It’s now October, and winter is rapidly approaching, so we wanted to remind everyone that there’s still time to seal coat your asphalt driveway before the weather gets cold. However, there isn’t much time left. At Sealcoating 2.0 we have been getting a lot of questions about “Do I still have time to seal coat?” or “How warm does it have to be for seal coating to set?” So we wanted to take the time to answer whether or not it is too late to seal your driveway this year, while also giving you an inside look at what goes into the seal coating process.
What Happens When You Seal Your Driveway
Seal coating is a process where an asphalt-based sealer is applied to the surface of your driveway. This will help protect against water penetration and deterioration that can occur due to ice, snow, oil, or other elements. Some other benefits that you get when you decide to seal your driveway include:
- Enhanced curb appeal
- Reduces long term repair costs
- Accelerates the melting of snow and ice on the surface of the pavement
- Protects your asphalt from oxidation, chemical spills, and oil
- Protects against water penetration, rain, frost, and snow
- Prolongs the life of your pavement
How Late is too Late to Seal Your Driveway
There are a lot of factors that go into determining whether or not it is too late to seal your driveway. Applying seal coating to asphalt surfaces is best done when temperatures are warm, but before the humidity gets too high. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s too late to protect your driveway before the cold of winter takes over.
Seal Your Driveway Before the First Frost
The first few touches of frost of the season, before it gets really cold, are actually ideal conditions to seal your asphalt driveway. Seal coating is best done when temperatures are warm and days are bright so that you can work for several hours without worrying about too much humidity building up on the surface. Sealcoating should only be applied to surfaces that have thoroughly dried after rain. Sealcoating services typically take between eight and ten hours to complete, depending on the size of your driveway, so you don’t want to do it during a downpour.
The Best Conditions for Sealcoating
The best time to seal coat your asphalt driveway is during the fall, between September and November. Seal coating should not be done when temperatures are below 55 degrees Fahrenheit or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. And you should never seal your driveway in either extreme cold or extreme heat because it will cause the material that has been applied to break down quickly. This will leave you with a driveway that’s worse off than it was before and will end up needing more work in the long run.
Before you decide whether or not it is too late in the year for you to inquire about seal coating services it is important for you to understand what type of sealant you are using. This will help you gauge whether or not it is best to wait until summer rolls back around or if you can seal your driveway in cooler weather. For example, water-based asphalt sealers such as asphalt emulsion, acrylic sealers, and emulsion must be applied when the pavement temperature is no lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Because these sealants are water-based, they are prone to freezing and when this happens it alters the properties of the sealant and damages the layer that has been applied.
On the other hand, solvent-based asphalt sealers are more resistant to extreme cold. Sealcoating companies that use this type of material can apply it when temperatures drop as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 15 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Solvent-based materials should only be applied by contractors who have experience with working in harsh weather. Sealcoating companies that have not dealt with these types of conditions before should avoid using solvent-based materials even if temperatures are slightly below the recommended range.
The main reason we suggest not sealing your driveway after the month of November is because of the slower cure times. Most people don’t want to wait longer than 24 hours for their driveways to fully cure, so the warmer the weather the faster the seal coat will dry and fully cure. It is also important for you to keep in mind that fully cured and dry to the touch and dry to traffic are very different in the drying process.
The main reason we suggest not sealing your driveway after the month of November is because of the slower cure times. Most people don’t want to wait longer than 24 hours for their driveways to fully cure, so the warmer the weather the faster the seal coat will dry and fully cure. It is also important for you to keep in mind that fully cured and dry to the touch and dry to traffic are very different in the drying process.
Let Us Help Protect Your Driveway Before Winter Comes
At Sealcoating 2.0, our team of experts is highly trained in knowing when the conditions for sealing your driveway are great, and when the conditions aren’t so great. As we head into the end of October the time left for you to seal your driveway this year is very limited. If you need to seal your driveway this year we recommend reaching out to us right away to schedule these services before it is too late! For more information about our seal coating services, contact our team now. Allow us to help you safeguard your asphalt surfaces from the daily strain and wear that occurs and protect the surface from any and all damage that can and may occur.