Sealing your ashphalt driveway can not only help it last longer and look great, but it can also increase the curb appeal of your home. We’ll show you how to seal a driveway in a few easy steps.
There are 3 steps to completing this project:
Before you start, make sure you’ve chosen a warm day with no rain or temperatures below 10 degrees expected for 24 hours after you finish. Edge any lose grass and clean all dirt, dust and debris and rinse the driveway with the stiffest stream of water possible. If possible, use a pressure washer. Scrub any stains with a stiff wire brush and asphalt cleaner so they don’t bleed through the new coat.
Next, repair any cracks or potholes. For cracks less than half an inch wide, use asphalt driveway crack filler. Fill the crack to the level of the driveway and let it cure overnight. For larger cracks, use pothole filler to the level of the driveway, pack down and refill to level. This will minimize shrinkage before you topcoat with the sealer. Remember, you need to allow two weeks before sealing over pothole patch as it needs to fully cure. Deeper holes need more time to cure, so be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions – 2 weeks is usually fine.
Now we’ll show you how to apply a driveway sealer. Once repairs have fully cured, you’re ready to seal. Ensure the sealer is well mixed, using a wooden paddle or drill-mounted mixer. Starting from the highest part of your driveway, apply a thin coat of driveway sealer. Use a squeegee so the pores of the blacktop are properly filled. Pull the squeegee while applying steady downward pressure for a thinner coat, as a thick coat won’t cure properly and may track. Squeegee back and forth across your driveway, making sure to slightly overlap each pass. Wait 24 hours for the coating to cure before driving on it. On a nice day you may walk on it after 4 hours.
