What is Sealcoating?
Sealcoating is the process of applying a coal tar emulsion over an asphalt pavement to prevent oxidation damage and prolong the life of a new, structurally sound, asphalt pavement.

Sealcoating Frequently Asked Questions

1. When should a parking lot be sealcoated for the first time? - Short answer is on the 2nd year from construction. Ideally an asphalt pavement should be sealed as soon as the surface has fully cured and it is visually apparent that the surface and base are structurally sound.

2. How long should the first sealcoat application last? This depends on the grade of the material, the sand and latex quantities, the number of coats, the amount of traffic. Use the following as a guide: 2 coats Conventional, Federal Spec. up to 4 years.

3. How often should a lot be sealed? This depends on the strength of the original pavement, type of traffic and quality of sealcoat process and materials. Seal with Premium product at year 2 and every 3-4 years.

4. What the difference between sprayed versus squeegeed? It is much easier to control the rate of application in a spray application. Squeegees are at the mercy of the pavement surface texture; the smoother the surface, the less material will be applied. On rougher pavements, more material is applied to the low spots and less material is applied to the high spots. On windy days the crew can not spray. Areas will be hand applied.

5. Will sealcoat waterproof an alligator cracked pavement? Absolutely not! A sealcoat is a preservative coating but has no structural value. Minor cracks should be sealed with a hot pour, rubberized material prior to sealcoating. Alligator cracked areas should be excavated and repaired with a sufficient thickness of asphalt prior to sealcoating.

6. Will sealcoating "buy" a few more years of service life to an old, cracked pavement? Absolutely not! This is a common misconception. Sealcoating at the end of a pavement life cycle is just a glorified coat of black paint. Cracks will only be highlighted and water will continue to have a free path to the base layer. If a parking lot is late in its life cycle, it is better to save the money spent on sealcoating and apply towards repairs and eventually a overlay of new asphalt.

7. How long does it take the material to dry? This depends on how many coats are applied and the weather conditions. Plan on a full 24 hour dry time.

8. Will snowplows damage sealcoat surface? Snowplows can scratch the surface. It is important to communicate with the plow contractor. Loaders can damage surface with excessive down pressure. Rubber blades should be used. If pavement has white scratches sealer can touch up areas. If pavement has grooves. Infrared patching will be needed.

9. Will the sealcoating material track into my buildings? Each section must be secured prior to the start of work. Schedules must be communicated to the tenants so that everyone understands the traffic patterns throughout the project. The material will track if it is walked on or driven on before it has dried.

10. How do you block off sections in a parking lot? Developing a plan to section off the parking lot to maintain traffic flow through the project is critical to its success. Tenants must be informed throughout process so they can plan accordingly. Each area is blocked off with yellow traffic tape and flashing barricades. Each parking lot is different so the sectioning plan and barricading plan must be customized to the needs of the tenants and the property manager.

11. Why are there tire marks showing on a newly sealcoated parking lot? The material dries to the touch in a few hours but it takes several weeks to fully harden, especially in the hot sun. Expect power steering marks as the sand is sheared away from the coal tar but over time these marks will go away.

12. Why is sand important? Sand is added to the coal tar at the rate of 3-5 pounds per gallon of concentrated coal tar. It is used to prolong the wearing life of the material and provide skid resistance but it is important to have the right particle size to work effectively.

13. Why is a latex additive important? Cold latex can be added to Federal Specification coal tar emulsions in the batching process to increase the bond between coal tar particles. Scrub tests have shown that wear life is increased but it is difficult to quantify due to variability in dilution rates during batch process.

14. How much water should be added to the concentrated coal tar emulsion? This depends on the quality of the concentrated material and the manufacturer's recommendations; can range from 10-40%.