Five Mistakes You May See From a Sealcoating Contractor

Of all the things that you can do to prolong the life of your asphalt pavement, no single procedure is as effective and economical as sealcoating. Asphalt sealants are designed to create a shell over the pavement to block the sun’s rays, water, automotive fluids, and other things that can damage your pavement. To ensure maximum protection, you need to have a professional repeat the sealcoating procedure periodically. During this procedure, there are five mistakes that you never want to see your sealcoating contractor make. They relate to the preparation of the site, the cleaning of the pavement, the preparation of the sealant mix, the repair of the pavement, and the application of the sealant.

What Should a Contractor Do When Preparing a Site for Asphalt Sealcoating?

Whether the project is asphalt parking lot sealcoating, driveway sealcoating, or street sealcoating, there are certain things that contractors need to do to ensure efficiency and safety. Depending on the site, preparation may involve working with the property manager to notify residents or employees that they will need to park in a different location, erecting barriers and other traffic control measures, or trimming vegetation that intrudes into the work area. Failing to prepare the site properly can prevent the contractor’s crew from being able to access all areas safely, or it can result in potential damage to nearby cars, buildings, or landscaping.

What Mistakes Might a Sealcoating Contractor Make When Cleaning a Pavement?

The biggest mistake would be to not clean the pavement at all. Even if a pavement looks spotless, there is usually an invisible film that will prevent the parking lot sealcoat from bonding properly. Another mistake that some inexperienced asphalt maintenance contractors make is to not allow the pavement to dry adequately after cleaning before the sealcoating is applied.

What Mistakes Might a Sealcoating and Paving Company Make When Mixing a Sealant?

Sealcoating manufacturers provide a recipe for creating a liquid for application. The recipe includes a precise ratio of the concentrated sealant, water, and sand. Whether they do it intentionally or accidentally, some contractors reduce the amount of sand or increase the amount of water, and this can make it appear that the sealant covers more pavement. However, the resulting mix will be too thin to last or protect as it should.

Why Are Pavement Repairs Important for Asphalt Sealcoating?

When they hire a contractor to perform asphalt parking lot sealcoating, some people assume that the sealcoating will seal any existing cracks, but this is not true. Although it is true that sealcoating will usually conceal hairline cracks and other minor imperfections, it is not capable of repairing a true pavement crack. Sealcoating over breaks in the pavement will not prevent water infiltration, which is the leading cause of alligator cracking and other damages that will require an asphalt removal and replacement procedure.

What Mistakes Might a Sealcoating Contractor Make When Applying the Sealant?

When your asphalt paving company built your pavement, you were probably advised to delay sealcoating until the asphalt was sufficiently cured, and the contractor likely told you how long curing would take. However, prior to sealcoating a pavement for the first time, competent contractors check to verify that the asphalt has cured. If you do not have a new pavement, application errors are more likely to involve choosing the wrong method or applying the sealant too thickly. For example, there may be some areas that require applying the sealant by hand, but attempting to sealcoat a large, unobstructed area by hand would be time-consuming, and the thickness would probably be quite uneven.

When You Need to Avoid Mistakes, Trust Your Work to Peterson Grading & Paving

We understand that it is essential to obtain the most value for your money, and we are committed to helping you do just that through our craftsmanship, customer service, and reasonable prices. Peterson Grading & Paving offers an extensive range of paving services, including asphalt sealcoating, asphalt paving and resurfacing, concrete ramp and sidewalk installation, asphalt crack repair, concrete parking lot construction, bollard installation, concrete curbing, epoxy coating, line and marking removal, concrete repair, warehouse striping, asphalt milling, and parking lot striping. We serve clients throughout Orange County and the rest of California. For a free quote, submit the online form, send an email to Ryan@GradePave.com, or call 949-402-6979.