Hello,

Had our driveway re-paved last Summer. Live outside of Boston.

How "necessary", or good an idea, is it to have it "seal-coated"
now ?

Do most folks have it done ?

If so, is the coating applied as an hot asphalt top coat, or just a room
temperature coating ?

Are there different types ? What's typical ?
What should I be asking for ?

Any caveats, etc. ?

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

On 5/20/2012 7:53 AM, Robert11 wrote:
Hello,

Had our driveway re-paved last Summer. Live outside of Boston.

How "necessary", or good an idea, is it to have it "seal-coated"
now ?

Do most folks have it done ?

If so, is the coating applied as an hot asphalt top coat, or just a room
temperature coating ?

Are there different types ? What's typical ?
What should I be asking for ?

Any caveats, etc. ?

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

Good idea.
I'd be doing it about now.
Coatings are emulsions and you can apply yourself.
I had my driveway repaved 2 years ago and the following year the paver
came back and offered to coat it and I let him as my back is getting old
but in better times, I could have done better myself at half the price.
Without coating, asphalt can be somewhat porous and freezing and thawing
of wet asphalt can cause cracks and premature failure.

On May 20, 7:53*am, Robert11 wrote:

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Driveway+Seal+Coating
-----

- gpsman

On May 20, 8:28*am, gpsman wrote:
On May 20, 7:53*am, Robert11 wrote:



Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Driveway+Seal+Coating
*-----

- gpsman

It definitely has aesthetic value as it makes the surface
appearance nicer. It also helps with washing off stuff
that winds up on it, like bird doo doo,.

I think it will help extend the life of the driveway, but how
much is questionable. While they seal coat parking lots,
they don't seal coat highways and roads.

All the ones I'm familiar with are applied cold. It's an
easy DIY job is you want to save some $$ and make
sure of what material you are applying.

On Sun, 20 May 2012 06:50:05 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



I think it will help extend the life of the driveway, but how
much is questionable. While they seal coat parking lots,
they don't seal coat highways and roads.

For the most part, no. One of the roads I use going to work though,
had the cracks sealed. Two guys had big funnel like contraptions and
they walked along filling the bigger cracks. In freezing climates, it
can make a difference by keeping the water out.

On May 20, 10:20*am, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Sun, 20 May 2012 06:50:05 -0700 (PDT), "

wrote:
I think it will help extend the life of the driveway, but how
much is questionable. * While they seal coat parking lots,
they don't seal coat highways and roads.

For the most part, no. *One of the roads I use going to work though,
had the cracks sealed. *Two guys had big funnel like contraptions and
they walked along filling the bigger cracks. *In freezing climates, it
can make a difference by keeping the water out.

my asphalt driveway was lain in 1985 and is still in pretty good
condition today. I seal every couple years....

It drfinetely seals the cracks so water cant get into the surface and
tear it up espically in freezing weather....

the home next to where i grew up has over a 50 year old asphalt
driveway. it still looks pretty good for its age. Tom Meehan is now
over 80 and hasnt sealed it in years. 50 + years for asphalt is a long
time...

they dont seal roads because it makes them slippery, i have to watch
that here. one thing i do is use the anti skid sealer. a piece of my
driveway is a hill.

house smiles when driveway gets sealed it looks so good

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 May 2012 06:50:05 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



I think it will help extend the life of the driveway, but how
much is questionable. While they seal coat parking lots,
they don't seal coat highways and roads.

For the most part, no. One of the roads I use going to work though,
had the cracks sealed. Two guys had big funnel like contraptions and
they walked along filling the bigger cracks. In freezing climates, it
can make a difference by keeping the water out.

Around here, it's done with wands instead of a funnel. It's called a crack
sealer. Vital to seal the cracks, that's the first place the road blows
out. Not just for freezing/thawing conditions, water is the worst enemy for
asphalt.

Entire coating of pavement isn't done on roadways, unless it's a chip &
seal on low speed roads. Just sealing an entire road would turn it into a
skating rink once it got wet.

On 5/20/2012 11:23 AM, Gomba wrote:
"Ed wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 May 2012 06:50:05 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



I think it will help extend the life of the driveway, but how
much is questionable. While they seal coat parking lots,
they don't seal coat highways and roads.

