Easy2 How-To

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Sealcoating Asphalt Driveways

OVERVIEW

Introduction

BEFORE You Start...

Skill Level & Time to Complete

• Beginner - 5 to 6 hours

• Intermediate - 3 to 4 hours

• Advanced - 2 to 3 hours

- Be sure that you will have dry weather over the next couple days so that your filler dries properly.

- Before opening your bucket of seal coat, flip it over onto its top so that it resettles. This will make it easier for you to mix the seal coating mixture after you have opened it.

SHOPPING LIST

Materials List

   Asphalt driveway detergent or household detergent

   Driveway Sealer - typically one 5-gallon drum of sealer for every 750-1000 feet

Tools List

   Push Broom

   Water hose

   Stiff bristle brush

   Mixing stick

   Paint Roller

1.	You should only begin to sealcoat your driveway if you have repaired all the major cracks and holes in your driveway larger than ¼" wide. Consult our tutorial on Repairing Asphalt Cracks before you begin if you have cracks larger than 1/4" wide. Cracks narrower than ¼" can be successfully filled by the sealcoat.
2.	Ensure that the temperature is above 50°F and that you do not expect rain for at least 1-1/2 days so that the seal coating adheres properly and that it dries effectively.
3.	To ensure proper adhesion of the seal coating to your blacktop, clean the surface with your push broom.
4.	Spray the surface with water so that dust is removed from the surface. The cleaner the surface of your driveway is before you begin, the better the seal coating will adhere.
5.	Clean any oil spots with commercial detergent. You might find that coating these spots with special blacktop primer will help the seal coating adhere better.

6.	After you have swept, sprayed and cleaned the surface, be sure that it dries before beginning to spread the seal coating.
7.	The coating mixture will have settled over time so that the bottom is far thicker than the top. Flip the bucket of seal coating onto its top and allow it to settle before opening to make mixing it easier.
8.	After you have opened the bucket, mix your sealer in the bucket with a clean stick. Regularly stir the mixture as you are applying the mixture so that you maintain the consistency of your application.
9.	Pour an amount of the sealer in a corner of your blacktop so that you can spread about a 20 square foot section at a time and move down the driveway. You will have to experiment to get a feel for how much you can spread at a time.
10.	Spread the seal coating with your roller across the driveway with overlapping strokes. Spread a thin coat of sealer being sure that it is not too thick so that it dries effectively.

11.

Stay off the driveway for at least 24 hours, and preferably 48 hours, to allow it to dry before driving on it. Line up a few of your buckets at the front of your driveway to keep others from driving on it.