The perimeter and any hard-to-reach areas will be applied by hand using a broom or squegees. The remainder of the surface area will be applied with a combination of HAND SPRAY, SELF-PROPELLED 14′ WIDE SPRAY BAR RIDE-ON UNIT (WE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE CONTRACTOR IN THE GTA USING THIS UNIT) and/or HAND SQUEEGEE application.
Drying times can vary quite widely based on a few factors (in decreasing order of importance). (1) Air temperature (2) Direct sunlight (3) Asphalt temperature (4) Wind. The sealer is a water-based product and, just like paint, will dry when all the water evaporates out. Sealer applied in direct sunlight on a 90-degree day can dry almost instantly. Sealer applied in the shade when temperatures are less than 60 degrees can take 48 hours or more to dry. Under most circumstances, if applied in the morning, sealer will take 2-4 hours to dry. DRYING, SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH CURING. Curing of the sealer may take up to 21 days. During that time Static and hard turning of tires can cause some minor scuffing of the surface. This scuffing of the surface will blend in within 30-60 days and will be unnoticeable at such time. Do not be alarmed by this. This is normal.
Factors that will affect our prices are: units (i.e. square feet, lineal feet, etc.), condition of the asphalt, how much prep work may be required, and obstacles that will affect workflow, such as carports, curb stops, etc. When seal coating, asphalt in relatively good condition does not require nearly as much material and can be completed at a much lower cost, while older, “thirstier” asphalt, can require much more material.
A typical, two-coat application of POLY-TAR will last roughly 3-7 years. Much depends on the customer preference regarding how fresh they want it to look. Factors that will affect how quickly the sealer wears are traffic volume, the “elements” and the original asphalt condition. Well-maintained asphalt that is sealed every 2-3 years will hold the seal longer and longer after each subsequent application.
We highly recommend that newly paved asphalt parking lots be sealed with POLY-TAR high durability Sand-Slurry Pavement Sealer within 12-24 months. It is appropriate to seal after paving because the sealer will fill in any areas that remain porous, and will establish the beginning of a regular maintenance cycle. Unfortunately, most people are reactionary, rather than preventative with regard to asphalt maintenance and wait to seal until after damage has already occurred.
For the same reason wood is painted, asphalt should be sealed. Without protection, the elements of rain, sun and snow will penetrate, oxidize and deteriorate asphalt. When your pavement is new, it is flexible. That is one of the reasons asphalt is used in cold weather climates–it has the ability to flex when the ground freezes. Over time, an unprotected surface becomes more brittle due to the harmful effects of nature, and when it has lost its flexibility, it cracks. Once cracking begins, water can penetrate to the sub-base, leading to wider deterioration of the pavement surface. Water penetration is the number one reason for pavement failure.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL US FOR THE RIGHT ANSWERS. WE ARE THE PROFESSIONALS WITH ALMOST 25 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE. ALL CONSULTATIONS ARE FREE OF CHARGE.
Emulsion type Asphalt sealer is a water-based product that must be site mixed with proper water and sand added to meet the manufacturers recommended application mix design. This is required to ensure proper viscosity to allow for proper spray application, and/or brush or squeegee application. The material is diluted typically at 7% to 10% water added per gallon of sealer, and aprox. 2.7 lbs to 3 lbs. of grade 70 silica sand per gallon of sealer. We keep detailed daily logs of our mixing ratios to ensure a quality finished product for the customer. Please ask our Project Manager if you would like to see the logs associated with your job. DURABILITY BEGINS AND ENDS WITH A PROPER PRODUCT BEING APPLIED TO YOUR SURFACE.
To ensure the best coverage, the asphalt surface must be clean of dirt, oil spots, moss, and any other debris prior to sealing. Most parking lots are cleaned using a combination of Municipal-type mechanical street sweeper units, power brooms, hand brooms and blown completely dust free using high-powered backpack blowers and push blowers. To ensure high productivity and shorter shut down times, on larger projects, we utilize our Ride-on Buffalo Turbine high air flow blower unit, a unit that none of our competition has in their equipment list. For areas where dirt and limestone has become ingrained in the pavement, street sweepers, along with 4500 gallon water trucks with both flushing and fire hose washing capabilities are utilized. PROPER SURFACE PREPARATION IS KEY TO A LONG LASTING APPLICATION. MAKE SURE YOUR CONTRACTOR OF CHOICE IS KNOWLEDGEABLE ON PROPER PREPARATION AND IS EQUIPPED TO DO IT THE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
The typical season for asphalt sealing in the Southern Ontario Region runs from Late April / Early May, through to Mid / Late October. Pavement temperatures must be above 50 degrees during the application process and for 24 hours thereafter. Rain should not be in the forecast for at least 24 hours after the application of the final coat of sealer.
The proper application of a quality Sand-Slurry pavement sealer, like POLY-TAR, by a qualified contractor will extend the service life and reduce maintenance costs of asphalt pavements. Sealing protects pavements from the destructive effects of water, sunlight, oxidation, gasoline, motor oils and many other chemical and solvents. In addition, it provides a distinctive new-looking surface that is easy to clean. By properly sealing your pavement, you can significantly slow down the aging process, and at a fraction of the cost of re-paving. DO NOT BE FOOLED BY SHORT DURABILITY PRODUCTS READILY AVAILABLE IN OUR REGION. ASK FOR POLY-TAR AND ASK FOR JOB REFERENCES WITH AT LEAST 2-3 YEARS WEAR. WE WILL GLADLY TAKE YOU TO OUR REFERENCE PROJECTS AND INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PROJECT CONTACT PERSON. WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE QUALITY OF WORK WE PERFORM AND OUR REPUTATION FOR DURABILITY.