Blacktop Sealer

[6sunset6]

I guess not too many people in rural areas have blacktop driveways. I do. It is 16 years old, 3.5 inches of dense binder.
I should have put town geotextile before I ever started the driveway, but I didn't. It is in really good shape, a few cracks here and there , that I chase with crack filler. The surface is rough and loses stones here and there. My question is why do people do this blacktop sealer thing? They don't do it on public roads. Both roads and driveways are finished with a fine mix. I do know that oil and gas spills will eat out the asphalt so I have sealed 20ft in front of my garage, just for drips. The sealer is a water based emulsion and does protect the asphalt from gas and oil. But why do people do the whole thing? And not roads. They just sealed the firehouse parking lot down the road. Looks like over an acre.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Driveway sealers used to be a coal tar product that resisted fuel and oil drips and were a good option for parking areas but coal tar has been deemed a carcinogen and banned. The presently used emulsion product is just asphalt cement mixed with water and a little soap under pressure, as oil and water don't like to mix. When you spread it out it "breaks" turns brown in color and the water evaporates leaving the black asphalt cement behind. It as you say doesn't resist fuel drips but it dose seal up small cracks and covers over the old asphalt shielding it from the sun which is what ages asphalt through oxidation.
It is a cheap quick fix that fits into many home owners budgets better then a 5/8" overlay of fine mix which will do the same job plus fill in any depressions that have formed. The emulsion just paints over whatever shape the drive is in so if you have pot holes fix them first ,then seal.

 

[MrPete]

Your driveway doesn't get the travel that the road gets either. Ashalt moves under the pressure of a lot of traffic to help it keep grass/crack free.

 

[Western]

Coal tar emulsion has only been banned in a few areas Like Austin Tx, Washington D.C.. A couple of states are considering a ban. Good shoer article here. Alternative asphalt sealants getting mixed reviews | The Columbus Dispatch

Heres a good explanation, easier to copy than type it all out since it covers it pretty well. Reseal asphalt driveway to prevent visible wear and tear by James Dulley on Creators.com - A Syndicate Of Talent

Some highways do get re-sealed, but if you factor how many roads would need it and compare to the budget they have, then compare to other road projects well.... I wouldn't' care for your driveway at your expense, like the DOT has to.

If you have a large driveway, you can save good some money buying the sealer in bulk, companies like Gem-seal and Sealmaster sell it by the tank, 55 gal drum or what ever, consider adding sand as an aggregate to the mix too, ask the dealer for specifics and they can give you proper ratios. Sand will extend the wear of the surface when added to the seal mix. (allot of contractors skip this important part) Putting it down with a spray pump is easiest (to me) but you can do it with a decent squeegee if it is for your own use.

 

[4shorts]

Sealing driveways is a big deal around here. There's tons of guys going around all summer doing it. I built my own machine years ago to apply the sealer and it works great. It do keep the pavement in great shape and keeps the water from getting down in the small cracks then freezing and causing more damage. It also helps prevent any major problems if there's a fuel spill and that can happen considering I run a repair shop behind my home. For any large cracks ill go over it with a melter machine. I'll put the rubber block in the melter and preheat to 400 degrees then spread it in the cracks. It flows in like water and a hour later its part of the pavement. After the cracks are done I seal the whole driveway and it looks new again.
Here's a few pics. If they are sideways it's because I'm posting this mobile

 

[4shorts]

A few more shots.

 

[vtsnowedin]

A few more shots.

Nice job. Your driveway or a customers?

 

[4shorts]

Nice job. Your driveway or a customers?

Thanks. It's ours.