OT: Asphalt Driveway Sealing, yea or nay? DIY or Professional?
- Thread starter Langmuir
- Start date
Get a pro. But not like Robert Kraft did.
Professional. Do it. If you don’t it will crack, and ice will form in the cracks making it worse. I get mine done about every third year or so. Get a group of neighbors together and usually get a nice discount.
Do it! Get a pro as they pressure seal it. If you do it. you just roll it on and its a top coat not a seal. You can negotiate with the contractor to do it when he can fit it in his schedule.
And the amount of time it takes them will be less than it takes to get your boots on, lid off the can and pick up the broom.
And honestly doesn’t cost that much more. And not nearly as messy.
I second this notion. Get some quotes, check out reviews, and then hire a professional. If it has never been sealed in 4 years you're lucky that you haven't had damage due to things like ice as MJG said.
Well in my case the driveway is ~200 ft long, has a turn and is on somewhat of a hill. So if I get a crack on the side that is on the downward slope of a hill it can accelerate that part of the driveway crumbling away.
Keeping it sealed helps to slow that process and delay any major repairs I may need.
I get it.
But at the same time, I've seen people get there driveway completely redone with asphalt, and cracks come.
More funny was thistle that somehow grew through, even where there were no cracks.
It’s not about keeping it pristine. It’s about keeping it from falling apart and needing replaced. Sealing it every few years is a lot cheaper than replacing it every 25 years.
Probably cost around $0.15 - $0.20 per sq ft: your drive is 200+/- x 12' =
2400 sf x (0.15 or 0.20) ~ $400
If I hand brush a good oil based sealer I get 3 or 4 years. I've had 3 commercial guys spray it and the best I can get is 2 years. http://www.asphaltproductsco.com/ Is a good PA made company to deal with. Check your local lumber yard or hardware store to see if they handle them. The box stores will probably just carry the water base product.
Get it sealed.
Depends on how hard its used. I get mine sealed every 4 years. Prevent turning your wheels while sitting still.
Last edited:
Nice. How's that sumbitch hold up under constant rain, snow, and freezing/thawing?
Looks like it would be a 3 dimensional jigsaw puzzle from hell.
That looks quite nice, and expensive too boot. I have a walkway in my backyard that looks like that. Living in Eastern, PA, I need to go over the walkway at least every two years with a light coating of expandable/sealing sand, sweep it so it falls into the "grooves", then wet it with a hose. I dont get too much movement or separation of the stones, even with the cold, snow, and ice.
Interesting, but that's a driveway right? Would it not be a little different if you drove your vehicles on your walkway?
no, driveway: base...10"-12" of compacted stone aggregate graded for drainage, 4"-6" non-compacted sand. Install the foundation correctly, you should have a stable drive.
Last edited:
In Edwardsville, PA in the early 60's, we still had brick roads throught the town, eventually over the years they were paved over.
Asphalt must be replaced every 15 years (+/-) and bricks will last more than 100 years, bricks are less expensive over the life-cycle of the street. If the life of asphalt pavement downtown is only 15 years, the streets would need to be repaved more than 6 times in 100 years.
As a state, West Virginia has had many “firsts.”
One of those is being home to the first brick-paved street in the United States.
According to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, in 1870 a Charleston man by the name of Mordecai Levi had an idea that would improve the hard-packed dirt streets of the city.
Nancy Wilson Cassady, one of Levi’s granddaughters, wrote a letter to the Centennial Commission of West Virginia on June 7, 1962, explaining why Levi started paving with bricks and how it was done. She wrote that Levi wanted something that wouldn’t turn to mud in the spring like dirts roads would. As the Division of Culture and History explained, this was a time when horses and carriages were popular and automobiles were decades away.
That year was also the year Levi experimented with brick roads by paving Summers Street in Charleston. He finished the block in 1873.
Cassady mentioned in her letter that Dr. John Hale paid for the brick. Hale had applied to the city council for permission to lay the brick at his own expense.