For the most part, no. One of the roads I use going to work though,
had the cracks sealed. Two guys had big funnel like contraptions and
they walked along filling the bigger cracks. In freezing climates, it
can make a difference by keeping the water out.

Around here, it's done with wands instead of a funnel. It's called a crack
sealer. Vital to seal the cracks, that's the first place the road blows
out. Not just for freezing/thawing conditions, water is the worst enemy for
asphalt.

PA used a process like Ed described and it always overfilled the cracks.
So the road was really noisy and the patch didn't last.

A few weeks ago they were doing crack sealing with what appeared to be a
new piece of equipment. The operator was using what appeared to be a
heated wand and the job they did was level with the road surface and
looked like it really sealed well.


Entire coating of pavement isn't done on roadways, unless it's a chip&
seal on low speed roads. Just sealing an entire road would turn it into a
skating rink once it got wet.

On Sun, 20 May 2012 12:42:35 -0400, George wrote:

On 5/20/2012 11:23 AM, Gomba wrote:
"Ed wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 May 2012 06:50:05 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



I think it will help extend the life of the driveway, but how
much is questionable. While they seal coat parking lots,
they don't seal coat highways and roads.

For the most part, no. One of the roads I use going to work though,
had the cracks sealed. Two guys had big funnel like contraptions and
they walked along filling the bigger cracks. In freezing climates, it
can make a difference by keeping the water out.

Around here, it's done with wands instead of a funnel. It's called a crack
sealer. Vital to seal the cracks, that's the first place the road blows
out. Not just for freezing/thawing conditions, water is the worst enemy for
asphalt.

PA used a process like Ed described and it always overfilled the cracks.
So the road was really noisy and the patch didn't last.

A few weeks ago they were doing crack sealing with what appeared to be a
new piece of equipment. The operator was using what appeared to be a
heated wand and the job they did was level with the road surface and
looked like it really sealed well.

Where I've seen the torch used, it was used to liquefy the sealer so it filled
the crack better. "Hot" vs. "cold" patch.

On Sun, 20 May 2012 07:53:41 -0400, Robert11
wrote:

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

- Pick a sunny day, no rain expected.

- Pour the sealer on the pavement.

- Instead of using a squeegee (as I've seen) use a rough nap paint
roller on an extension pole.

- Make it pretty.

On May 20, 2:25*pm, Oren wrote:
On Sun, 20 May 2012 07:53:41 -0400, Robert11
wrote:

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

- Pick a sunny day, no rain expected.

- Pour the sealer on the pavement.

- Instead of using a squeegee (as I've seen) use a rough nap paint
roller on an extension pole.

- Make it pretty.

i have used a wide push broom it helps spread easier and faster. i do
mine to get it done, i am not trying to make a thing of beauty

On Sun, 20 May 2012 12:07:35 -0700 (PDT), bob haller
wrote:

On May 20, 2:25*pm, Oren wrote:
On Sun, 20 May 2012 07:53:41 -0400, Robert11
wrote:

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

- Pick a sunny day, no rain expected.

- Pour the sealer on the pavement.

- Instead of using a squeegee (as I've seen) use a rough nap paint
roller on an extension pole.

- Make it pretty.

i have used a wide push broom it helps spread easier and faster. i do
mine to get it done, i am not trying to make a thing of beauty

I'm sure you do.

wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 May 2012 12:42:35 -0400, George wrote:

On 5/20/2012 11:23 AM, Gomba wrote:
"Ed wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 May 2012 06:50:05 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:



I think it will help extend the life of the driveway, but how
much is questionable. While they seal coat parking lots,
they don't seal coat highways and roads.

For the most part, no. One of the roads I use going to work though,
had the cracks sealed. Two guys had big funnel like contraptions and
they walked along filling the bigger cracks. In freezing climates, it
can make a difference by keeping the water out.

Around here, it's done with wands instead of a funnel. It's called a
crack
sealer. Vital to seal the cracks, that's the first place the road blows
out. Not just for freezing/thawing conditions, water is the worst enemy
for
asphalt.

PA used a process like Ed described and it always overfilled the cracks.
So the road was really noisy and the patch didn't last.

A few weeks ago they were doing crack sealing with what appeared to be a
new piece of equipment. The operator was using what appeared to be a
heated wand and the job they did was level with the road surface and
looked like it really sealed well.

