If you want to get a longer life from your asphalt pavement, you cannot go wrong with periodic sealcoating by a reputable asphalt company. Sealcoating blocks the UV rays that make asphalt pavements brittle and dry, and it also gives your pavement protection against water infiltration, automotive fluids, and corrosive chemicals. For maximum protection, your contractor must prepare the sealcoating mix correctly. The mix must contain the proper amounts of concentrated sealant, silica sand, and water. Furthermore, many additives can be incorporated in the mix to provide additional benefits for both the customer and the sealcoating contractor.
Why Additives Are Beneficial For The Sealcoating Contractor & Customer
What Are Asphalt Sealcoating Additives?
Seal coating additives are concoctions that are either chemical- or polymer-based, or they may combine chemicals and polymers. Sealant manufacturers create additives that will enhance certain qualities of their products. Your contractor must know which additives will work with the specific sealant you want to use for your job.
What Properties of Asphalt Sealcoating Will Additives Enhance?
Some additives expedite the drying and curing of the sealant. This can allow the contractor to finish the job faster, including your parking lot striping, so that you can open your pavement to pedestrians and vehicles in less time, reducing distractions and disruptions to your operations. Other additives allow contractors to apply sealants when weather conditions are marginal. The right additives can help keep the sand evenly distributed throughout the mix, which can help improve traction on your pavement. There are also additives to make the surface of your pavement appear darker and smoother, provide additional resistance to petrochemicals and power steering marks, or increase the sealant’s flexibility when temperatures fluctuate with the changing seasons.
Can a Paving Contractor Use Multiple Additives in the Same Sealant Mix?
There are certain rules about additives that all reputable paving companies understand when they prepare a sealcoating mix. One is that additives can detract from the performance of some premium-grade sealants that contain specialty chemicals. Another rule is only to choose additives produced by the manufacturer of the sealant. Perhaps the most critical rule is to be extremely cautious about using multiple additives. Unless the sealant manufacturer approves the use of multiple additives, sealcoating contractors should never concoct a mix containing a variety of additives. If it is necessary to enhance multiple properties, a better option would be to select a single, multipurpose additive that delivers all or most of the benefits desired.
What Else Should I Know About Sealcoating Additives?
Not every asphalt company has the experience, training, and knowledge to choose and use additives properly. For example, many additives require premixing prior to adding them to the sealant mix; failing to premix them can ruin the sealant’s appearance or protective aspects. It is also important to understand the issues that an additive cannot correct. Additives cannot transform a sealant into an asphalt crack filler, for instance, and they will not allow your contractor to avoid cleaning your pavement. An additive may slightly increase the cost of your asphalt sealcoating, but the potential benefits more than offset the expense.
At Alpha Paving, We Are Sealcoating Experts
We are the paving company where numerous airports, shopping malls, municipalities, and upscale subdivisions trust their sealcoating projects. We also offer asphalt paving, street maintenance, concrete installation, asphalt crack repairs, parking lot striping, asphalt milling and asphalt overlays, concrete repairs, parking lot signs, thermoplastic striping and markings, road construction, and speed bumps. Our craftsmanship and commitment to customer service is reflected in the exemplary reputation we have built over the years. We provide free quotes, so submit our online form to request yours today. If you would rather speak with one of our knowledgeable staff members, you can call 512-677-9001 to reach our office in Round Rock.