It is virtually impossible to drive through any town in Texas without seeing asphalt parking lots, highways, and streets. Asphalt has been the most popular paving choice for many decades. Asphalt pavements are economical and fast to build and repair, and they are also safe and attractive. With proper care and maintenance, asphalt pavements can often last for several decades. One of the best things you can do for your pavement is to have a professional sealcoat it periodically. Asphalt sealcoating works as both a protective treatment and a cosmetic treatment.
Asphalt Sealcoating – How Does It Work? | Houston, TX
How Does Asphalt Sealcoating Work as a Protective Treatment?
Asphalt paving can be damaged by the very vehicles for which the pavement was constructed. Cars and trucks can leak oil, diesel, gas, and other fluids that contain petrochemicals. Petrochemicals react with the binder in asphalt paving, leading to soft spots and accelerating pavement deterioration. Because sealcoating forms a barrier over the pavement, it can give you or your parking lot maintenance company more time to remove automotive fluids before they penetrate as far as the pavement. Sealants also screen out the ultraviolet rays from the sun that turn asphalt pavements brittle and dry.
How Does Asphalt Sealcoating Work as a Cosmetic Treatment?
When your Houston paving contractor constructed your asphalt pavement, it should have had a dark, luxurious color, a smooth finish, and an unbroken surface. Over time, the sun fades unprotected asphalt, turning it from black to gray, and traffic and the passing seasons can leave hairline cracks or tiny pockmarks on the surface. Sealcoats can return the pavement’s attractive color, and they can also cover tiny surface flaws to restore the pavement’s smooth, unbroken appearance.
How Do Asphalt Maintenance Companies Sealcoat a Pavement?
When you contact the sealing or striping contractor who will be performing your work, the first step will be an inspection of your pavement. If there are potholes, patches of alligatored asphalt, or significant cracks, these will need to be repaired first. Hopefully, you have chosen a contractor who offers a complete range of the paving services needed. If not, you may need to contact a paving company to make the repairs. Once the repairs are completed, your contractor will ensure that the pavement is clean and dry to make sure that the sealant bonds properly. The contractor’s crew members will then use a sprayer, squeegee, or both to apply the sealant. Typically, one thin coat will be applied and allowed to dry, then a second thin coat will be applied. After the second coat has dried, pavement marking or parking lot striping can proceed.
How Long Will the Job Impact My Traffic or Business Operations?
Your contractor will be able to tell you how long a freshly sealed pavement should be closed. The precise closure depends on various factors that are not the same for every pavement. For example, the weather conditions on the day of the job, the pavement’s porosity, and the scope of the entire project can have an effect. However, your sealing and striping contractor will likely recommend that you keep vehicles from using the pavement for at least 24 hours, but foot traffic may be permitted in as little as four or five hours. The maximum closure time is usually around 48 hours, but this is seldom necessary in the Houston area.
How Often Do I Need to Seal My Asphalt Paving?
Virtually every Houston paving contractor will recommend an initial asphalt sealing before a new pavement is a year old. How often you will need to repeat the procedure depends on the type and use of your pavement. For example, most parking lot maintenance contractors recommend a sealant application every two or three years for a lot that receives average traffic. However, your asphalt maintenance contractor may recommend a shorter or longer interval.
At Marathon Solutions Group, We Set the Pace
Since 2005, Marathon Solutions Group has provided a wide range of paving services to commercial, industrial, and municipal clients throughout the metropolitan Houston area. Our asphalt services include sealcoating, resurfacing, paving, crack repairs, milling, and asphalt patching. We also offer parking lot striping, concrete repairs and construction, thermoplastic markings, parking lot signage, marking removal, bollard installation, and parking lot maintenance programs. We have an impeccable reputation for exceptional craftsmanship and superior customer service. If you would like to request a free quote, you can fill out the online form, send an email to HQ@Marathon-Solutions.com, or call us toll-free at 800-879-1147.
