Blacktop Sealer Manufacturers & Associations

When you decide which blacktop sealer will perform best for you, who should you buy it from? Good question! Because the raw materials that are used to make a (meaning any type) blacktop sealer are readily available, just about anybody can get into the sealer business. However, as with any industry, there are a select group of manufacturers committed to producing high quality blacktop sealers. These manufacturers belong to an association called the Pavement Coating Technology Center. This association is headquartered at the University of Nevada in Reno. They have developed highly detailed specifications for applying driveway sealers. These specifications are primarily intended for commercial applications. However, these specifications can, and should be, used for residential applications. Go to their web site and read the specs!

Also, check out the web sites of the following two associations. They both have great information on the installation and maintenance of asphalt driveways.

• National Asphalt Pavement Association (www.asphaltpavement.org/)
• Asphalt Institute (www.asphaltinstitute.org)

Following is a list of manufacturers who are current members of the Pavement Coating Technology Center. They are committed to manufacturing high quality sealers. Look for products that are made by these companies. Study the labels and decide which product will work best for you. Call the manufacturers closest to your city to see who carries their products. Think of it, your investment in several phone calls may produce fantastic results. The manufacturers will gladly send you excellent product literature and tell you the locations of the closest retail outlets.

UPDATE: June 2003

I just got back from the Sears Editors conference and they proved that as of this writing, they sell the best driveway sealer on the market. The test samples they brought in were unbelievable. If you could have seen how quickly some of the top name brands wore away compared to the one Sears sells, you would be astonished. Buy Sears top-of-the-line sealer. I am 99.99% sure the product is made by the first company in the list below. You may be able to determine this by looking on the label of the Sears product.

Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry
Bonsal American
Chemway Products, Inc.
Coopers Creek Chemicals Corp.
Corsicana Technologies, Inc.
Dalton Enterprises, Inc.
Gem Seal, Inc.
Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Co.
Koppers, Inc.
Reilly Industries, Inc.
S.T.A.R., Inc.
Surface Coatings Company
Tangent Rail Products
Unimin Corporation
Vance Brothers, Inc.
Velvetop Products

Associate Members

Good Seal Products Corp.
Great Lakes Coatings
Hercules Sealcoat Mfg. Inc.
McConnell & Associates Corp.
Pavement Coatings, Inc.
Paving Maintenance Coatings. Inc.
Sasco Pavement Coatings, Inc.
Star Seal of Florida
Star Seal of New York
Star Seal of Ohio, Inc.

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This blacktop driveway is twenty years old. It’s in very good condition. Photo credit: Tim Carter

Different Sealers

There are three basic types of blacktop or asphalt sealers: simple emulsified asphalt; refined coal tar sealers; and 100 percent man-made acrylic polymer sealers.

The simple asphalt emulsion sealers offer the lowest levels of protection. In essence, they simply contain the same asphalt that was used to bind the sand and gravel together in the first place. This asphalt coating will oxidize and get brittle just like the asphalt you are trying to protect!

The next best sealer to use is manufactured using refined coal tar. Refined coal tar offers two distinct advantages: it is not dissolved easily by gasoline; and oil and UV rays do not readily make it brittle.

Asphalt is easily dissolved by gasoline and oil drippings from your car. Because of this, you should consider using refined coal tar products.

There is a wide variety of refined coal tar products. Some of them have additional additives such as rubber and rubber-like polymers which make them more elastic. These sealers often contain fine sand and clays. The sand makes the sealers more durable. The clays make the sealers easier to apply.

The best and most expensive sealers you can buy are those that contain almost 100 percent man-made ingredients. These are the acrylic sealers. If you have ever played tennis on a blacktop court that has the distinctive green and red sealers, you have walked on these acrylic sealers.

The acrylics in these sealers are unaffected by sunlight and air. They stay flexible for many years. I know of a house only one mile from mine that has used the red colored sealer with great success. The driveway sealer they use often lasts for six to eight years before requiring another coat.

Yes, these acrylic sealers cost almost twice as much as refined coal tar sealers, however they may be a better value for you. I would check it out if I were you. Also, these acrylic sealers are available in black, so your driveway doesn't have to look like a tennis court!

Need help with sealing your driveway? CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE QUOTES from local companies specializing in driveway sealing.

Tips on Sealing Old and New Blacktop Driveways

This is what blacktop looks like just after it's sealed. It looks like glossy black paint. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

New Blacktop Driveways

New blacktop should usually be sealed within its first year. Depending upon the time of year it was installed, your climate, daytime temperatures, etc. the earliest you can seal your driveway is 90 days after installation. Your driveway should be exposed for at least 90 days where the daytime temperature is 70F or greater. This allows the lightest weight oils in the asphalt to evaporate, which in turn allows the blacktop to harden. This is very important!! If you do not let these oils evaporate, your blacktop may remain soft for a long time. Things such as bike kickstands, heavy metal objects, etc. will dent your new blacktop.

