There are many tasks that require careful planning and preparation prior to embarking on them. Experienced cooks do not begin a complicated recipe without first ensuring that they have the necessary ingredients. Arborists do not cut down a tree without determining where it will fall. Painters make sure that they protect floors and other furnishings from damage, and they also ensure that they have enough paint and the proper tools. Sealcoating a parking lot is really no different. Contractors must plan the job and prepare for it before they begin.
How Often Should You Seal Coat a Parking Lot in Atlanta?
Asphalt paving companies do not recommend sealcoating a new pavement until it has exhausted its excess oil. Depending on the pavement thickness, the weather, and other factors, this could take anywhere from two months to nine months. However, you should not wait more than a year before applying the initial seal coat. After that, your Atlanta sealcoating company will likely recommend a fresh application every two years.
What Repairs Should Be Completed Before Sealcoating a Parking Lot?
Experienced Atlanta sealcoating contractors begin their preparations by visiting the client’s site to inspect the pavement. They evaluate the pavement’s current condition to determine what the job will entail. They will look for areas that will need special attention, including sections that lie in dense shade or abut structures. They will also look for oil stains that may need additional cleaning or priming. Perhaps most importantly, an Atlanta sealcoating company will determine the extent of the damage that will require repairs prior to sealcoating.
What Types of Damage Will Require Repairs Prior to Sealcoating a Parking Lot?
There are several types of damage that contractors may encounter when planning a job for asphalt sealcoating in Atlanta.
1. Cracks are the most common type of damage that sealcoating contractors need to repair. Open cracks let water and vehicle fluids penetrate beneath the surface of the pavement. As gravity draws them down, they inflict damage as they go. Sealcoating will not mend the cracks. Instead, the liquid sealcoating will drain into the void without serving any useful function.
2. Potholes also pose a hazard to the entire structure of the pavement, including the foundation. Your contractor must repair all potholes prior to sealcoating your parking lot.
3. Atlanta sealcoating contractors may also encounter signs of severe pavement distress. These include raveling, alligator cracking, rutting, and shoving. The extent of the problem will determine the best repair method. In some cases, asphalt paving companies can use full-depth patching techniques to repair the damage.
4. Depressions in the surface of your pavement can collect dirt, water, or debris. Your contractor may refer to these depressions as birdbaths. Although birdbaths may seem inconsequential, they have the potential to cause problems if you do not repair them. Furthermore, they present issues for contractors applying asphalt sealcoating in Atlanta. Too much sealcoating can collect in the depressions, and there is a good chance that the sealant will never cure completely.
The Surface Masters is a commercial paving contractor and we can help you with all of paving needs. Our services include sealcoating, asphalt repairs, pavement markings, crack sealing, asphalt paving, concrete work, and asphalt milling. We have an exemplary reputation for exceptional craftsmanship and extraordinary client services. If you would like to request a free job quote, you can fill out the online form, call 770-250-6392, or email Info@TheSurfaceMasters.com.