Levi later got a patent for the paving method he invented. That was after he changed the way of preparing the planks used under the bricks and sand, improving the method.
No as step.eng mentions above, like a driveway, there is a bed of compacted stone underneath my walkway. Cant remember if they laid sand down underneath, or just between the stones.
It's ten years old and has held up quite well, considering the weather, Southern exposure, and me driving over the wooden side rails with my riding mower.
My WV town has a side street by the courthouse that is brick. It heaves and humps and waves and wobbles, luckily, only for a block or so.In Edwardsville, PA in the early 60's, we still had brick roads throught the town, eventually over the years they were paved over.
Asphalt must be replaced every 15 years (+/-) and bricks will last more than 100 years, bricks are less expensive over the life-cycle of the street. If the life of asphalt pavement downtown is only 15 years, the streets would need to be repaved more than 6 times in 100 years.
As a state, West Virginia has had many “firsts.”
One of those is being home to the first brick-paved street in the United States.
According to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, in 1870 a Charleston man by the name of Mordecai Levi had an idea that would improve the hard-packed dirt streets of the city.
Nancy Wilson Cassady, one of Levi’s granddaughters, wrote a letter to the Centennial Commission of West Virginia on June 7, 1962, explaining why Levi started paving with bricks and how it was done. She wrote that Levi wanted something that wouldn’t turn to mud in the spring like dirts roads would. As the Division of Culture and History explained, this was a time when horses and carriages were popular and automobiles were decades away.
That year was also the year Levi experimented with brick roads by paving Summers Street in Charleston. He finished the block in 1873.
Cassady mentioned in her letter that Dr. John Hale paid for the brick. Hale had applied to the city council for permission to lay the brick at his own expense.
Levi later got a patent for the paving method he invented. That was after he changed the way of preparing the planks used under the bricks and sand, improving the method.
A
anon_1eeb2b426hv3y
Guest
So what about one that’s got cracks and some holes? Is it possible to repair the cracks and holes? Would sealing help anything? Or at that point does it just make sense to take a look and see until it has to be replaced?
I am going to completely rebuild my driveway this spring or summer. My driveway has been slowly deteriorating the past few years. Last year I had a pool constructed and the numerous concrete trucks, etc that entered my property pretty much finished off the asphalt. It needs to be completely rebuilt from the base up.
I would like to expand my parking area. However, there is a 4" underground PVC pipe that runs under the proposed expansion area. This pipe collects rain water from a few downspouts and runs to a pop-up emitter in my yard. I would like to pave over this pipe but it could only be buried a few inches below grade due to slope. Is there anyway to bridge over this pipe.....slap concrete around it or put a steel plate over it and then build the driveway over it?
I'll have a contractor come out and look at it but just wondering if this would be feasible.
jdm,
The underlying cause of any deteriorated material, wood, concrete, steel, asphalt must be determined first, then a viable remedial treatment can be determined. Ergo, have someone assess the extent of distress in the driveway and potential causes.
LINK:
https://www.angieslist.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-install-asphalt-driveway.htm
How Much Does Asphalt Patching Cost?
Asphalt patching costs $100 to $300 to cover typical cracks. Keep in mind that quarter-inch shallow cracks are easily repairable. However, large cracks can be a sign of bigger problems.
Wide or connected cracks called "alligator cracks" can mean sub-base damage. When this is the case, you might need reconstruction or replacement. These are more extensive procedures. Contact a professional about patches on more severe cracks.
How Much Does Pothole Repair Cost?
Pothole repair runs $100 to $300, assuming a four-inch depth and around 25 to 80 square feet. Small contracting companies with less overhead are more likely to tackle jobs like this. Bigger companies usually work on jobs totalling $1,000 or more with more square feet.
The price to fix potholes depends on how many there are, asphalt market price and fuel needed to haul it. Double check prices in your area before making the decision to repair.
How Much Does Infrared Repair Cost?
Infrared repair can be up to 50 percent less per square foot than traditional methods. It recycles the original pavement and requires less manpower. The process heats existing asphalt to about 325 degrees F, making it workable to easily fix holes and smooth the surface finish.
