Well it’s that time of year again….Many of my neighbors are sealing their asphalt driveways. It looks nice, but does this stuff really extend the life of a driveway? Does anybody here believe in it?
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My impression is that it does little if any good. The standard HO-applied stuff is basically just a paint that will quickly crack and does little to keep out moisture or bind the surface together.
Sealing asphalt drives is common practice in my area. The sealant helps to protect against UV rays, oil, gas and water intrusion, which can lead to frost problems in the winter.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
You would probably be better off just sealing the cracks. The addition of an emulsion does very little to increase the structural life, other than seal up the cracks. Sealing the cracks is critical if you live where things are moist.
Potholes are caused by loss of structural support for the asphalt layer when the base under it is excavated out, usually by water. Sealing the cracks lessens water infiltration, and the resulting loss of fine aggregate. The space vacated when the fines migrate creates a void, and leaves the asphalt unsupported. Once the size of the void is too great for the asphalt to bridge, it breaks at the edge of the void. Then more water gets in, the fines get carried out faster, the void gets bigger, the asphalt cracks into it, and you have a pothole.
So, I would crack seal but not necessarily slurry seal the whole driveway. However, the crack pattern may be ugly to some people, and the slurry coat will generally hide the crack seals.
The pavers who did my driveway, who were a very professional outfit, in business for two generations, said it's a waste of money. I took their advice.
By the way, highway departments don't seal roads.
Well, they do, but with a much different product.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
I think its a waste of money.
LIke someone else mentioned, hiway dept doesnt do it.
Doug
Repair your cracks, don't bother with the black paint.
Mike
Question: Speaking of cracks, can you use caulk like black silicone to redo expansion joints? I was thinking it would last quite a while.http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
Thanks guys.....What I've always suspected