Seal Coating Process
Sealcoating is a protective film that will wear away over time, particularly in high wear areas like wheel paths. A good rule of thumb is to have your driveway sealcoated every year. This provides a consistently high level of protection for the pavement, ensuring that it will last longer.
Follow the images below to see a driveway being sealcoated, start to finish, by Driveway Armor.
Step 1: When we come to your home, we block the entrance to your driveway. This eliminates an unexpected guest from damaging the sealcoat process.
Step 2: This is the driveway before application. We ensure the homeowner is ready to proceed, and anything they need has already been removed from the garage. This driveway is only a few years old. At this time, it is important to apply the sealcoat, to protect the driveway for many years!
Step 3: The driveway surface is cleaned and scrubbed with a wire brush, WHERE/WHEN NECESSARY. The wire brush will loosen any embedded dirt and debris from the driveway. This is only used on areas where excessive dirt, organic material, or other items have adhered to the driveway. The sealcoat will only adhere to a CLEAN surface.
Step 4: The wire broom (if needed) helps to loosen organic material, chemicals, and ground in grime.
Step 5: We ‘powerbroom’ the edges of the drive. This step ‘rolls’ the grass and stone away from the asphalt. This allows the sealcoating to go all the way to the edge, and also gives your lawn and driveway a neat, manicured look.
Step 6: After all dirt has been loosened and the edges rolled back, we blow all dirt and debris from the drive with a commercial blower. This ensures a clean surface.
Step 7: Certain areas have the sealcoating applied by a small hand brush. Again, this allows for a thorough application.
Step 8: The sealer is pumped out of the trailer tank, and onto your driveway in small amounts. When enough has been pumped out, it is applied. Notice the rubber boots. As we are working with wet sealer, extra measures are taken to ensure that your property stays CLEAN.
Step 9: The sealer is applied by hand. Two primary methods of application are by hand, or sprayed on. Although we have the ability to spray it, we prefer a hand-application. This is because it will allow for a much more even, and thicker application. A spray-application is generally much thinner than by brush.
Step 10: After the driveway has been completely sealed, it is barricaded with bright-yellow caution tape.
Step 11: This is the completed driveway. While it may appear dry enough to walk on in a few hours, please keep cars and equipment off the driveway for 48 hours. This ensures that the sealer is completely cured.