If you have anything that leaks oil, use cardboard to protect the new blacktop to keep it oil-free until such time as you can seal it.

When it is time to seal your new blacktop, follow the pointers in the following section.

Existing Driveways

Sealing a driveway is not much different than painting the walls or ceiling in your house. If you have ever painted a room correctly, you know that you must wash the surfaces to be painted, patch any holes in the plaster, caulk all cracks, and apply the paint in a uniform thickness (not too thin and not too thick). Driveways are just the same.

Important Tips for a First Class Sealing Job

• Remove all mud, vegetation, loose particles of sand and gravel, etc. WASH the entire surface to be sealed with water, brush dirty spots, rinse, and remove standing puddles of water.
• Patch any depressions with whatever patching compound is required. Deep holes will require cold blacktop patch. Shallow depressions (where the blacktop has slightly eroded) can be patched with various smooth asphalt patching compounds that often have the consistency of cake icing. Be sure to follow directions, as some of these compounds might need to dry for several days before they are sealed!
• Patch any cracks 1/8 inch or larger. Deep cracks should be filled with coarse sand to within 1/2 inch of the surface. Wide cracks up to 1 inch width may require special acrylic crack fillers that remain more flexible.
• Remove caked up oil drippings. Clean oil spots with special oil cleaners available from the sealer companies. Tough spots should have a special oil primer applied so the sealer sticks to the oil stained area.
• Just before (and during) sealing, fog the blacktop with enough water to dampen the surface.This water helps the sealer to bond to the older blacktop.

Only seal your driveway AFTER the old sealer has worn away. Even if you use just an emulsified asphalt sealer from a quality manufacturer, this coating should last two to three years. Applying sealer every year is a mistake. It is simply overkill and a waste of money. Good luck on your sealing project!

Asphalt Concrete

Blacktop and concrete have some very similar properties. They both are a combination of ingredients. Concrete consists of gravel, sand and cement, cement being the material that holds the sand and gravel together. Blacktop consists of gravel, sand and asphalt. Asphalt, which occurs naturally and is a residual product of the crude oil refining process, is the glue that holds together the gravel and sand found in blacktop.

Sunlight and air (non-polluted) does not harm concrete. In fact, the carbon dioxide in air actually makes concrete stronger with age (especially in its first year!) Blacktop, however, is harmed by exposure to sunlight and air. This is the primary reason blacktop should be sealed on a regular basis.

Cracks in Blacktop

Many people do not realize that blacktop is marketed as a flexible pavement. It can actually stretch to some degree. This flexibility is derived from the asphalt which holds together the sand and gravel. Asphalt, when used in blacktop, is actually called asphalt cement. It is an unusual material because its viscosity (ability to flow like a liquid) actually changes with temperature. When cold, the asphalt cement can get hard. When hot the asphalt behaves like a thick maple syrup. This quality allows the finished product, blacktop, to stretch in certain situations. I have witnessed this phenomena at numerous bus stops in my city. The pavement at bus stops is often rutted right where the bus picks up passengers. This rutting is caused by the pressure of the bus tires on the pavement each time the bus brakes. The asphalt pavement is actually pushed or bulldozed ever so slightly each time the bus stops in hot weather.

When asphalt is exposed to air it begins to lose this quality. The lightweight oils in asphalt actually evaporate and the asphalt oxidizes. When this happens, the asphalt becomes brittle. Brittle asphalt is much more susceptible to cracking than fresh, flexible asphalt.

Cracks in blacktop frustrate many homeowners. A new crack-free driveway, as we discussed earlier, is gorgeous. There are two primary causes of cracks in blacktop: shrinkage and structural. Shrinkage cracks happen naturally because the blacktop loses volume (evaporating lightweight oils) early in its life. Structural cracks develop when the blacktop base is undersized and unable to handle the concentrated loads placed upon it. Remember, most residential blacktops are low-strength. They derive their strength from the gravel base beneath the blacktop. A structural crack will occur when the base gives more than the blacktop can stretch.

This is what blacktop looks like just after it's sealed. It looks like glossy black paint. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

This is where sealers enter the picture. Assuming that your driveway has an adequate base, you need to do two things after it is installed: slow down the loss of the lightweight oils after the new blacktop has cured; and protect the asphalt from the damaging effects of the ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight.

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This is a blacktop driveway near my last home. it's in great shape and you know it's got a solid gravel base under it. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter

How do you get a smooth finished driveway surface?

There are different types of mixes of asphalt paving materials. The type and quality of asphalt cement and the size of the aggregate (rocks) account for the differences. The smaller the aggregate, the weaker the finished product will be. Most people want a very smooth finished surface. This requires the mixture to have smaller aggregate. If this is what you want, your installer may have to install two layers of paving material. The first layer will be slightly thicker and have slightly larger rocks. The finish layer will be thinner (1 to 1 1/4 inches) and have smaller stones and coarse sand. Always make sure that a tack coat of asphalt is used between layers. This acts as a glue to bond the layers together. A tack coat is not necessary if the second layer is applied shortly after the first layer.

