How Are Asphalt Paving and Sealcoating Different?

Suppose you built a deck out of pine. If you wanted to protect the wood against the sun, excessive wear, and water, you might choose to seal or paint the deck. Should you notice a board that has cracked or warped, you might replace it to ensure the deck’s structural integrity. In a similar fashion, asphalt paving builds a new pavement, or it can repair or replace an existing pavement. A sealcoat applied to an asphalt pavement serves a function similar to the sealant or paint that you used to protect the wood in your deck.

How Are Asphalt Paving and Sealcoating Different?

What Procedures Involve Asphalt Paving?

Although you may assume that an asphalt company only builds new pavements, there are several other paving services that involve the application of asphalt. For example, asphalt resurfacing is a paving procedure that involves the installation of an overlay on top of an existing concrete or asphalt pavement. Commercial asphalt paving contractors can use a procedure known as asphalt patching to repair potholes, relatively small areas of alligatored asphalt, or a variety of other problems.

Is Sealcoating an Alternative to Using Asphalt Paving for Repairs?

Like the stain or paint applied to a deck, sealcoats are protective products rather than repair products. Asphalt sealants will not repair cracks, potholes, or alligatored asphalt; their primary function is to help prevent the damage from occurring in the first place. However, sealcoats can often hide miniscule cracks or other surface flaws.

How Do I Know Whether I Need Asphalt Sealcoating or Paving for My Existing Pavement?

Since no two pavements are completely identical, the best way to determine precisely what you need is to ask a reputable asphalt company for a pavement evaluation. The function of your pavement, its age, the care it has received throughout its life, and its general condition can all affect the paving services that you need. However, it is possible to make some generalizations that are based on typical pavements.

• After it is constructed, your pavement should not need paving repairs for several years if your paving contractor installed it correctly. However, you need to have it sealcoated before its first anniversary. The contractor who installed your pavement should have advised you on how long it would take for your new pavement to cure, and the curing time is the length of time that you should wait before applying a sealcoat.
• Sealcoats can last anywhere from 18 months to four years. The less traffic that your pavement receives, the longer your sealant will normally last. However, sealcoats will have a shorter life if they are subjected to a large number of heavyweight trucks.
• Asphalt resurfacing is not normally needed until a pavement is nearing the end of its life. In most cases, a parking lot or street will need resurfacing every 10 to 12 years; heavily trafficked highways may not make it for a full decade, but a residential drive or private road may not require resurfacing for 15 to 20 years. However, resurfacing may be needed much sooner if there was a defect in the original installation.
• Asphalt patching is frequently the best choice for delivering a long-lasting repair for potholes or alligator cracking. Patching may also be an effective way to address small depressions in the surface of the pavement.

If you are not certain which paving services you need, Peterson Grading & Paving would be happy to advise you. We are a full-service commercial asphalt paving and maintenance company serving most locations in California. Our asphalt services include sealcoating, crack repair, asphalt milling, patching, and resurfacing, and we also offer parking lot striping, line and marking removal, concrete installation, ADA compliance assistance, bollard installation, concrete repairs, warehouse striping, and shot blasting. Our client base includes educational facilities, condos and homeowner associations, property management firms, religious institutions, retailers, and hotels. We have earned an exemplary reputation for high-quality work and exceptional customer service. If you are interested in a free quote and pavement evaluation, submit our request form online, send an email to Ryan@GradePave.com, or call our office at 949-402-6979.