Sealcoating in Grand Rapids, MI

Sealcoating is a liquid coating spread over asphalt to protect the binder that holds the stone together. Sun and air dry that binder out over time; you can see it as the surface fades from black to gray and the small stones start to loosen. In Grand Rapids, salt brine, oil drips and months of meltwater add to the wear. A sealcoat slows all of that down and tightens up the look of the driveway. What it does not do is fill real cracks or fix a weak base, so it is one part of a maintenance plan, not a repair.

When to seal

HomeGuide recommends letting new asphalt cure for 3 to 6 months before sealing, and its driveway guide suggests sealing after about the first year. After that, resealing every few years is common; the interval stretches from 2 to 10 years depending on the product, sun exposure and traffic. Signs it is time: the surface has gone gray, water soaks in instead of beading, or the fine aggregate is starting to wear away in the tire paths.

Weather window

Sealer needs dry pavement and air temperatures between about 50 and 95 degrees, and HomeGuide lists 12 to 72 hours before you drive on it. In West Michigan that means late spring through early fall, picking days without rain in the forecast. Shaded driveways under big maples dry more slowly, so we plan those for warm, breezy days.

How we apply it

• Blow off and clean the surface; scrape out grass at the edges
• Treat oil spots so the sealer bonds
• Fill cracks first, so the coat does not just bridge over them
• Edge by hand along the garage, walks and lawn
• Apply an even coat to the field and keep traffic off until it cures

Barricades or tape go up at the end of the driveway so nobody drives on it early.

Sealer types

HomeGuide notes two common emulsions. Coal tar sealer resists gas and oil stains but has been restricted in many areas over health and environmental concerns. Asphalt-based emulsions are considered more environmentally friendly but stain more easily from gas and oil. We talk through which product we use and why at the estimate.

Commercial lots

For parking lots, HomeAdvisor's cost guide lists sealcoating at about $0.15 to $0.30 per square foot. Lots are usually sealed in sections or after hours so a business can stay open, and restriping follows once the sealer has cured, since fresh black sealer makes new lines stand out.