Economic reasons

Using seal coating to repair a driveway or parking lot can be considerably less expensive than repaving an entire asphalt pavement surface.

Sealcoating can be an interim step to asphalt paving, giving you extra time to save money for additional asphalt paving in the future.

Seal coating can substantially prolong the life of existing asphalt pavement on a driveway or parking lot.

What is Slurry Seal?

Slurry Seal is a sealcoating mixture of specially graded aggregate and a special asphalt emulsion, often applied with a special seal coat squeegee. This smooth textured mixture can be easily applied under normal weather conditions.

What is the Purpose of Slurry Seal?

Slurry Seal will seal and protect existing pavement on a driveway or parking lot from weather changes and will also produce some minor leveling. It is also useful for crack filling, to improve traction, to improve appearances and to reduce studded tire wear. Slurry Seal made with a coal tar emulsion will protect the pavement in parking areas and driveways from damaged caused by oil spills and drips. This mixture is designed to enhance asphalt paved surfaces and will not need to be immediately repaved.

What are the effects of weather when applying Slurry Seal coats?

When applying, weather can have a dramatic and damaging affect on the quality of the seal coat. Variations go from cool to hot temperatures and include rain wind and humidity. You can only plan to apply this type of sealcoating when weather conditions are fair.

When applying seal coating, cool air or pavement temperatures less than 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit can affect the binding and adhesion characteristics of the asphalt by making it less sticky or increase it pliability. The result is a poor bond between the existing pavement, the asphalt, and the rock.

Sealing a driveway or parking lot in hot weather, greater than 90 degrees Fahrenheit can also create application problems with seal coating. The seal coat is more fluid and is less viscous and it loses its strength.

Rain also causes problems by allowing the slurry seal particles to float up through the aggregate cover to the top and it causes them to be picked up on tires of vehicles.

If you have an existing asphalt paved driveway or parking lot that is in need of repair, it is imperative to apply seal coating in order to increase the overall look and durability of the pavement surface. Sealcoating costs far less than repaving an entire surface and will add many years to your paved driveway. Maintenance is the key to adding life to any asphalt driveway or parking lot. Never make the mistake of not being proactive regarding the maintenance of your asphalt paving parking lot or driveway!