The former owner of my house sealed the driveway two years ago. I got
a letter in the mail from the contractor who did the sealing telling
me it's time to reseal. I did notices some small cracks developing in
the asphalt. My question - if an asphalt driveway has been sealed once
does it need to be sealed every two years for the rest of its life
now? I've read online that sealing a driveway actually can weaken the
integrity of the asphalt and is usually only done for cosmetic
reasons. Is there something else I can seal this small cracks with?
The problem with using some tar like product is that my driveway is
somewhat sunbleached now and anything I use to seal the cracks is
going to show - is there some clear product that will seal the cracks
without making them more noticeable?

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
The former owner of my house sealed the driveway two years ago. I got
a letter in the mail from the contractor who did the sealing telling
me it's time to reseal. I did notices some small cracks developing in
the asphalt. My question - if an asphalt driveway has been sealed once
does it need to be sealed every two years for the rest of its life
now? I've read online that sealing a driveway actually can weaken the
integrity of the asphalt and is usually only done for cosmetic
reasons. Is there something else I can seal this small cracks with?
The problem with using some tar like product is that my driveway is
somewhat sunbleached now and anything I use to seal the cracks is
going to show - is there some clear product that will seal the cracks
without making them more noticeable?


Why are you so eager to seal the cracks? If its a matter of weed control,
seems like an awfully expensive way to go about it. The cracks are forming
because the ground is shifting under the driveway, anything you do to seal
it will just have to be done again and again and again. I realize I'm not
helping you in the way you would like, but honestly there are some things I
care about and others I just throw up my hands and say "when it gets so bad
that it becomes an eyesore - I'll tear it up and put in a new one."

That's just my opinion, take it for what its' worth.

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
The former owner of my house sealed the driveway two years ago. I got
a letter in the mail from the contractor who did the sealing telling
me it's time to reseal. I did notices some small cracks developing in
the asphalt. My question - if an asphalt driveway has been sealed once
does it need to be sealed every two years for the rest of its life
now? I've read online that sealing a driveway actually can weaken the
integrity of the asphalt and is usually only done for cosmetic
reasons. Is there something else I can seal this small cracks with?
The problem with using some tar like product is that my driveway is
somewhat sunbleached now and anything I use to seal the cracks is
going to show - is there some clear product that will seal the cracks
without making them more noticeable?

Sealing asphalt driveways is about two things:

1/ Appearance
2/ Spalding

The first is obvious. Spalding is not. The rain gets into the cracks and
freezes and busts up the surface. Depends on where you live.

Charles wrote:
....

Sealing asphalt driveways is about two things:

1/ Appearance
2/ Spalding

The first is obvious. Spalding is not. ...

That would be "spalling"...

Spalding is the sports equipment people...

--

"Charles" wrote in message
. ..

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
The former owner of my house sealed the driveway two years ago. I got
a letter in the mail from the contractor who did the sealing telling
me it's time to reseal. I did notices some small cracks developing in
the asphalt. My question - if an asphalt driveway has been sealed once
does it need to be sealed every two years for the rest of its life
now? I've read online that sealing a driveway actually can weaken the
integrity of the asphalt and is usually only done for cosmetic
reasons. Is there something else I can seal this small cracks with?
The problem with using some tar like product is that my driveway is
somewhat sunbleached now and anything I use to seal the cracks is
going to show - is there some clear product that will seal the cracks
without making them more noticeable?

Sealing asphalt driveways is about two things:

1/ Appearance
2/ Spalding

The first is obvious. Spalding is not. The rain gets into the cracks and
freezes and busts up the surface. Depends on where you live.

Sorry, spalling is the correct term.

"dpb" wrote in message ...
Charles wrote:
...

Sealing asphalt driveways is about two things:

1/ Appearance
2/ Spalding

The first is obvious. Spalding is not. ...

That would be "spalling"...

Spalding is the sports equipment people...

Yup. I posted a correction.

sealed driveways last longer well looking good. the home next to where
I grew up has a over 50 year old asphalt driveway, till recently it
looked great. The homeowner must be in his 80s and is having troubles
physically and cant maintain it like he used too.

My asphalt driveway was new in 1985 or 1986 and looks good, it gets
sealed every few years.

the sealer prevents water from entering the small cracks which leads
to failure.

