A properly maintained asphalt surface requires periodic asphalt sealcoating to maximize the useful longevity of the parking lot or driveway. Maintaining the sealcoating on the asphalt surface also greatly enhances its appearance. Depending on the pavement’s use, a high-quality and professionally applied sealant should be reapplied at least every two to three years. Neglecting the periodic reapplication of a sealcoating material will result in premature aging of the asphalt surface and eventual damage to the surface and underlying structure. Paving companies know that keeping the sealcoating properly maintained and reapplied periodically is a vital procedure if you want to reduce the necessity of costly repairs and simultaneously improve your property’s visual appeal. Although sealcoating is an extremely affordable part of routine asphalt maintenance, there are a number of factors that can impact the cost of the job.
What Are the Cost Factors for Asphalt Sealcoating? What Is the Size and Design of the Asphalt Surface?
The square footage of the asphalt surface is an important factor considered by paving contractors when determining the cost of a sealcoating job. However, a complicated layout can increase costs as complexities may require additional time, manpower, equipment and materials to complete the job. Obviously, asphalt maintenance professionals know that sealcoating the parking lot at a major sports arena will require more material and a larger crew than would be needed for the parking lot at a convenience store. However, other complexities can have a significant impact on costs. For example, asphalt contractors know that their workers will need more time to perform handwork in hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
What Is the Pavement’s Condition?
Reputable asphalt and paving contractors will not sealcoat any pavement before making all needed surface preparations and repairs. The scope and severity of the repairs required are part of the cost of properly sealcoating the asphalt. The surface should be clean and dry. Debris and live vegetation should be completely removed from the exposed surface before cracks are filled. Potholes should be properly prepared before being filled to maximize the effectiveness of the repair. A primer may need to be applied if the pavement is highly oxidized. All minor and major issues should be addressed before sealcoating begins. Since the results will be quite temporary, sealcoating an asphalt surface without properly preparing and repairing it first is a waste of money.
What Is the Expected Traffic on the Pavement?
Different asphalt structures receive varying degrees of traffic and will require the appropriate amount of sealcoating layers to protect the surface adequately. A busy commercial parking lot can be expected to receive much more traffic than a residential driveway, for example, and the pavement at truck stops or loading docks will need to bear heavier loads than the average parking lot. Most parking lots require at least two coats of sealcoating material, and a third coat may be needed at entrances or other locations where vehicles frequently brake, turn or accelerate. The more layers of sealant needed, the higher the cost will be.
What Are Some Additional Sealcoating Cost Factors?
In addition to the cost factors already discussed, there are certain other factors considered by sealcoating contractors that may impact the total cost of the job.
• Repainting parking lines and other pavement markings can add additional cost to the sealcoating job.
• Some commercial sealcoating jobs will require work to be done on weekends, holidays or other times when traffic is low or nonexistent. If asphalt paving companies must pay their employees extra for working on holidays or overtime for working more than 40 hours in a week, the additional labor costs will likely be reflected in the total price.
• Property managers often require that work on large parking lots be performed over several days. The lot will be divided into smaller sections so that the work can be completed and the section reopened before the next section is closed. This means that the contractor must pay to move his equipment, employees and materials to and from the site more than once. Asphalt paving companies refer to these costs as mobilization expenses, and multiple mobilizations can result in a higher cost to the customer.
If you need to have your asphalt pavement sealed, trust the Austin based sealcoating contractors at Alpha Paving. On an annual basis, we apply more gallons of sealcoating than any asphalt paving company in Texas. We are a full-service concrete and asphalt paving company offering an extensive list of services, including asphalt overlays and paving, road construction, asphalt repair, parking lot striping, street maintenance, concrete work, speed bump installation, parking lot signs and asphalt milling. Our customers include airports, municipalities and counties, shopping centers, apartment complexes, hotels, religious institutions, health care facilities, retailers, HOAs, property management firms, restaurants, subdivisions, schools and industrial facilities. We deliver exceptional results at competitive rates. For a free estimate, call 512-677-9001 or complete the online form.