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I'm trying to get an idea of how much it costs. I know it all depends on your area and how big your driveway is. We've lived here 3 years and it was new construction built a few years before we bought it. So we're waaaaaay over due.
Call several local contractors for a free estimate. Then you can make your decision. It's a competitive business and you should get a fair idea of what to pay.
My neighbor does it himself, mostly - go to local Big Box hardware, buy goop, spread it; I've always used Collegiate Sealers & Paving (get mailers all the time from them) - their crew essentially uses the same technique my neighbor does but with a larger truck of goop to handle multiple sites - large amount of goop spread by brush (NOT sprayed on). Our "other side" neighbors all live off a (private) pipestem driveway - they used some outfit that was the perfect image of the ones we're all warned about - the "crew" (looked like husband/wife) walked over the pipestem spraying a thin coating of something that was totally useless. The visual effect may have lasted a week or two...
I do not know what my neighbor spends, however the CSP folks (and probably their equivalent though I can't name any) cost, like, $70-ish. As such, it would not take too much labor time - disregarding totally the material cost - to make "doing it yourself" non-cost-effective.
I have a one car black top asphalt driveway about 28 feet. I have done it myself and used a small business where the guy did it as a side line. I've only had it done about every four years, though. If the driveway is in good shape and you pick good product you may not even need to do it that often.
- The guy I used about 8 years ago sprayed a liquid tar down. I paid $100.00
- I did it myself four years ago with three buckets of sealer from a big box store. oake sure to get some large long 5-gallon painter stirrers, and paper towels, and paper or trash bags if you want to tape and area off.
Cost me those buckets, the long handle squeegee, and a day of my time. The buckets are at various price points -- from 20.00-60.00. So the cost depends on how many buckets you need. (And of course you could lose and old shirt and sold shoes if you get them messed up.)
-- THIS YEAR - I'm planning to pay a friend's neighbor, an older gentleman who does things for others -- sometimes just because. He's the old fashioned great neighbor who's retired and will mow others grass or shovel their snow. I'll buy the sealer and pay him to put it down.
I can't say I'd NEVER do it again myself. But I'd rather give the old guy some money to do it. Help him and save me the work. The last time -- years ago that I got prices from a company it was about 200.00. (That's what prompted me to do it myself. For that kind of money I said....uh, let me try this."
Ah, driveway sealing, that is the question, to be or not to be?
I was in two businesses in my life. the first half I was a roofing contractor, looking up all the time and the second half a paving contractor looking down all the time.
Just how beneficial sealing an asphalt driveway is, is a very difficult question. In my extensive experience I found it to be NOT beneficial in most cases. There are many really poor sealing materials out there that just cause your driveway to look bad after a very short time and really serve no good purpose. Straight coal tar emulsions are the worst. Coal tar and asphalt are actually not combatable materials at all and when asphalt is coated with it, the very thin layer of coal tar just really sits there on the asphalt and serves no beneficial function for more than a few weeks. As soon as it begins to crack it becomes detrimental to the pavement and actually can cause a transfer of cracking to the underlaying asphalt pavement. For that reason in commercial applications they often seal more than once a year to prevent this cracking. The main reason it is used in commercial applications is that it the very best material at resisting oil and gas spills and as long as it is constantly applied it provides a good barrier for water and UV. The coal tar builds up and is shiny, slippery and UGLY. In addition to this, coal tar is VERY Carconogenic and if you have kids they should NEVER sit on this surface.
There used to be a lot of solvent based sealers out there and they are mostly gone due to environmental laws now in place. They were basically a good durable asphalt disolved in mineral spirits. It was possible to get a decent seal with this material but that was not usually the case because most applicators would dilute it too much with solvents that would actually weaken the top strada of the pavement. Even when properly applied it had tracking tendencies and ruined many floors.
So, what is the main purposes and functions of a sealer on asphalt anyway? There are two of them. One, prevent oxidation of the surface by the UV rays that leads to the "unravelling" of that surface. Of course the further south the pavement is the more the need is to protect from UV. Two, to protect the asphalt from oil and gas spills that can really destroy pavement in a hurry.
In my latitude here in Canada the UV damage is minimal and a good three inch mat of asphalt that has been laid and rolled correctly will suffer very little UV damage even after 20 plus years of service. That is not the case in poorly laid asphalt, course and vulnerable to water penetration. These pavements unravel rapidly. You can easily see little tiny beads of asphalt at the bottom of the water flow. Personally I like the appearance of a grey weathered asphalt driveway. In the 20 years I was in the business I never sealed my own personal driveways. I also never had a vehicle that leaked on them.
I think the only decent product there is if you really need to seal for one reason or another is a water based asphalt emulsion that is fortified with polymers and betonite clays. You can also add small amounts of sand to these sealers and they perform pretty well over all. Because they are asphalt based they are combatable with the pavement and do more than just sit on top of it. If the surface is prepared properly the sealer actually bonds well. They do not crack or cause transfer cracking to the pavement. They are an excellent UV protection and keep the asphalt from "Burning up" in those southern climes. They repel water well and do a decent job of closing up the mat and preventing water infiltration on course asphalt surfaces. They have a pretty good service life and should be reapplied every 3 to 5 years once you start applying them. They don't track and cause problems to other surfaces. They are very easily applied by the homeowner and are widely available on the market. Read the label because many of these, "so called asphalt emulsions" are mostly coal tar with a small little bit of asphalt in them.
I have a real hate for coal tar. In my roofing days we built coal tar built up roofs. These are the Rolls Royce of roofs. they last forever and every single coal tar kettleman I have ever known has died of cancer from the coal tar fumes.
I did it twice at our old house (we were there about five years). Our new house is probably due for it this year. I'm really debating if I'm going to do it myself or just pay someone to do it. It's not a difficult job, but just a kind of tedious and unpleasant one.
just gave a 320 for a sealcoat job for a 80 foot driveway. i had contacted they guy who repaved my neighbour's driveway but i don't think these people do sealcoat. he called this morning and sent this guy out - i think they make a deal.
anyway it looks quite nice right now. he swept with a blower and edged along the lawn then used a squeegee to spread the rest. the sealant looked quite thin but he said it is 10% dilution. if it works out i have his number and will call him directly.
The issue is not just pouring something on the driveway. It has to be edged, cracks filled (various ways), swept/blown clean then a sealer applied. My experience says there are 3 levels of sealer. One is real thin and cheap. Next in cost is a heavier duty type and the most expensive is one with fine sand in it. I always used the one with sand in it. It takes more cans, more time, more effort, several days to real cure/harden, but well worth it especially for an older, cracked, porous driveway.
"Lucknow". I learned something from your post - thumbs up. As to the product you do recommend, what is the brand/name and where to buy?
You said spills are bad, but what about a drip here and there of an engine oil leak on the driveway?
We have different brand names here in Canada than you have in the USA. I do know that Sealmaster USA makes a good asphalt emulsion but I'm not sure if they sell it retail.
The odd drip of oil is not serious but is still undesirable for sure.
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