Sealcoating in Pittsburgh, PA

Sealcoating is a thin, liquid-applied coating that protects an asphalt surface. Over time, sun oxidizes asphalt and turns it grey and brittle; water works into the surface; and around Pittsburgh, plowing and de-icing salt add wear every winter. A sealcoat slows all of that and gives the pavement a uniform dark finish. It is maintenance, not repair: it protects good asphalt, but it does not fix cracks, potholes or a failed base.

When to sealcoat

New asphalt needs time to cure first. HomeGuide advises waiting three to six months after paving. After that, reseal every few years, depending on the product, traffic and how the surface is wearing. Signs it is due include grey, faded color, a rough or gravelly texture as fine material wears away, and water soaking into the surface instead of beading.

Weather windows in Pittsburgh

Sealcoat needs dry weather and moderate temperatures, roughly 50 to 95 degrees according to HomeGuide, with no rain expected while it cures. In western Pennsylvania that means late spring through early fall, with cool nights and fall rain narrowing the window at the end of the season. A driveway paved in late summer is often sealed the following spring.

How we sealcoat

• Clean the surface with blowers and brooms; scrub oil spots and prime them so the sealer bonds
• Seal cracks first with hot rubberized sealant
• Edge along garage slabs, walks and curbs by hand
• Apply sealer evenly, usually one coat, or two for heavy traffic areas
• Block off the area until it cures

HomeGuide puts cure time at about 12 to 72 hours before vehicles, depending on temperature, humidity and product. We tell you when it is safe to drive on.

Sealer products

Common sealers include asphalt emulsion, coal tar emulsion and acrylic or polymer-modified products. Each has different costs, odor, cure time and wear. We tell you which product we are using and why, and we put it in writing on your quote.

What sealcoating will not do

Sealcoat will not hold together pavement that is breaking up. If your driveway has potholes, alligator cracking or heaving, those areas need repair first, and we will tell you so instead of sealing over them.

Caring for a sealed driveway

Keep heavy equipment and sharp turning off fresh sealer for the first few days. Through the winter, a plastic shovel blade and a slightly raised plow blade wear the coating less than steel scraping on the surface. Rinse off heavy salt residue in spring, and check for new cracks each fall so they can be sealed before the next freeze.