface. Water begins to erode the binder between the individual stones in the pavement. If cracks are present, water will begin to erode the base beneath the asphalt, causing the cracks to enlarge and eventually causing base failure in the form of potholes.

In Canada, pavement is subject to further damage from normal freeze thaw cycles. Water, in the form of melted snow and ice, enters the pores and cracks in the pavement. When temperatures fall below 32º the water freezes, expanding and causing additional surface erosion and widening of cracks.

Regular application of crack filler and pavement sealer prevents damage by sealing in the asphalt binder that holds the driveway together and sealing out Ultraviolet rays and water penetration. Your driveway, and the investment it represents, is protected. The rich, black color of pavement sealer provides a beautiful, like new appearance. The sealed surface is easier to clean gas and oil resistant and helps to melt snow and ice faster.

Driveway Sealing

"My asphalt driveway is 5 years old, and people have told me that I should have a sealer put on it. Others say that it's the wrong thing to do. What is your opinion about sealing a driveway?"

Margaret Many
Address Withheld

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Whether or not you should seal your driveway depends on its condition. If it exhibits extensive cracking, then sealing it will not prolong its life because the sealer will not bridge the cracks. It will only change the appearance of the driveway. On the other hand, as long as the driveway surface is in reasonably good condition, it should be sealed every one to three years, depending on the severity of the climate. Small cracks should be cleaned out with a wire brush or compressed air and then filled with a crack-filling material. Then the driveway should be sealed.

It's best to seal driveways when they are less than a year old, although they can be sealed successfully years later. Bear in mind that a new asphalt driveway is flexible and elastic. It will expand and contract without cracking. As a driveway ages, however, the pavement loses its elasticity and becomes brittle and vulnerable to cracking.

When water enters cracks in asphalt, it works its way down to the base below, reducing the base's compressive strength. This can cause depressions to form and, eventually, potholes. If the water freezes, the ice can increase the size of the cracks.

Doing it Yourself

Professionals can often do this job better and cheaper. Sealing a driveway doesn't cost much, whether or not you do it yourself with over-the-counter supplies, but it's smarter to have a professional do the job. The reasons are clear: Over the counter is usually water based acyclic sealant-your driveway is a oil base.

WATER and OIL don’t mix.

It will also takes up your time and money.

Based on a 500sq. ft. to 700 sq. ft. driveway, you would need to buy two pails of over the counter sealant.

Two pails of sealer at $20.00 each would be $40.00.

Add onto that a roller and long handle broom for $10.00.

Now you need to figure in your time spent on the project.

And don't forget the travel time to and from your retailer.

What is your time worth?

You need to do two coats (roughly two hours) so you can get rid of the roller marks. This works out to roughly $25.00 per coat, for a total of $50.00 spent, plus the labour involved.

Also, you have to clean up afterwards and you're required to take the empty or almost empty sealant pails to your local city dump.

Never mind the shoes and clothes you've just ruined.

Going with a Professional

Professionals charge from $60 to $70 for a 500 to 700 sq. ft. driveway.

We supply their own materials.

We handle all the cleanup.

We mark off end of driveway.

We take an average of 30 minutes.

Remember our summers in Canada are very short. Enjoy your summer, relax and let the Driveway guys take care of this messy job for you.

Note: A lower price is possible when a contractor can schedule a group of jobs in the same neighborhood on the same day; if it's possible, talk to your neighbors or citizens association and initiate a group arrangement.

Beware the Fly-by-Night Sealers

Beware the fly-by-night sealers: With unfortunate regularity, every spring and fall unscrupulous itinerants who provide very inferior work using substandard or bogus materials travel through our area and take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners.

Essentially their pitch goes like this: "Good afternoon. We've just completed a job around the corner and have enough material left on the truck to do your driveway. Because of the proximity of your house and the fact that we have the materials and manpower at hand, we can make you a special, low offer."

While you might receive such an offer from an established legitimate contractor, the chances are good that you are dealing with someone who will not use sealer at all but will spread used motor oil or something similar on the driveway. The first rain will wash off the "sealer" and you will be left with nothing but a mess in your yard.

Most legitimate contractors will have a company sign on the doors of their truck. Their company names will probably appear in the local newspaper, flyers and online.

Sealing or coating the top of an asphalt driveway with protective materials (Black Mac) is the most effective way to extend its life. Without sealers your driveway may deteriorate and need replacement within 15 years; with them, its life can be prolonged indefinitely.

The asphalt in the driveway is vulnerable to oxidation, ultraviolet sunlight and gas and oil spillage. In addition, water that penetrates through cracks in the surface can lead to deterioration from the bottom. A good sealer will combine with the pavement and act both as a renewable layer that can be sacrificed to the elements and as a deterrent to water penetration

Examine the surface of your driveway to determine if more than simple sealing is in order. Cracks that wander across the drive in fairly continuous lines are common and are treated by filling with special caulking compound prior to sealing. (Include in our price)Surface areas that look like so many odd-sized overcooked hamburgers lying side by side indicate more serious problems: This is called "reflective cracking" and means that the area should be cut out and patched prior to sealing. Special patching mixes are available to the consumer for smaller jobs; large scale reflective cracking calls for repairs by professionals.

Understanding Driveway Sealing

Whether you decide to seal your own driveway or hire someone to do it, you should understand the basic step-by-step approach.

The materials usually purchased from a building supply store are often water based acrylic usually contained in five-gallon buckets. Normally, a single coat is applied. A gallon will usually cover about 50 square feet. You will also need caulking compound to fill cracks. Caulking comes in a bucket or a tube the differences are slight but the tube type is easier to apply. You'll also need a long-handled, 36" squeegee/roller with bristles on the back side, a long-handled broom and a cheap pair of work gloves.

Use a screwdriver (or a similarly shaped tool) and a broom to clear dirt, mud or weeds from the cracks, then press in the caulking compound. If the driveway is dirty, wash it down and pay special attention to small pockets or low spots. To the casual observer these areas may seem clean but they often hold silt from rain runoff. Blast out any dirt with a water hose.

The primary methods of protecting valuable investments in asphalt surfaces are seal coating and crack sealing. The first line of defense against water intrusion is crack sealing. Cracks in asphalt pavements begin at the bottom of the asphalt and work their way to the surface. Once a crack reaches the surface, the volume of water reaching the base increases dramatically. If left alone the crack will continue to widen and the pavement will eventually fail. Properly sealing those cracks will greatly reduce that flow of water.

Seal coating asphalt is very similar to painting wood. Seal coat provides a protective barrier between the pavement and water and sunlight, while providing a new, eye-pleasing look to the property.

The keys to quality seal coating and crack sealing are preparation and using superior products in the application. We believe that no other contractor spends the preparation time that Driveway Guys does for both seal coating and crack sealing. We also use only top of the line products thus assuring the best possible results on each and every job.

You can also expect our crews to work in a professional and courteous manner and, through careful planning and efficient operations, we can minimize the disruption to your household or business.

Note: Never apply sealers in rainy weather or when the temperature is below 50 degrees. Put on a pair of pants and shoes you are willing to dispose of this is a dirty job and start work.