Asphalt sealers?

kennyd · Mar 31, 2007

My driveway was put in three years ago when I built my house, They put down a "base" layer that has very course stones because it was cheaper and we where still building-didn't want the finish layer messed up by trucks or equipment, And we wanted take make sure it settled wherever it was going to settle...

Fast forward three years, the driveway has only slightly settled is two spots, and looked pretty good but it's starting to have lots of rocks come up, and when you blow it you can really see stones flying!

The estimate to get the finish coat 5K and that's just not in the budget this year...

So, can I seal it?
Will it re-bind the rocks?
What product is best?

Thanks for the help

BTDT · Mar 31, 2007

Maybe wait until it gets hot outside, and rent a roller and roll it back down. I think the box stores sell some kind of asphalt patch in bags like sakrete. Good luck.

dsgsr · Mar 31, 2007

I don't know about your part of the Country but here in Maine Most of the people who lay hot-top say not to seal it, As sealant keeps the asphalt soft and thats not what you want. It should be as hard as possible, Another way of looking at it is, do the States seal the highways? Not here in Maine.

David

DK35vince · Mar 31, 2007

Whats would it cost to get it Tar and Chipped? That would seal it up for a few years. By then maybe the finish coat would be in the budget.

Soundguy · Apr 3, 2007

I suggest slag. Down here in fl.. slag is hard stone.. not power plant refuse.

It is basically layers of stone.. starting with large, engine with pea gravel sized that have bitumen layered inbetween and a top coating that is then dusted with fines.. or sand..

Roads can ( and are) made of this.. driveways can last decades out of this. We have roads in my town that have this type of road on them for 20+ years.. I fthe base is good and stabil.. then the surface will be fine.

Soundguy

JCB · Apr 3, 2007

Kennyd,

This is my job (albiet airports only), so I know a little about it.

You want a sealer. Asphalt pavement is supposed to be flexible. As it ages, it loses its aromatic and volatile components to the atmosphere, becomes brittle and cracks.

You've basically got 2 kinds of sealers. Water-based or petroleum-based.
The water-based sealers, add an emulsifying agent to the asphalt so that it will essentially mix with water. The water evaporates and you're left with a coated asphalt surface. These types are least expensive.
A subcategory or water emulsions is coal tar emulsions. Coal tar emulsions are fuel spill resistant, but need more frequent reapplication to prevent small surface cracking. Just make sure you know what you're getting.

The petroleum-based types are essentially mixed in with gasoline. These types penetrate the surface and restore some of the volatile components that have been lost from the asphalt as it ages and oxidizes. As the more volatile components evaporate, you're again left with an asphalt coated surface. These types cost more, and are not used frequently. I think one of the biggest reasons for their disfavor is that we don't really like spraying petroleum products on the ground for runoff, and ultimately the atmosphere.

Chip seals work too (spray asphalt, spread chips, roll). Primarily they give better traction and wet condition safety.

The sealers won't do anything about your low spots. Sounds like that is a load related / poor sub-base condition. But for the rest of it you can ballpark about $0.25/sf for the water based, $0.35 for the petroleum based and, and $0.45 for the chip seals. A 2" asphalt overlay should run about $1.50 / sf, but petroleum prices keep going up.

Joe

dqdave1 · Apr 3, 2007

I don't think he should seal a base coat. That basecoat was intended to be topcoated as soon as possible. It is porious. and with time will detriorate to nothing. I think the suggestion to chip and seal ( hot asphalt and stones) would be chrap way right now. It needs topcoated. You did not mention what size base was installed. It is either 402 or 404 mix. 404 mix ( mostly #57 gravel) will last a little longer than larger soned 402 base; but neither was intended to sit without topcoat. In hind sight, you should of left gravel base till you could afford to do base coat and topcoat.

JCB · Apr 3, 2007

dqdave is right, I overlooked that he had a base asphalt layer.

Kennyd what are you running on that driveway? It's built like a highway!

Joe

Soundguy · Apr 4, 2007

I think youd be surprissed at how well slag roads hold up ( stone and aspahlt )

As i said. there are rodas around here that almost pass for asphalt.. that are slagged.. have been for decades. YMMV depending on region.. materials availble.. local construction techniques and regulations.

Down here we either use special MS asphalt emulsion ( water mix ).. or a tack coat.. hot asphalt ( no water ) mix... just depends on the application..

Soundguy

dqdave1 said:
I don't think he should seal a base coat. That basecoat was intended to be topcoated as soon as possible. It is porious. and with time will detriorate to nothing. I think the suggestion to chip and seal ( hot asphalt and stones) would be chrap way right now. It needs topcoated. You did not mention what size base was installed. It is either 402 or 404 mix. 404 mix ( mostly #57 gravel) will last a little longer than larger soned 402 base; but neither was intended to sit without topcoat. In hind sight, you should of left gravel base till you could afford to do base coat and topcoat.

dqdave1 · Apr 4, 2007

Florida roads do not have to stand up to frost heaving. I would bet that a Florida road put in Ohio would fall apart very quickly due to the winter salt and frost . Freezing and thawing play he-- with roads; especially roads that have bad bases or bases that hold moisture.