If you are repaving an existing driveway, beware of reflection cracks! Reflection cracks are cracks that develop in the new pavement directly above existing cracks in the old pavement. This is a big problem if you install asphalt paving over concrete. The latest technology suggests that a few days after the blacktop is installed, you should consider saw cutting slots in the new blacktop directly above the existing cracks. These sawcuts will be straight and can be filled with a flexible crack sealer.

If repaving, absolutely make sure that all dust and dirt is removed from the old surface. Remove all vegetation from cracks and the edge of the driveway as well. Be sure to fill any low spots with patching material prior to applying the finish layer of blacktop.

Get the best-looking asphalt driveway around! Learn what to ask your contractor in my Asphalt/Blacktop/Tar & Chip Installation & Repair Checklist. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

Sealing & Maintenance

Many associations recommend that you seal your new driveway one year after it is installed. Be sure to use a high quality commercial bituminous water emulsion sealer. If your drive is on a hill, consider using a sealer which contains sand.

How often should you seal a driveway?

Do not seal your driveway every year! Sealers are coatings, just like paint. You can easily apply too much and the coatings will begin to crack and peel. Only reseal the driveway after you can clearly see that the old sealer is wearing. When the color of the aggregate (rocks) begins to show, it is time to reseal. Because the sealer will wear off faster in areas where there is foot and car traffic, apply sealer to the non-traffic areas a little thinner. Otherwise, you will begin to get a buildup of sealer which may begin to crack and peel.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE QUOTES from local companies that can seal your blacktop driveway.

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This is a blacktop driveway near my last home. it's in great shape and you know it's got a solid gravel base under it. Copyright 2017 Tim Carter

Tips on Residential Blacktop Driveway

Working with blacktop is like working with many construction materials. It takes skill, knowledge, well-maintained equipment, high quality asphalt paving and base materials and favorable working conditions. If any one of these is compromised, you will, in all likelihood, get a poor quality job. If two or more of these are compromised, there is no doubt that you will experience inferior results.

As with anything, the more you know, the better your chances of success. Here are some tips which will enable you to ask some intelligent questions as you talk to asphalt contractors:

Get the best-looking asphalt driveway around! Learn what to ask your contractor in my Asphalt/Blacktop/Tar & Chip Installation & Repair Checklist. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

Driveway Drainage Slope

Make sure that your finished pavement will slope at least 1/4 inch per foot. You must have positive drainage on top of the blacktop. Water must not be allowed to puddle on top of blacktop. If your driveway is virtually level this is not a problem. Simply have the contractor install a crown in the driveway. The middle of the driveway will be higher than the edges. That way water will run from the middle to each edge.

Sub-grade

The subgrade is the soil beneath your driveway. Different soils have widely different strength characteristics. If your soil is a plastic type clay, it can be very weak. It will deform easily when heavy concentrated loads are placed on it. Check with your local agricultural extension service to see what type of soil you have. Often they have soil maps which tell you the strength characteristics of your soil.

If building a new driveway, you must remove all top soil. Also, remove any roots or other material which can decay. Be sure to compact the soil if it was disturbed while digging. If you have utility trenches which will cross the driveway (water, gas, sewer, electric lines), make sure that your builder fills these trenches with gravel all the way to the top! Do not allow the builder to backfill these trenches with soil! The soil will eventually settle and your driveway will have a depression.

If you have soil which is poorly drained when wet, you should give serious consideration to installing drain tile beneath the base. This drain tile will help to keep water from softening the soil and spoiling the base. Consider installing a geo-tech fabric in these conditions as well. These fabrics help to keep the mud from getting mixed with gravel. If you have an area with heavy vegetation, you can sterilize the soil to inhibit plant growth. However, use these chemicals sparingly so as not to harm the environment.

Asphalt Driveway Base

The base or foundation of an asphalt driveway is the key to a crack-resistant surface. The base and the soil beneath it do all the work in supporting the loads which will be placed on the driveway. There are two types of bases. One is the standard crushed gravel base. This base is placed on high quality, strong, compacted soils. It often is a minimum of 6 inches thick. It can be up to 8 to 10 inches in thickness, depending on the strength of the soil and what type of vehicles will be on the driveway. You should always build the driveway for the heaviest vehicle which will be placed on it. For example, suppose you intend to have a fully loaded concrete truck on your driveway. Many of these trucks weigh 36 tons when fully loaded. Each wheel of the truck could have a 6 to 8 ton load on it! The footprint of each tire is less than 1 square foot! The little bit of extra money you spend on the thicker base will be worth it.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE QUOTES from local companies that can install your driveway.

You can also install an asphalt base. This type of base is similar to standard blacktop except for one thing. The aggregate (rocks) in the mixture are larger than normal. This larger aggregate gives the asphalt base great strength characteristics. This type of base does not usually have to be installed as thick as a gravel base. It also is a better base to use if your soil is poorly drained or if it is a heavy clay.

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