Whether your asphalt pavement provides parking for five employees or thousands of customers, you have invested your hard-earned money in an asset that you would like to see reach its full life. Asphalt sealcoating can help you achieve your goal of maximizing the return on your investment. Furthermore, sealcoating can make your asphalt pavement more aesthetically pleasing by refreshing its color and smoothing out surface imperfections. However, you might not realize that the ingredients used in your sealant are the key to a sealcoating job that is both durable and beautiful.
Sealcoating in Atlanta: Necessary Ingredients – Choose the Proper Sealant
Sealant manufacturers produce a variety of sealants for different purposes and with different costs. For example, the sealant used on a tennis court does not need to be as strong as the sealant used on the parking lot of a busy mall. A top-notch sealant may be a little more expensive than a low-grade sealant, but that does not mean that you will be getting a bargain if you pinch pennies on the sealant. The cheaper sealant may not be able to withstand the traffic that your pavement receives, so it could quickly turn to dust, leaving your pavement unprotected or requiring you to have the work repeated sooner than should have been necessary.
Sealcoating in Atlanta: Necessary Ingredients – Sand Is an Essential Ingredient
Aggregates added to cement make a stronger, more durable material — concrete. If you were to pave a street with cement, the pavement would fail much sooner than it would if you paved the street with concrete. Similarly, sealcoating without sand will not be as strong and durable as sealcoating containing the proper amount of sand that has particles of the correct size. Furthermore, sand in the sealcoating mix improves traction, reducing the chances of vehicles skidding out of control and pedestrians slipping and falling. In addition, the sand will fill in minute imperfections to make the surface appear smoother and more uniform. However, the grains of sand need to be the correct size. Overly coarse grains can be dislodged and abrade the sealcoating. Overly fine grains can soak up too much of the sealant’s binder and shorten the life of the sealcoating.
Sealcoating in Atlanta: Necessary Ingredients – Additives Can Make a Big Difference
Incorporating additives into the sealcoating mix can make the difference between a job of superb quality and one that is mediocre at best. There are many reasons for your sealcoating contractor to use additives. For example, there are additives that can shorten the curing time if you need to have your parking lot reopened in the least time possible. Different additives can ensure that the sand remains in suspension and evenly distributed in the mix during application and after the sealant has cured. Additives can also help compensate when weather conditions are marginal, including times when the humidity is excessive or temperatures are approaching the lowest acceptable point. Certain additives can be used to deepen the black color of freshly sealed pavement, compensate for a porous pavement or to help prevent tire scuffs. Your sealcoating contractor can advise which additives will provide the most benefits for your specific pavement.
Hire an Expert Sealcoating Contractor
MH Greeson Paving is an asphalt paving company specializes in the maintenance of asphalt pavement in Atlanta and the surrounding areas. We offer sealcoating, crack repair, asphalt paving, parking lot striping and pavement markings, pothole repair and asphalt patching. We also install car stops, bollards and traffic signs. Our crews have extensive expertise and are committed to quality work, but our rates are extremely affordable. To request a free quote, call our office at (770) 335-2983 or submit the online form.
