A professional application of a high-quality sealcoat on a regular basis is the best way to prolong the life of an asphalt pavement. Asphalt sealcoating can help prevent both structural and cosmetic damage, but its price is surprisingly economical. However, some people wonder whether it is worth it to sealcoat pickup and drop-off areas, drive-thru lanes, and other heavily trafficked locations. The answer is that it is definitely worth it if the contractor takes the appropriate steps.
What Steps Should a Contractor Take When Applying Asphalt Sealcoating to Areas With Heavy Traffic?
Experienced asphalt sealcoating contractors know that there can be significant differences between two pavements that appear virtually identical at first glance. Therefore, they will carefully assess the traffic patterns before planning a sealcoating project. If they identify areas with significantly higher traffic patterns, there are several options available to Atlanta asphalt sealcoating companies.
1. Typically, a sealcoating company prepares a mix that contains water, aggregates, and a dry, concentrated sealant. Sealcoating contractors must select aggregates of the correct size and shape to perform specific tasks. All aggregates will help make seal coating more durable, but finer particles can help conceal surface imperfections and larger particles can increase the sealant’s wear resistance.
2. When applying asphalt sealcoating in Atlanta, contractors measure the thickness in mils. Each coat of sealant has a recommended minimum and maximum thickness, but so does the total of all coats. Asphalt sealcoating contractors must determine the appropriate thickness to choose to provide the greatest durability for each pavement.
3. A sealcoating company should never try to apply a thick coat instead of several thin ones. Thick coats will not cure properly, so they will provide little protection. There will also be a problem with tracking; the uncured sealant can adhere to shoes and tires, so it will likely end up in undesirable places. Typically, asphalt sealcoating contractors apply two thin coats when sealing parking lots. However, a sealcoating company will frequently apply a third coat to areas with heavy traffic.
What Else Should a Contractor Do to Ensure the Longevity of Sealcoating in High-Traffic Areas?
Regardless of the type of pavement or its traffic, there are certain steps that contractors should always take on every sealcoating job.
1. Choose a day with suitable weather conditions. The best days for asphalt sealcoating in Atlanta are bright and sunny with a light breeze. The best temperature is between 70 and 90 degrees, and the best humidity level is anything below 50%. Typically, a sealcoating company will avoid sealing an asphalt pavement on a heavily overcast day, at night, or when the temperature is less than 55 degrees or so.
2. Repair any pavement damage prior to starting an Atlanta asphalt sealcoating application. Although sealcoating can obscure hairline cracks in the pavement’s surface, it is not a repair product.
3. Clean the pavement rigorously. Remove puddles of automotive fluids as well as loose gravel, dead vegetation, dirt, and other debris.
4. Apply a primer to problem areas, especially stubborn oil stains. Pavements suffering from polished aggregates or that are highly oxidized may also require a primer.
The Surface Masters is a leading asphalt paving and parking lot maintenance company serving the greater Atlanta area. Our services include asphalt sealcoating, asphalt repairs, crack sealing, asphalt paving, concrete curbing, milling and reclamation, and pavement markings. We have earned an outstanding reputation for the quality of our work, our professional service, and our integrity. If you are interested in requesting a free job quote, you can give us a call at 770-250-6392, complete the online form, or send an email to Info@TheSurfaceMasters.com.