I think its money well spent.

owning a home means theres stuff to be maintained and sealer is fairly
cheap in comparison with a brand new driveway

"RobertPatrick" wrote in message
...
"Eigenvector" wrote in
:


"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
The former owner of my house sealed the driveway two years ago. I got
a letter in the mail from the contractor who did the sealing telling
me it's time to reseal. I did notices some small cracks developing in
the asphalt. My question - if an asphalt driveway has been sealed
once does it need to be sealed every two years for the rest of its
life now? I've read online that sealing a driveway actually can
weaken the integrity of the asphalt and is usually only done for
cosmetic reasons. Is there something else I can seal this small
cracks with? The problem with using some tar like product is that my
driveway is somewhat sunbleached now and anything I use to seal the
cracks is going to show - is there some clear product that will seal
the cracks without making them more noticeable?


Why are you so eager to seal the cracks? If its a matter of weed
control, seems like an awfully expensive way to go about it. The
cracks are forming because the ground is shifting under the driveway,
anything you do to seal it will just have to be done again and again
and again. I realize I'm not helping you in the way you would like,
but honestly there are some things I care about and others I just
throw up my hands and say "when it gets so bad that it becomes an
eyesore - I'll tear it up and put in a new one."

That's just my opinion, take it for what its' worth.




If you live where it snows, cracks are not good because of water getting
in
there and freezing and thawing.

Yeah I might be jaded because I live in an area where harsh weather isn't a
big deal - plus my driveway is already shot to hell - so I really don't care
about maintaining it.

On Jul 14, 10:27 pm, " wrote:
sealed driveways last longer well looking good. the home next to where
I grew up has a over 50 year old asphalt driveway, till recently it
looked great. The homeowner must be in his 80s and is having troubles
physically and cant maintain it like he used too.

My asphalt driveway was new in 1985 or 1986 and looks good, it gets
sealed every few years.

the sealer prevents water from entering the small cracks which leads
to failure.

I think its money well spent.

owning a home means theres stuff to be maintained and sealer is fairly
cheap in comparison with a brand new driveway

Is it easy to do yourself or should I pay they contractor $150 to do
it for me? My driveway is only about 100 feet would it be that
difficult to get some sealer and a broom and brush it on myself or do
I run the risk of disaster if I don't pick the correct sealer (I've
read about horror stories of people tracking black footprints into the
house).

"Joe" wrote in message
Is it easy to do yourself or should I pay they contractor $150 to do
it for me? My driveway is only about 100 feet would it be that
difficult to get some sealer and a broom and brush it on myself or do
I run the risk of disaster if I don't pick the correct sealer (I've
read about horror stories of people tracking black footprints into the
house).


Comes down to doing manual labor. There is a special brush to do the job.
The sealer is heavy, needs to be stirred, takes some time to do. Not
impossible, just a bit labor intensive. Depends on how important the money
versus labor thing is to you. It 40, go ahead, at 65, think about paying.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
et...


Comes down to doing manual labor. There is a special brush to do the job.
The sealer is heavy, needs to be stirred, takes some time to do. Not
impossible, just a bit labor intensive. Depends on how important the
money versus labor thing is to you. It 40, go ahead, at 65, think about
paying.

My former driveway in Southwest PA was 300 feet long and I sealed it myself
using the best latex Sears sealer (bought it when it was on sale). The
first time, it took less than a full day and the fourth and last time, it
took me almost two full days and I had numerous aches and blisters.

Edwin is exactly right ... think about paying if you are older.

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:54:14 -0000, Joe wrote:

Is it easy to do yourself or should I pay they contractor $150 to do
it for me?

I've sealed one driveway in Central PA. IIRC, I poured the sealant
onto the drive in puddles and spread with a paint roller and extension
pole. The drive was only sealed once in the five or so years I lived
there (mile from the Susquehanna River).

The drive was slopped and it had two cracks that ran across the drive.
I kept them sealed to prevent water/freeze damage.


--
Oren

"I don't mind coming to work, but that eight hour wait to go home is a bitch!"

family in arizonia report sealer helps extend the life of asphalt in
very hot sunny areas.

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:54:35 -0000, "
wrote:

family in arizonia report sealer helps extend the life of asphalt in
very hot sunny areas.

Between Las Vegas and state line to CA, highway asphalt has been
pulled up by semi tires (limited areas), It gets hot , added by an
accident/construction delay and all the heat. Semi drivers were
scraping tires

You can see ruts in the pavement; in some places, even in Las Vegas.


--
Oren

"I don't mind coming to work, but that eight hour wait to go home is a bitch!"