Maintaining your commercial pavement’s appearance helps you build trust and attract more customers. An effective way to achieve this is through seal coating — a preventive measure that preserves your pavements’ integrity and enhances their beauty. 

Read on to learn more about professional seal coating techniques to protect and improve your commercial pavements. 

What is Seal Coating?

Seal coating is a protective layer applied to pavement surfaces, acting as a barrier against harmful elements like UV rays, oxidation, and fuel spills. When applied to asphalt pavements, this layer offers several benefits:

• Prevents Damage: Resists cracks and potholes, extending the life of your pavement.
• Blocks Moisture: Protects against moisture damage and enhances pavement durability.
• Enhances Appearance: Improves pavement appearance, reflecting light and creating a sleek, modern look.

Understanding the Seal Coating Process

While the seal coating process might look simple, it involves various steps that require time and effort. Let’s take a look at these steps.

Choose the Right Time 

It’s important to schedule the application during dry and warm weather. You may also want to consider applying the coating during holidays or low-traffic periods. 

Assess the Pavement

Inspecting the pavement for cracks and damages is the first step of seal coating. You should carefully examine the surface, looking for signs of existing gaps, potholes, or other forms of damage.

Prepare the Surface

It is essential to clean the pavement to ensure the removal of dirt, debris, and loose materials. You can do this by employing effective methods to achieve a clean, debris-free surface.

Choose the Right Sealcoat

You must consider the pavement type and weather conditions to select the right seal coat product. 

Apply the Sealcoat

Use expert techniques to apply the seal coat evenly. It’s best to apply more than one coat for extra protection in high-traffic areas.

Add Stripings and Markings

Improve appearance and safety with traffic paint markings. This step can ensure the safety of the people using the pavement. 

Regular Maintenance

Inspect and do touch-ups periodically to ensure your pavement’s longevity. Touch-ups are also necessary after heavy rains to repair any damaged sections.

Types of Asphalt Seal Coating

While there are different types of asphalt seal coating, these are the three most prominent types:

Asphalt Emulsion Sealers

These eco-friendly sealers are great for protecting driveways. However, they cost more than other options. Regular maintenance and timely reapplication can help ensure the durability of the sealers.

Fast Dry Sealers

These sealers are particularly useful in repairing areas with heavy traffic, like parking lots, commercial driveways, and roads. Thanks to the geotextile fibers, these sealants have a quick curing time. While it takes less than an hour to cure, it’s worth noting that rapid-curing sealers are comparatively more expensive than other asphalt sealers.

Acrylic Sealers

Acrylic sealers are the costliest but provide the best results. It is available in different colors, even transparent. They’re perfect for sealing parking lots, driveways, and outdoor tennis/basketball courts, giving smooth surfaces to play on. 

Preserving and beautifying commercial pavements through seal coating requires expertise and top-notch techniques. Partnering with a professional paving and seal coating company can help you complete the job efficiently. At Tristar Pavings, we specialize in pavement construction and strive to offer quality services to all our clients. Contact us at (615) 640-4090 for expert assistance.