Asphalt is a great material for driveways, but it does require some maintenance. Sealcoating creates a barrier between your driveway and the elements, but it can only be applied on a clean, weed-free surface. Spring is the perfect time to put down a fresh layer of sealcoat, and with Billy Goat’s line of Grazor cleaners, it’s easy to prepare the cracks for filling and treatment.
What is Sealcoat?
Sealcoat is to asphalt what stain is to wood. It fills in imperfections and forms a barrier on the surface that resists water and chemicals, protecting the material underneath. This prevents cracks from forming and expanding so the pavement will last longer.
Why Should I Sealcoat in the Spring?
Sealcoating needs mild temperatures to cure properly, making spring and fall the ideal times to have the driveway treated. However, the surrounding seasons also have an impact on how long the treatment lasts.
Winter is hard on your driveway because water can pour through cracks to the base of the pavement, expanding as it freezes. When salt is applied, the ice on the surface melts faster, but this moisture is held in by the ice and snow on top, letting it seep into the porous surface of the asphalt.
Summer is also hard on your driveway. Rain and heat combine to put increased stress on cracks, while added UV light attacks the surface directly. Heat can also evaporate some of the liquid components of the asphalt. With a newly poured driveway, this is good because it helps harden the asphalt. However, after the first year, excessive evaporation can make the surface brittle.
A driveway sealed in spring will mostly survive the summer, but severe conditions in winter will all but destroy a coating laid down in the fall. The best protection for your driveway will come from having sealcoating done in the spring, then having the surface inspected in the fall, laying down a fresh coat if needed.
How is the Sealcoat Applied?
Before the chemicals can be sprayed on, the surface of the asphalt must be completely clean. This starts with a crack cleaning tool like Billy Goat’s Grazors. This device looks like an edger, but instead of using a metal blade, it has a thick rotary wire brush. This brush cuts into the cracks, pulling out plants, dirt and other debris that have collected in them without damaging the pavement. This rapidly cleans cracks far more effectively than manual methods.
Next, holes and cracks wider than a quarter inch need to be filled with a repair compound. Once the compound has dried, the surface is cleaned off using brooms and blowers, removing any remaining dirt that may be stuck to the surface. This allows direct contact between the sealcoat and asphalt for a good seal.
Finally, the sealcoat can be applied. This can be done by hand using a large roller or squeegee, laying down a thin, even surface that fills in the cracks. Professional sealing services will use a high pressure system with a spray gun and a tank with an agitator to ensure the coating is as even and consistent as possible.
Where Can I Get Parts for My Billy Goat Grazor?
Whether you’re sealcoating your driveway yourself, doing some of the prep costs to save on a professional coating, or use your Grazor as part of your maintenance services, www.billygoatparts.com can keep your equipment ready to use. We’re a certified dealer carrying everything for both their cleaners and the engines the power them, and we can ship orders to any address in the U.S. and Canada.
