Asphalt sealcoating
The coat that keeps water, sun and oil out of your asphalt, and puts the black back.
Asphalt does not fail all at once. It fades, it dries out, it opens up, and then one winter water gets underneath and the surface starts coming apart. Sealcoating is the cheap step that happens long before any of that.
We seal residential driveways and commercial parking lots. Same material, same prep, same standard of edge work.
What a coat actually does
A sealcoat is a protective layer over the top of the asphalt. It is not a repair and it will not hold a broken surface together. What it does is stop the three things that age asphalt fastest in this climate.
Stops water getting underneath
Water is what actually destroys asphalt here. It gets into a crack, freezes, and lifts the surface apart from the inside.
Shields it from UV and oxidation
Sun is what turns a black driveway grey and brittle. A coat puts that protection back.
Resists oil and fuel spills
Drips that would otherwise soften and eat into the asphalt sit on top of the coating instead.
Puts the curb appeal back
A rich black surface with a clean edge changes how the whole front of the property reads.
The prep is the job
Anyone can spray a driveway black for an afternoon. Whether it is still black in two years comes down to what happened before the coat went on.
We blow and sweep the entire surface, clean the cracks out and fill them, and treat oil spots so the sealer actually bonds instead of sitting on top of a slick. Then we cut the edges in by hand against the grass, the concrete apron and the garage, so the finished line is straight and there is no overspray where it does not belong.
When we are done, barricade tape goes across the ends and you get a straight answer about when you can drive on it.
When sealing is the wrong answer
There is a point where a coat of sealer is just paint over a problem. If the asphalt is crumbling, if it has sunk, or if there is alligator cracking across a large area, sealing it does not buy you anything and we will tell you that when we look at it.
Sometimes the honest answer is a repair in one section and a seal across the rest. Sometimes it is that the driveway has reached the end and you would be spending money twice. We would rather say so than take the job.
About this work
How much does sealcoating a driveway cost?
It comes down to square footage, how much crack filling the surface needs first, and how easy the driveway is to get to. That is why the estimate is free and why we come out and look rather than quote over the phone. Call or text 330-708-9804 and we will get you a real number.
How often should a driveway be sealed?
For most residential driveways in this part of Ohio, every two to three years. Seal it too often and you build up a shell that can flake. Leave it too long and water gets underneath, which is where the expensive problems start. If you are not sure where yours sits, we will tell you honestly when we look at it.
When is the right time of year?
Sealer needs warm, dry weather to cure, so the season here runs roughly from spring through early fall. Late summer books up fastest. If you know you want it done this year, get on the list early rather than in October.
How long before I can drive on it?
Plan on staying off it for about 24 hours, longer if the weather is cool or damp. We tape the ends off before we leave so nobody drives on it by accident, and we tell you exactly when it is ready.
Should I seal it or is it too far gone?
There is a point where sealing a surface is just paint on a problem. If the asphalt is crumbling, sunk in, or has alligator cracking across a big area, sealing will not save it and we will say so. Sometimes the answer is a repair in one section and a seal over the rest.
Other things we do
Crack filling
Cracks let water under the asphalt. Filling them first is what makes the sealcoat worth doing.
Line striping
Clean, straight parking lot lines. Stalls, arrows, handicap spaces and fire lanes.
Asphalt repair
Patching and repair for the spots that are past sealing, so the rest of the surface keeps its life.
Get a real number for your driveway.
Tell us where you are and what you have. We come out, look at the surface, and give you a price. If sealing is not the right call, we will tell you that too.