We have developed this web page for frequently asked questions about SEAL COATING If you do not see an answer to a specific question you have listed here, please feel free to call or email our office for further clarification.
Q: Why should I get my driveway sealed ?
Having your driveway sealcoated doubles the life expectancy of the asphalt. It protects it against the elements like rain, snow, ice and harmful UV rays. It also protects it from gas,oil,antifreeze and any other unexpected spills that could eat away your driveway. If anything does leak on to your driveway it will eat away at the sealer first instead of your driveway.
Q: What kind of seal coat is used?
Most of the driveways in Good to New condition use a water based- Coal Tar Sealer.
Q: How is the seal coat applied?
The can either be applied by brush or by a commercial sprayer.
Q: What is done to prepare the driveway for the sealing?
When we arrive the driveway is trimmed of all grass and weeds, and blown free of any dirt or sand. If there are any oil stains we recommend the homeowner wash them down the day before to prevent the stain from coming through the sealer. This is a small time consuming task but it needs to be dry when the sealcoating is done. The cleaner the driveway before we start results in a nicer job when we are finished.
Q: What is crackfilling?
Crack filling fills in any cracks greater than 1/4” wide. All cracks smaller than this will be filled in by the seal coat. Unless specifically stated we do not fill joints between the driveway and cement garage aprons or sidewalks. These areas may be crackfilled upon the customers request at an additional cost. Crack filling does not take the place of patching. Portions of asphalt that have broken away from the driveway or have sunken in can only be re paired by patching.
Q: Is the crackfiller visible through sealcoat?
You will sometimes be able to see the crackfiller through the sealcoating due to the texture difference of the material and driveway. This is unavoidable if you want your driveway to be protected, but we do try to blend it as best as possible.
Q: Do I need to be at home for the sealcoating process?
No. You do not need to be present for any of our services. As long as the driveway is not blocked or parked upon, we can do the job while you are at work or on vacation and rope it off with tape and signs to keep people off during the 24 hour drying period.
Q: What if it is supposed to rain the day of my appointment?
We schedule sealcoating jobs 7 days a week (Monday through Sunday) regardless of the predicted weather conditions. The day of the sealcoating appointment we check the weather and go from there. We take into consideration what the local weather stations predict but cannot rely on them. If it is an overcast day sometimes we feel its better to reschedule then to take the chance of rain ruining a job. If by chance it does rain during or right after a job, we have powerwashers to clean any sealer and we recoat the driveway on the next nice day.
Q: What are my responsibilities to prepare for the work?
Please make sure your cars are out of the garage and off the driveway 2 hours before your scheduled appointment on the day the job is to be done. Please keep all pets off the driveway until dry. Lastly, make sure the sprinklers are not scheduled to come on during the 24 hour drying period.
Q: How long should I keep off my driveway?
We recommend a full 24 hours until you can park the cars on the driveway but in most cases you can walk across the driveway if necessary after 5-6 hours on a sunny day.
Q: How often should I seal coat my driveway?
The majority of my customers have their driveway sealed annually, although we suggest you have it done at least every other year to maintain the surface quality throughout the life of your driveway.
Q: How should I pay for the work?
Cash is ok if you are present during the job or you can always pay by check written out to South Jersey Sealcoating.
How often should I seal coat my driveway?
All driveways should be sealed 90 days to 1 year after installation or resurfacing. After the first initial seal coat application, you can then seal coat on a 2 year schedule depending on the surface integrity of the pavement.
Q: How soon can I have a new driveway sealed?
The recommended waiting time is a minimum of 6 months to 1 year after you have a new driveway installed.
Do you guarantee your work?
All of our work is guaranteed for 2 years, we take pride in our work and would not have as many repeat customers as we do if they were not fully satisfied with our work.
Why should I seal coat my driveway?
Seal coating your driveway will protect it from oxidation from the sun which will dry out and evaporate the essential oils which keep the driveway together, it will protect it from gas & oil saturation which will attack the asphalt binder and eat through the asphalt. Sealing also will protect the asphalt from the elements (Rain, Snow, Sleet, Hail, Heat) which will deteriorate the binder in the asphalt. Sealing will beautify the surface with a jet black appearance which will, surprisingly also help to melt snow and ice much faster.
