Benefits of Sealcoating
Sealcoating is one of the most important elements of pavement preservation. A sealcoat consists of either coal tar pitch or asphalt cement mixed with inert fillers, water, emulsifying agents, or additives. Applied in thin coats, pavement sealing is used to protect off-highway pavement surfaces against gasoline, oil, salt, water, and ultraviolet rays.
- Beautification - When covered with a dark black sealant, pavement looks and wears like new. Parking lot sealcoating helps to project a positive image of the company, facility, or residential complex.
- Slows oxidation and water penetration - Sealcoating fills surface voids, which reduces exposure to oxygen and UV rays and reduces the depth to which oil or gas can penetrate the pavement. Sealcoating acts as a waterproofing agent, minimizing the rate at which water enters pavement. Without it, water can permeate more freely resulting in freeze/thaw expansion and contraction of the pavement.
- Sealcoating resists oil and gas spills - Gasoline dripping from a topped-off fuel tank during hot weather can soften and break down unsealed asphalt pavements. Coal tars used in sealcoat are impervious to gas and oil spills.
- Asphalt sealcoating is easier to clean and maintain - Sealcoats fill surface voids while coating the pavement surface. The resulting smooth and even texture makes the surface easier to maintain year-round. For example, snow is easier to remove from a smooth surface, and sweeping is far more effective on a smooth surface.
- Sealcoating increases pavement flexibility - Sealcoat brings a dark black color to the pavement. The blacker it is, the more heat a pavement draws from the sun. And, the hotter it gets, the more pliable it becomes, which helps it to withstand traffic without cracking.
- Protects asphalt from pressure washing - Restaurant parking lots often extend to areas near dumpsters, where food-processing machines are pressure washed. Food waste near the dumpsters may also need to be washed away if it can't be swept away. Sealcoating protects asphalt cement from the high-volume water pressure and detergents used in pressure washing.
- Asphalt sealcoating is cost effective - The price of asphalt will always be affected by crude oil prices, which fluctuate when supplies vary. Sealcoating preserves asphalt for pennies per square foot.
Crack Filling
Crack sealing is used as a first defense against pavement deterioration because it offers several important benefits. Effective crack sealing keeps water from entering and weakening the base or sub-base. It helps preserve the pavement adjacent to the cracks; prevents sand, stone, and dirt from making its way into open cracks causing compressive stresses; and extends pavement life by minimizing crack growth.
Proper attention to cracks will prevent problems from spreading and double the life of the pavement. Pavement repair in the early stages of deterioration will pay big dividends later by delaying costly resurfacing Asphalt Patching
Asphalt patching is most commonly used to fix severely cracked asphalt and potholes. Patching entails removing a section of pavement and replacing it with hot mix asphalt.
The recommended practice is to replace broken or alligatored areas with at least 1.5 times the depth of the existing asphalt and to remove one foot beyond the end of the last crack, although the actual depth of repair may vary depending on the damage to the asphalt and the condition of the underlying base. |
