Sealcoating is one of the best ways to save money on maintaining the condition of your asphalt. The sealcoat is a barrier that shields your blacktop from vehicle fluids, water, and harmful UV rays. Taking proactive measures to extend the life of your coating will make it last for about three to five years. Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do to protect your sealcoating.

Do:

Change your parking position.

When you park your car in the same place day after day, areas of your blacktop sealcoating will become compressed. This repetitive activity will hasten wear and tear and prematurely deteriorate particular spots. If you have vehicles that are parked for long periods, like campers or RVs, move them slightly once every two weeks or less. Avoid parking less than a foot away from the edges of the asphalt because the sealcoating is weakest at those parts.

Allow 48 hours of drying time.

If you just finished sealcoating your asphalt pavement, wait at least 48 hours before driving on the surface. Shady areas, along with days of high temperature and humidity, require longer drying time. Tire movements on fresh sealcoating can displace the sealer and create bumps. You may walk on the surface once it looks dry, but it’s best to wait at least 24 hours.

Don’t:

Drive or turn across it too fast.

If you don’t want to see scuff marks on your sealcoating, avoid doing sharp turns and fast driving, especially within the first few days of application. Although scuff marks normally disappear within a week, their presence takes away from the beauty of the fresh blacktop.

Allow large vehicles on it.

Heavy equipment and vehicles will exert excessive pressure on the pavement. The sealcoating and asphalt materials used for a paving project will depend on the expected weight of the vehicle and foot traffic in the area. For example, your residential driveway will likely be made of residential grade materials. If you drive industrial equipment and trucks on it, you’ll quickly experience driveway damage. Regardless of the materials used, try to keep oversized vehicles off your asphalt to preserve its condition longer.

If you need professional paving and sealcoating services, contact the team at Pacific Asphalt & Maintenance in Kahului, HI. This established paving contractor offers affordable and dependable solutions when it comes to asphalt maintenance, commercial and residential paving, and driveway crack repair. Call (808) 244-4555 to schedule an appointment, or learn more about their services online.