Sealcoating: The Common Failures and Causes
Sealcoating is a quintessential part of your asphalt maintenance routine. Hiring contractors to sealcoat your property’s pavement every three to five years ensures it has ample protection from the elements. Stick to it; you can maximize your asphalt’s lifespan and reach that coveted 30-year mark.
While asphalt sealcoating in Tampa is crucial to long-term maintenance, things don’t always go smoothly. Failures can and do happen. In this blog, we’ll cover some common issues that might occur when you don’t turn to a seasoned asphalt seal coating company for service.
What is Sealcoating?
First things first: What is sealcoating, anyway?
Simply put, asphalt seal coating is a form of preventative maintenance that helps protect your pavement from the elements and significant wear. Asphalt is tough, but it can succumb to the effects of intense UV exposure, rain, vehicle fluids, etc.
When you hire contractors to sealcoat your paving, they’ll apply thin layers of asphalt emulsion sealer to every square inch of the pavement. Once cured, it forms a protective barrier while giving surfaces a like-new look.
What Causes Sealcoating to Bond Improperly?
One of the most common issues faced by asphalt sealcoating in Tampa is improper bonding. When that happens, the asphalt emulsion sealer may lift and peel off. So what causes it?
Sealcoat products require clean surfaces for proper bonding. If the pavement is covered in dirt, vegetation or grime, it can’t form a tight and secure bond.
Fortunately, any seasoned asphalt sealcoating company will know that proper surface preparation is paramount. Experienced teams will take time to clean the area, typically using powerful rotary brushes, power-washing tools and more.
If there are oil stains or smooth aggregate, contractors must pre-treat the area to ensure the sealer forms an optimal bond.
Why Does Sealcoating Crack and Peel?
Tampa asphalt sealcoating can crack or peel for many reasons. The most common is excessively thick applications. Contractors should apply at least two thin coats of product, allowing each layer to cure between applications.
Inexperienced contractors may attempt to save time by applying a single thick layer. The problem is that the sealer can’t cure properly, resulting in a huge mess.
Peeling and cracking can also happen when contractors don’t prepare the mix correctly. Most contractors receive sealcoat products as a powder from the manufacturer. If they don’t add the right amount of silica and water, the sealer won’t set.
How Do Contractors Avoid Tampa Asphalt Seal coating Curing Issues?
Curing is one of the most important steps of the asphalt seal coating process. Depending on the formula, sealcoating may take up to 48 hours to cure before your pavement is ready for use. If your asphalt seal coating company doesn’t account for the weather during that time, you may have a huge mess on your hands!
Precipitation and high humidity will wash away sealcoat products and significantly slow the curing process. Meanwhile, powerful winds will cause the upper layer of the sealer to cure faster, trapping fluid product below it. Freezing or near-freezing temperatures will also cause trouble, interfering with curing.
Why Should I Hire an Experienced Asphalt Seal coating Company?
Want to avoid these problems and more when investing in asphalt sealcoating? Turn to trusted contractors with experience doing asphalt sealcoating in Tampa! Most of these failures are a direct result of inexperience and corner-cutting. A reputable company will do things right.
Turn to Line Striping of Tampa Bay for all your asphalt sealcoating needs. We’re premier providers of Tampa sealcoating, proudly serving property owners in and around the area. We strive to deliver five-star results while giving you the best experience possible as a client. We know how important sealcoating is to your pavement’s appearance and long-term care. That’s why we never cut corners or skimp on quality.
You can trust us to handle Tampa asphalt sealcoating, parking lot striping, re-striping, stencils, sign installation, concrete stops, bollards and more.
Get the quality results you deserve. Call Line Striping of Tampa Bay at (727)800-5987 for a free, no-obligation project quote. You can also submit our online contact form or email us at contact@paintmyparkinglot.com.
