Asphalt sealcoating is essential for any home or business owner with a driveway, parking lot, or other asphalt product. There are many different types of asphalt sealer, and the best asphalt sealer for your home or business will depend on your needs, environment, and budget.
What is Sealcoating?
Sealcoating is a method of protecting the asphalt in a driveway or parking lot by adding a layer on top of the pavement. The process can revitalize the pavement so ice, water, oil, and other contaminants do not degrade the integrity of your asphalt.
Sealcoating is crucial in preserving the integrity of your driveway or parking lot. Without the proper use of the right sealcoating compounds, your asphalt is left vulnerable to heat, cold, water, and oil. Beyond these, sealcoating will impart a rich, dark color to your asphalt that improves the curb appeal of your home or business.
Asphalt Emulsion
An asphalt emulsion is a type of asphalt sealer using a continuous water mixture with tiny droplets of liquid asphalt made with the aid of a colloid mill. These asphalt emulsions typically contain between forty percent and eighty percent asphalt.
A “hot mix” emulsion is typically produced at temperatures upwards of one hundred and fifty degrees Celsius, whereas “warm mixes” require far lower temperatures, thus using less fuel. Either way, an asphalt emulsion is the best asphalt sealer option in areas where coal tar is in short supply, limited by local regulation, or (for other reasons) is not a choice.
Oil Based Driveway Sealer
Oil based driveway sealer penetrates the surface of your asphalt, whether it be driveway or parking lot, creating a flexible bond. The bond protects your asphalt, reducing temperature fluctuation, expansion, and contraction that can crack and cause other damage to your asphalt.
There are many disadvantages to oil based driveway sealer. The odor of oil based driveway sealers is distinctive and lasts several days. The sealer takes at least seven days to cure properly. Unfortunately, even once adequately cured, this type of driveway sealer does not offer protection against ultraviolet radiation. This disadvantage is something to keep in mind when making your choice.
Fast-Dry Asphalt Sealer
Fast-dry asphalt sealer is a type of asphalt sealer designed to be highly water resistant and provide excellent protection to parking areas, driveways, loading ramps, and other outdoor slow-traffic areas. Regardless of the use to which you mean to put your asphalt space, fast-dry sealers may meet your need better than other types of driveway sealer.
Fast-dry asphalt sealers are designed to cure in less than one hour. Road crews and those who own businesses with large parking areas that need them running again typically use this product. Carrying a high price tag and being difficult for most people to obtain in small batches, these products are rarely suitable for homeowners or those with a small surface area.
Sealer additives can also create similar fast-drying properties in asphalt sealer products. These sealer additives are often a more cost-effective choice for business owners so they can customize the sealer for the location and job specifications.
Acrylic Asphalt Sealer
Acrylic asphalt sealer is the most expensive type of asphalt sealer among the various sealant options at the time of publication. However, it is also considered the most versatile and potentially the best asphalt sealer overall. It presents several benefits not found in other available solutions, including UV protection.
Unlike many other options, the acrylic sealer is considered environmentally friendly. It is also available in several colors, which adds to the visual appeal. The availability of colors also makes it a popular choice for surfaces other than roads, like tennis courts. Beyond that, an acrylic sealer is very durable, often lasting up to seven years, depending on the traffic in your area.
Failing to seal your asphalt surface properly is not truly an option, as it will leave you facing expensive repairs. Check out more information on types of asphalt sealers and see the range of well-tested options at Asphalt Kingdom today to choose the best asphalt sealer for your needs.
