Aftercare Tips for Sealcoating

Written by  //  November 3, 2020  //  Home Construction  //  Comments Off on Aftercare Tips for Sealcoating

seal coating

If you’re building a home, one of the last few things you’ll likely do is the touch-ups—painting, finishing, and, for your driveway, sealcoating.

To prevent damage to your newly sealed driveway, you’ll need to carefully and diligently maintain it. Improper care can lead to uneven coverage or gradual deterioration, such as cracks.

Follow these sealcoating aftercare tips for high-quality, long-lasting results.

Don’t Walk on It

During the drying process, you’ll want to avoid walking on your driveway. If you step on it too soon, depressions will form in the pavement.

Depending on the temperature outside, the curing process can take anywhere from one to two days. The hotter it is, the faster it cures.

  • If it’s 60 degrees or above, it’ll take a day for your sealcoating to dry.
  • For temperatures around 50 degrees, it’ll take a day and a half.
  • If it’s 45 degrees, it can take two full days to cure.
  • If the temperature is below 45 degrees, you should steer clear of sealcoating your driveway.

Keep your cars and motorbikes off the driveway, too. If your feet can cause indents, so can the wheels of your car or bike. For the meantime, park somewhere else.

Water It

Another aftercare tip for sealcoating is to grab your hose and spray the driveway down.

In the blistering summer months, it’s beneficial to water your newly sealed driveway. The process isn’t just quick—it’s easy. Water in the evening or early morning when the sunlight isn’t too strong. Take your watering hose and cover the driveway in water.

Watering isn’t mandatory, but it’s useful. It can help cure the sealer and hasten the drying process.

If it’s cooler outside, there’s no need to do this—the main purpose of watering is to cool and harden heated asphalt.

Keep it Clean

If leaves, pine needles, or other debris fall onto your drying sealcoat, don’t fret — they won’t leave any lasting damage. Once the driveway is cured, you can sweep them away with a broom.

In the long term, you’ll need to watch out for oil spills and gas stains. If you notice any puddles, soak them up with cat litter. Sprinkle it on your driveway, wait for the oil to absorb, and then sweep it up.

Dirt and mud can be removed with your gardening hose and a stiff-bristle push broom.

If you choose to do a complex, messy DIY project on your driveway, and experience paint spills — no worries.

For latex paint, pour some water, sprinkle on some scouring powder, and scrub it with a stiff brush.

Oil and acrylic paint are tougher to remove. You might want to coat the area with an asphalt sealer, which will cover up any stains.

To extend the life of your driveway, follow these additional asphalt maintenance tips. Sealcoating is a good start, but if you don’t take good care of it, the coat can quickly deteriorate.

If you want to guarantee a pristine, damage-free driveway, be sure to let your sealcoat cure, and keep it clean after it has dried.

image credit: twenty20.com

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