Where I've seen the torch used, it was used to liquefy the sealer so it
filled
the crack better. "Hot" vs. "cold" patch.

Actually hot or cold patch refers to the flexible pavement (asphalt). Cold
patch is for emergency patching, usually during the winter, hot patch is
used for is the summer, plants won't make it in the winter.

We just got a new patching machine in, with a torch like you described, but
the crack sealer is only for cracks.

i have used a wide push broom it helps spread easier and faster. i do
mine to get it done, i am not trying to make a thing of beauty

And it matches your house so well, too.

Steve

I think it will help extend the life of the driveway, but how
much is questionable. While they seal coat parking lots,
they don't seal coat highways and roads.

I am a field inspector for State of Nevada required HOA reserve studies. We
evaluate HOAs, and give them 30 year projections on the cost of maintaining
their properties. Some of the properties we evaluate range up to one
million square feet of asphalt.

We now see properties that are reaching 30 years of age. Without a doubt,
the ones that received regular maintenance in the areas of seal coating
fared the best. The ones that didn't had the asphalt dry out, and caused
spalling, or "alligatoring". In some of the high end communities, the top
inch or two is skimmed off, remixed, and relaid in a crowned in the middle
street for drainage. Common cost in the Las Vegas area runs $.15 to $.20
per square foot for seal coating large amounts of asphalt.

For the average homeowner, the same thing applies. Any kind of maintenance
beats leaving it out in the weather untreated. And there are several
different methods to do the job, each with its upside and downside.

Steve

On 5/20/2012 2:25 PM, Oren wrote:
On Sun, 20 May 2012 07:53:41 -0400,
wrote:

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

- Pick a sunny day, no rain expected.

- Pour the sealer on the pavement.

- Instead of using a squeegee (as I've seen) use a rough nap paint
roller on an extension pole.

- Make it pretty.

Old applicator I've got is like a push broom with a squeegee on one side
and a short brush on the other,

Old applicator I've got is like a push broom with a squeegee on one side
and a short brush on the other,

thats how i came to se a push broom, stores were out of
applicators....

so i used a broom and liked it, its wider for faster application, the
rubber squeege did little ........

its broom for me, and i cant tell the difference.

i believe the broom gets the sealer better into the nooks crannies and
cracks, better than a roller.

but then for painting i believe brushes are better than rollers

Hi,

Could you please, when you get a spare minute, outline some of these for
a typical homeowner:

"For the average homeowner, the same thing applies. Any kind of
maintenance beats leaving it out in the weather untreated. And there
are several different methods to do the job, each with its upside and
downside."

Much thanks,
Bob

"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Could you please, when you get a spare minute, outline some of these for a
typical homeowner:

"For the average homeowner, the same thing applies. Any kind of
maintenance beats leaving it out in the weather untreated. And there are
several different methods to do the job, each with its upside and
downside."

Much thanks,
Bob

I'll try, but you have to decide what's good for you.

First choice, hire a pro. You'll get a pro job. Tell him NOT to do the job
until he has one in the neighborhood, and he might have enough left over
from that job, so he can give you a break on the price. That way, he won't
have to send a truck and two guys just for you. And if you can get him down
in the $.25 a square foot range, just how much are you really talking about?
Tell him, it will be a cash job, and pay cash, no check. You can ask for a
receipt, but tell him that it's just for your wife, not to pass on to IRS,
etc.

Next, you can go buy some stuff yourself from a pro, or supplier, and do it
yourself. BUT, you will have to go buy some mops, or tools to do it right.
And to do it right, it might take heating, etc, which you won't have. A lot
of that works by being hot when applied, and if you don't have one of those
big trucks with a heater, you settle for a lesser job.

Lastly, you go to the Borg, and buy a lot of stuff, which may put you right
up there in price with a pro job. AND, the quality of the stuff, and its
durability and life span would be less than the stuff you can get from a
pro.

Balance all these things, and see what the costs are, what your labor is,
how long it will last, etc.

Have you ever noticed how long that jobs on shopping centers, motels, and
other businesses last? They're not back for several years. That is where
your value is.

What good is it to go out there every few months and repatch, and live with
the black spots on your concrete, shoes, and carpet?

Do it once, and do it right. IMHO, a pro job would be the best, most cost
effective, and least on the effort you have to put forth.

HTH

Steve