Why should you even consider sealing your asphalt driveway? Seal your existing parking lot to: Establish all weather surfaces that are maintenance and dust free, thus saving you overall asphalt maintenance costs in the future. Maintain the existing pavement in its present condition by delaying or eliminating further aging due to water, sun, heat, and humidity. Change asphalt pavement road textures- allowing for a non skid, smoother, uniform appearance in the pavement. Change asphalts color-by sealing the shoulder for demarcation from the main pavement of the entire pavement surface to improve light reflection and appearance of overall asphalt pavement. Supply minimal additional strength to the pavement at minimum cost Provide a moisture barrier between asphalt and mother natures elements. Give better resistance to studded tires Correct existing pavement problems by waterproofing openness in pavement surfaces. Performing slight leveling-increase the look and feel of a uniform parking lot. Can temporarily or permanently fix your problem depending on the cause of asphalt pavement damage. Economic reasons- A seal coat can be less expensive than repaving an entire asphalt pavement surface. A seal coat can be an interim step to asphalt mixed pavement, thus, giving you extra time to save funds for additional asphalt paving in the future to be applied. A seal coat can economically prolong the life of existing asphalt pavement. Slurry Seal- What is it? It is a mixture of specially graded aggregate and an asphalt emulsion, usually applied with a squeegee. This smooth textured mixture is easily applied under normal weather conditions. Purpose- Slurry will seal an existing pavement and produce some minor leveling without the inconvenience of loose cover stone. It can also be used for mass crack filling, to improve skid resistance, to enhance appearance, and reduce studded tire wear. Slurry made with a coal tar emulsion can protect the pavement in parking areas from being damaged by petroleum spills and drips. This material is designed to enhance asphalt paved surfaces that do not need to be immediately repaved. What about the effects of weather on slurry seal coats? Weather can have a drastic affect on the quality of the seal coat. Variations can be cool, hot temperatures, rain, wind, and humidity. Unfortunately, you have no control over these variables, but, you can plan to do this type of work when weather conditions are fair. Cool air or pavement temperatures (under 55-60 degrees) can affect the binding characteristics of the asphalt by making it less sticky or increase it viscosity. The result is a poorer bond between the existing pavement, the asphalt, and the rock. Sealing in hot weather (air temperatures of 90 degrees and higher) can also create construction problems with seal coat applications. The seal coat is more fluid and is less viscous, loosing its strength. Rain causes that slurry seal particles to float up through the aggregate cover and can be picked up on the tires of vehicles. Hopefully it is evident now that if you have an existing asphalt paved property, it is imperative to apply slurry seal coats in order to increase the overall look and feel of the pavement surface. Seal coats cost far less than having to repave entire pavement surfaces and will add extra years to your paved parking structures. Maintenance is the key to adding life to asphalt. Dont make the mistake of not being proactive regarding the health of your asphalt paving parking lots! |
