Sealing Your Asphalt Driveway Can make it Look New Again!

Hands down, an asphalt driveway is one of the most popular driveways around – whether for residential or business use. They look nice, wear well and are less expensive, ranging between $2-$5 per square foot.

It is a common misconception that since they are so durable that they have no upkeep. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Over the years, asphalt driveways will begin to chip and break on the edges and cracks and holes will start emerge. This is especially true on a driveway that is used daily by large vehicles, or those with cracks that allow water to seep in, or weeds to grow through.

Seal coating your own driveway is a fairly easy, but time consuming do it yourself project. If you feel the job is too big for you, you should contact a driveway professional in your area.

In this Driveway Guides article, we will discuss the tools you need to seal coat your asphalt driveway as well as the steps you need to follow.

Materials & Tool List

• Household degreasing detergent or Asphalt driveway detergent
• Driveway Sealer – 5 gallons covers approx 350 sf.
• Water Hose
• Paint Roller with long handle
• Push Broom
• Stiff Bristle Brush
• Mixing Stick
• Old Shoes

After you have all of your tools and materials together, its time to get started!  Take your time and follow these step by step. If you have never done this before, you can expect the process to take around 4-5 hours (doesn’t include drying time)

Repair cracks and holes

If you have any cracks or holes in your asphalt driveway that are larger than ¼” wide, they should be patched before applying a sealcoat.  AsktheBuilder.com has a great video tutorial below:

Temperature

In order for the seal coating to adhere properly, you need to make sure the temperature is above 50 degrees. You should also check weather reports for the next couple of days to ensure there won’t be significant rainfall and that the seal coat has the ability to fully dry.

Sweep

Using a large push broom, sweep your driveway to remove any dust, dirt, leaves or debris.

Hose it off

After you have swept the surface, hose down the entire driveway to remove any remaining dust or dirt.

Clean oil spots

If you have any oil spots on your driveway, you should clean them well before starting. They make commercial cleaners such as Krud Kutter and Zep that are carried at most home improvement store. If you have a good household cleaner with a de-greaser, you can try that as well.

Dry

After sweeping, hosing and cleaning, ensure you let your driveway completely dry before you seal coat.

Seal coat usually comes in 5 gallon tubs and larger, so over time, the contents will have settled at the bottom. Before you open the tub to mix it, flip the container several times to get the mixing started. This will make the job of mixing much easier and ensure it is mixed well.

Mix Seal Coat

After opening the bucket, mix the sealer well and make sure it is mixed with a new, clean stick. You don’t want any residuals of a previous job to mix with the sealer.

Pour Sealer

Starting at one corner of your drive, start pouring the seal-coat in thin layers- starting with about a 15-20 ft section at a time. When you first begin, you may want to try a small area so you can get the hang of spreading it.

Spread sealer

With your roller, begin spreading the seal coat across the driveway and overlap each stroke to make sure it is spread evenly. Do not apply it too thick or it will take forever to dry. Continue spreading the seal coat until you have finished your driveway.

Rope off driveway

You will need to stay completely off the driveway for at least 24 hours – more would be preferable. We recommend you stake off the driveway or line buckets at the end of the drive so others know to steer clear.

With proper upkeep from the very beginning, you can keep this driveway type looking great and performing perfectly for many, many years. If you see cracks and holes, they need to be filled promptly so they don’t turn into something larger.