What will happen if seal coat gets on my lawn?
The excess seal coat may get onto your lawn. It will not cause any harm to your lawn. A simple mowing will get rid of it.
When I park on my driveway, why may tire marks appear?
Because the seal coat takes time to fully cure, tire marks sometimes appear 1 to 2 weeks after the seal coat is applied, especially during humid summer months. After the seal coat cures, the tire marks will disappear.
Why might the edges of the driveway look different than the rest of my driveway?
We pay special attention to the edges of your driveway, especially around your garage and stone walls, occasionally seal coating them by hand. These areas of focus often require a thicker coat of sealer, causing them to appear darker in color and take longer to dry.
The edges may cure more slowly and the appearance will become uniform.
What happens if leaves fall on my newly seal coated driveway?
Nothing will happen. The leaves eventually dry, crumble up and blow away.
Will I see the crack(s) in my driveway after you repair it?
We strive to make your driveway look its best; however, the crack repair service is not intended to make these cracks disappear. The service is intended to provide a watertight seal between the foundation of your driveway and the weather. After we apply the crack repair, the repair itself may settle: this in no way affects the watertight seal. The repair may also be visible under the seal coat. Many different factors, such as driveway texture, previous seal coats, time of day, and the angle at which the repair is viewed at, have an impact on the crack repair's final appearance. “Alligator” and “Spider” cracked areas will eventually need repair because it is
difficult to fill all cracks. The aesthetic value along with the structural integrity of the pavement will still be much improved.
I have oil stains on my driveway, will that affect the seal coating process?
To eliminate oil stains from your driveway we apply heat and oil spot primer which is brushed onto the stain, preventing it from eating through the new layer of sealcoat. Unfortunately, not all stains can be completely
removed but this primer usually eliminates normal oil stains.
How long should I stay off my driveway after it has been seal coated?
We recommend a wait time of a minimum of 24 to 48 hours depending on the weather conditions and the site conditions.
Will you block off my driveway when you are finished?
Yes, absolutely. We place “Caution Tape” across the entrance of your driveway.
Q: Why should I get my driveway sealed ?
Having your driveway sealcoated doubles the life expectancy of the asphalt. It protects it against the elements like rain, snow, ice and harmful UV rays. It also protects it from gas,oil,antifreeze and any other unexpected spills that could eat away your driveway. If anything does leak on to your driveway it will eat away at the sealer first instead of your driveway.
Q: What kind of seal coat is used?
Most of the driveways in Good to New condition use a water based- Coal Tar Sealer.
Q: How is the seal coat applied?
The can either be applied by brush or by a commercial sprayer.
Q: What is done to prepare the driveway for the sealing?
When we arrive the driveway is trimmed of all grass and weeds, and blown free of any dirt or sand. If there are any oil stains we recommend the homeowner wash them down the day before to prevent the stain from coming through the sealer. This is a small time consuming task but it needs to be dry when the sealcoating is done. The cleaner the driveway before we start results in a nicer job when we are finished.
Q: What is crackfilling?
Crack filling fills in any cracks greater than 1/4” wide. All cracks smaller than this will be filled in by the seal coat. Unless specifically stated we do not fill joints between the driveway and cement garage aprons or sidewalks. These areas may be crackfilled upon the customers request at an additional cost. Crack filling does not take the place of patching. Portions of asphalt that have broken away from the driveway or have sunken in can only be re paired by patching.
Q: Is the crackfiller visible through sealcoat?
You will sometimes be able to see the crackfiller through the sealcoating due to the texture difference of the material and driveway. This is unavoidable if you want your driveway to be protected, but we do try to blend it as best as possible.
Q: Do I need to be at home for the sealcoating process?
No. You do not need to be present for any of our services. As long as the driveway is not blocked or parked upon, we can do the job while you are at work or on vacation and rope it off with tape and signs to keep people off during the 24 hour drying period.
Q: What if it is supposed to rain the day of my appointment?
