Seal Coating
Sealcoat is a liquid applied in order to protect asphalt pavement from sunlight, weather oxidation and damage from traffic.
Seal coating in Tucson
Sealcoat is a liquid applied in order to protect asphalt pavement from sunlight, weather oxidation and damage from traffic. Tucson Asphalt is southern Arizona’s leader in seal coating, and we routinely use this process to protect roads, driveways, parking lots and other paved surfaces.
There are several different kinds of seal coat, including asphalt emulsions, coal tar and acrylics. Each has its advantages, and depending on your pavement’s needs, we can recommend the best type for your specific job.
Sealcoat protects your pavement and it can also fill small voids. Another benefit is that it gives your pavement a new, uniform color and appearance.
Beyond making your pavement look new again and protecting it against the effects of sun and weather, sealcoating also guards against the damage that leaked or spilled gasoline, diesel, oil, antifreeze and other chemicals can cause to asphalt pavements.
In fact, regular seal coating can help extend the life of your asphalt pavement for up to 30 years.
How does sealcoat work?
Sealcoating is applied using pressurized spray equipment and squeegee machines, depending on the size of the area to be covered. It’s generally a two-coat process that requires one or two days of curing time before vehicles can drive on it without marring the surface.
Before applying seal coat, we completely clean the surface using sweepers and blowers in order to ensure excellent adhesion.
Newly-paved surfaces must have enough time to “cure” before we apply sealcoating. New asphalt generally requires about a year to cure before it’s ready to be sealcoated. That’s because the excess oil contained in fresh asphalt needs plenty of time to dry.
After that, once your pavement has been sealed the first time, we generally recommend that it be re-sealed every 1 to 3 years, depending on the amount of traffic it receives.
What about scuff marks?
Even if you wait the recommended 48 hours before driving on a freshly sealcoated surface, some scuffing may still occur. This is normal and temporary, and is usually limited to the first month of use.
The best way to reduce scuffing is simply to avoid making sharp turns when driving on the fresh pavement, and also avoid turning the steering wheel sharply (power steering) when the vehicle is stopped.