Sunlight and water are the main enemies of pavement surfaces. Your proactive maintenance routine should focus on preventing the first from breaking down the pavement from above, and the second from corrupting or undermining it from below. Then when repairs are needed, be timely and use the best techniques. Think of rule one as step one in your proactive pavement management program to preserve your investment for the long run, and yield big financial, safety and aesthetic dividends.
Rule One: Block Harmful Impacts of Sunlight
Aesthetics are why most seal coat their parking lots and driveways, but preventing the oxidation that breaks down the asphalt should be the real motivation. If you focus on this protective or preventive outcome, the lot will continue to look better also. One basic choice is using a seal coat, which sits on top of the surface and screens out sunlight. This works while the sealant is intact, so the key is to replace or replenish it on a regular schedule. The recommendation is a bi-annual application of two coats of the SealMaster® MasterSeal® product because it has been engineered to last longer than other sealers on the market.
The other choice is rejuvenation. This product goes on like seal coat, but rather than just sitting on the surface to block the sun, it penetrates deep below the surface to about 3/8 to ½ inches. It replaces oils depleted by oxidation; consequently, it helps prevent brittleness and increases flexibility – two critical factors that extend the life of asphalt. A parking lot treated with rejuvenation will also retain an even, dark appearance longer because the treatment penetrates below the surface; consequently, time, weather and traffic have less impact.
Rejuvenation remains a choice only if you have not already used seal coating. The recommendation is that the first application occurs the second year of a new surface, and then again in 2 to 3 years. After that a less frequent rejuvenation cycle of every 5 years should keep up the positive effects.
If budget demands it, you could switch over to seal coating after the second rejuvenation cycle. The major advantage of seal coating over rejuvenation is the drying time. Seal coating dries in 4 to 8 hours, but rejuvenation requires that you close off the lot for at least 24hours before foot or vehicular traffic resumes
