Georgians have long been familiar with country roads, parking lots, and city streets paved with asphalt. Asphalt paving is cost-effective, attractive, flexible, and durable. However, asphalt pavements with the longest lives have benefitted from a little routine maintenance. Of all the possible maintenance procedures, there is perhaps no routine procedure that is more critical than asphalt sealcoating.
The Total Guide to Asphalt Sealcoating in North Georgia
What Makes Asphalt Sealcoating So Important?
Asphalt pavements have three powerful enemies. The first is the sun, which emits ultraviolet radiation that depletes the moisture in your asphalt pavement, turning it from flexible to brittle; UV rays are also responsible for turning your pavement an unattractive, dingy gray or brown color. The second powerful enemy of your asphalt pavement is water. If there is an open crack in your asphalt pavement, you can be sure that water will eventually find it, be drawn down into the structure, and potentially destroy the foundation. The third enemy comes from the vehicles using your pavement. Leaked automotive fluids are a virtual certainty, and these fluids deteriorate the binder that acts as a glue to hold your pavement together. The pavement underneath becomes so soft that tires can pluck out chunks of the pavement, giving water an easy route to follow and fostering the development of potholes. Sealcoating is a sunscreen that blocks UV rays, and it also improves the pavement’s natural ability to shed water. In addition, sealcoating helps keep automotive fluids from reaching the pavement.
How Would a Marietta Contractor Execute an Asphalt Sealcoating Project?
Reputable, experienced sealcoating contractors start by inspecting the site to determine any special issues that might be encountered during the work. Cracks and other damage will need to be repaired before the sealant can be applied. The pavement will be cleaned to remove any fallen leaves, grass clippings, trash, dirt, gravel, or other debris. Some areas, including oil stains, may need to be treated or primed to ensure a strong bond between the pavement and the sealant. Steps will be taken to control traffic, and the contractor will enforce measures to prevent the sealant from getting on nearby structures, landscaping, sidewalks, and vehicles. On most jobs, two thin coats of sealant will be applied. The first coat will need to dry before the second one is applied. If the job is parking lot sealcoating, the stripes and pavement markings can be applied as soon as the second coat of sealant has adequately dried. Most sealcoating contractors recommend that you keep vehicles off the pavement until at least 24 hours have elapsed.
Should I Have My Contractor Apply Seal Coating Every Year?
Applying a sealant too often can be a waste of money, and it can lead to problems with tracking as well as traction. Although a very busy parking lot might need to have high-traffic areas touched up annually, most parking lots do not need fresh seal coating every year. In Marietta, the average interval is between two and three years. The best thing to do is to find a reputable asphalt maintenance contractor to provide you with a recommended schedule.
For Superior Sealcoating, Contact MH Greeson
Greeson Sealcoating is one of the leading asphalt maintenance contractors in North Georgia. Our reputation is impeccable, our work is exemplary, and our customer service is unmatched. We offer an extensive range of paving services, including sealcoating, parking lot striping, asphalt crack repair, traffic signs, asphalt repairs, bollard installations, ADA compliance, and car stop installations. Contact us for a free quote by submitting our online request form. You can also reach us by calling our office in Marietta at 770-335-2983.
