Metal and wood products that are exposed to the elements will deteriorate much faster if not protected by a coat of paint, varnish or stain. Similarly, asphalt pavement that is not protected by sealcoating will have a faster rate of deterioration. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation, automotive chemicals and surface erosion can prematurely age asphalt pavement, leaving it dry, faded, brittle and easily damaged. However, unless the sealcoating is properly selected, mixed and applied, the results will be disappointing.
Sealcoating: The Essential Ingredients – The Quality of the Sealant
Sealants are available in a variety of formulations, but not all sealants are intended for use on the same pavements. An inexpensive sealant might be fine for a residential driveway that is used by one or two cars a day, but that same sealant might not hold up on a busy street. Perhaps more importantly, the contractor must mix the sealant correctly. Too much water in the mix, for example, can severely impact the quality of the sealant, leading to deterioration of the sealant in a relatively short time.
Sealcoating: The Essential Ingredients – The Use of Additives
The topic of additives is one that frequently arises in conversations between sealcoating professionals and their clients. The subject also arises in conversations between novice and experienced contractors. Some customers and inexperienced contractors believe that additives should never be used, but others believe that every possible additive should always be included in the sealant mix. In reality, additives should be carefully selected to address the issues present on each job. For example, if the temperature is borderline, parts of the pavement are in heavy shade or the humidity level is quite high, there are additives that can help ensure that the results of the job will be of the best quality.
One of the most common additives chosen is used to keep the solid particles suspended in the mix. If you have ever added sugar to a glass of iced tea, you probably noticed how the particles of sugar fell out of suspension and settled to the bottom unless you stirred the tea repeatedly. Similarly, the solid particles contained in the sealant mix can settle to the bottom of the tank, resulting in uneven distribution throughout the sealant.
When chosen by an experienced sealcoating contractor, additives can provide a variety of benefits. From allowing a customer to open a parking lot sooner to providing a longer life for the sealant, additives can help solve a wide range of sealcoating issues.
Sealcoating: The Essential Ingredients – The Importance of Sand
Sealant manufacturers ship their products as a raw mix. Before a job, contractors add water, sand and additives to the dry mix to make liquid seal coat. Contrary to what some customers believe, the sand is not added to cut costs or increase the area that can be covered by the sealcoating. Sand plays a vital role in the durability of the sealcoating and improves the safety of the pavement on which it is applied by enhancing traction. Sand also plays a role in hiding minor imperfections in the pavement’s surface, improving the appearance of the pavement. Most sealcoating professionals use a high-quality silica sand that has uniform particles of the proper size. If the particles are too small, they will absorb too much binder and reduce the performance of the sealant. If the particles are too large, they will become dislodged by traffic and abrade the sealant, causing it to fail prematurely.
Choose an Experienced Professional
The quality of your sealcoating job depends on the expertise of the contractor you hire. Alpha Paving Industries is the state’s leading asphalt contractor for the number of gallons of sealcoating applied annually as well as the state’s leading contractor for airport sealcoating. Our other services include road construction, asphalt repairs, milling, street maintenance, asphalt paving, speed bump installation, parking lot striping and concrete work. We routinely provide our services to counties and municipalities, airports, major retailers, hospitals, churches, industrial facilities, apartment complexes, office parks, shopping malls, hotels, schools and restaurants. Our crews are dedicated to delivering exceptional results in a professional, safe manner. If you would like to request a free quote, complete our online form or call (512) 677-9001.