We schedule sealcoating jobs 7 days a week (Monday through Sunday) regardless of the predicted weather conditions. The day of the sealcoating appointment we check the weather and go from there. We take into consideration what the local weather stations predict but cannot rely on them. If it is an overcast day sometimes we feel its better to reschedule then to take the chance of rain ruining a job. If by chance it does rain during or right after a job, we have powerwashers to clean any sealer and we recoat the driveway on the next nice day.
Q: What are my responsibilities to prepare for the work?
Please make sure your cars are out of the garage and off the driveway 2 hours before your scheduled appointment on the day the job is to be done. Please keep all pets off the driveway until dry. Lastly, make sure the sprinklers are not scheduled to come on during the 24 hour drying period.
Q: How long should I keep off my driveway?
We recommend a full 24 hours until you can park the cars on the driveway but in most cases you can walk across the driveway if necessary after 5-6 hours on a sunny day.
Q: How often should I seal coat my driveway?
The majority of my customers have their driveway sealed annually, although we suggest you have it done at least every other year to maintain the surface quality throughout the life of your driveway.
Q: How should I pay for the work?
Cash is ok if you are present during the job or you can always pay by check written out to South Jersey Sealcoating.
How often should I seal coat my driveway?
All driveways should be sealed 90 days to 1 year after installation or resurfacing. After the first initial seal coat application, you can then seal coat on a 2 year schedule depending on the surface integrity of the pavement.
Q: How soon can I have a new driveway sealed?
The recommended waiting time is a minimum of 6 months to 1 year after you have a new driveway installed.
Do you guarantee your work?
All of our work is guaranteed for 2 years, we take pride in our work and would not have as many repeat customers as we do if they were not fully satisfied with our work.
Why should I seal coat my driveway?
Seal coating your driveway will protect it from oxidation from the sun which will dry out and evaporate the essential oils which keep the driveway together, it will protect it from gas & oil saturation which will attack the asphalt binder and eat through the asphalt. Sealing also will protect the asphalt from the elements (Rain, Snow, Sleet, Hail, Heat) which will deteriorate the binder in the asphalt. Sealing will beautify the surface with a jet black appearance which will, surprisingly also help to melt snow and ice much faster.
What will happen if seal coat gets on my lawn?
The excess seal coat may get onto your lawn. It will not cause any harm to your lawn. A simple mowing will get rid of it.
When I park on my driveway, why may tire marks appear?
Because the seal coat takes time to fully cure, tire marks sometimes appear 1 to 2 weeks after the seal coat is applied, especially during humid summer months. After the seal coat cures, the tire marks will disappear.
Why might the edges of the driveway look different than the rest of my driveway?
We pay special attention to the edges of your driveway, especially around your garage and stone walls, occasionally seal coating them by hand. These areas of focus often require a thicker coat of sealer, causing them to appear darker in color and take longer to dry.
The edges may cure more slowly and the appearance will become uniform.
What happens if leaves fall on my newly seal coated driveway?
Nothing will happen. The leaves eventually dry, crumble up and blow away.
Will I see the crack(s) in my driveway after you repair it?
We strive to make your driveway look its best; however, the crack repair service is not intended to make these cracks disappear. The service is intended to provide a watertight seal between the foundation of your driveway and the weather. After we apply the crack repair, the repair itself may settle: this in no way affects the watertight seal. The repair may also be visible under the seal coat. Many different factors, such as driveway texture, previous seal coats, time of day, and the angle at which the repair is viewed at, have an impact on the crack repair's final appearance. “Alligator” and “Spider” cracked areas will eventually need repair because it is
difficult to fill all cracks. The aesthetic value along with the structural integrity of the pavement will still be much improved.
I have oil stains on my driveway, will that affect the seal coating process?
To eliminate oil stains from your driveway we apply heat and oil spot primer which is brushed onto the stain, preventing it from eating through the new layer of sealcoat. Unfortunately, not all stains can be completely
removed but this primer usually eliminates normal oil stains.
How long should I stay off my driveway after it has been seal coated?
We recommend a wait time of a minimum of 24 to 48 hours depending on the weather conditions and the site conditions.
Will you block off my driveway when you are finished?
Yes, absolutely. We place “Caution Tape” across the entrance of your driveway.
