Applying an Asphalt Driveway Seal

In addition, and most importantly, an asphalt driveway sealer helps to prevent water from finding its way into small cracks in your driveway. When water does find its way underneath your asphalt driveway it can undermine the driveway.

During winter months water seepage under the asphalt driveway can lead to frost heaves, which in turn can lead to more cracks in the driveway.

When a heavy vehicle drives over a melting frost heave in your asphalt driveway, it causes the driveway to crack. This in turn causes more water penetration and further decay of your asphalt driveway.

Though it is important to apply an asphalt driveway sealer to your driveway, never immediately apply it over a newly poured asphalt driveway. You should wait at least 3 months before applying an asphalt driveway seal to it, to allow the hydrocarbon oils to fully evaporate from the driveway. If you do not wait until the hydrocarbon oils have fully evaporated before applying the driveway seal, you may end up with a permanently soft driveway.

When applying a fresh coat of asphalt driveway seal, first make sure that all existing cracks and holes are repaired with a cold patch or asphalt driveway crack filler.

Asphalt driveway crack fillers are made from a flexible synthetic like rubber that you simply pour from a jug or tube into the driveway cracks.

After the cold patch material and/or driveway crack fillers have fully cured, which can take up to several weeks, you can then apply your asphalt driveway seal. When applying asphalt driveway seal wait for a warm day so that it is easier to spread. Use a squeegee to spread the driveway seal.

Make sure not to apply the driveway seal too thick or too often. A driveway seal effectively is a top coating over your asphalt driveway that penetrates only into the top surface of the asphalt. If you apply it too thick or too often it will result in unsightly peeling.