Infrared repairs can take as little as 4 minutes per square foot. This is a tempting fix. But, it has limits and specific applications. Get a pro on-site to evaluate and find out if it's right for your project.
How Much Does Hot-Mix Repair Cost?
Hot-mix repair is costs between $100 to $500. It means excavating damaged areas, compacting or adding base rock and filling the hole with hot-mix asphalt. The project total will depend on the size of the hole.
How Much Does Cold Patch Repair Cost?
Some people fix issues themselves. For instance, cracks less than a quarter-inch wide or potholes two square feet or smaller. They often use cold asphalt aggregate or cold patch found in stores. A 50-pound bag of aggregate can cost as little as $10. Small potholes are candidates for DIY. The materials can run you $10 to $50 depending on job size.
“If it’s something very small, very minor, then you could use cold mix on it," says Harry Gorman, owner of Rocky Mountain Asphalt Service of Denver, Colorado. But if you’re getting into anything that would take over a couple hundred pounds of asphalt, then I would definitely switch to hot mix, 100 percent.”
Not NERD Speak Ro, simple googling. You know Nerd talk concerning asphalt is too hot & smelly.
http://www.asphaltinstitute.org/eng...and-rehabilitation/pavement-distress-summary/
Pavement Distress Summary
DISTRESS POSSIBLE CAUSE MAINTENANCE SUGGESTIONS
Pot Hole
Weak pavement, surface, base, subgrade
- Thin surface
- Excess or deficient fines
- Poor drainage
Base Failure
- Consolidation of subgrade
- Overload in area
- Lack of lateral support
- Poor drainage
Raveling
- Lack of compaction
- Constructed in cold or wet weather
- Dirty aggregate
- Dry mix
- Over heating mix
Bleeding
- Excess asphalt
- Low air voids
- Excess prime or tack
Corrugations
- Plastic mixture
- Low air voids
- Excessive asphalt or fines
- Unstable base material
Depressions
- Consolidation of subgrade
- Poor construction
- Poor drainage
Alligator Cracks
- Weak surface, base or subgrade
- Thin surface or base
- Poor drainage
Dry Surface/Cracking
- Old and dried out mix
- Mix was placed too dry
Edge Cracks
- Lack of lateral support
- Settlement of underlying material
- Shrinkage of drying out soil
Edge Joint Cracks
- Wetting and drying beneath shoulder surface
- Poor shoulder drainage due to a sholder higher than main pavement
- Depression in pavement edge
- Shoulder settlement, mix shrinkage and trucks straddling the joint.
Slippage Cracks
- Lack of a good bond between surface layer and the course beneath
- Lack of bond due to dust, oil, dirt, rubber, water and other non-adhesive material
- Tack coat has not been used
- Mixture has a high sand content
Rutting
- Results from consolidation or lateral movement under traffic
- Displacement in the asphalt surface layer
- New asphalt pavements with too little compaction during construction
- Plastic fines in mix that does not have enough stability to support traffic. (high -200 material causing low air voids)
Remove plastic mix by milling and replace with stable win.
Loss of Aggregate on Surface Treatments
- Not spread immediately (1 minute)
- Asphalt may have cooled to much
- Aggregate too dusty or too wet when spread
- Not rolled immediately after placing it may not become seated
- Steel-wheeled roller alone was used for compaction
- Weather too cool when treatment applied
- Fast traffic too soon after application
Longitudinal Streaking
- Spray bar not set at correct height
- Nozzle on spray bar not set at the correct angle
- Wrong asphalt pump seed
- Asphalt too cold
- Pump pressure too low
Moisture Damage (stripping) Identified by pavement shoving, bleeding or rutting
- Moisture in pavement by high voids/low density, usually trapped in lower or intermediate layer
- Excessive minus 200 material high fines/asphalt ratio
Transverse uniform crack spaces
- Low temperature thermal cracking, asphalt grade is too hard for climatic conditions.
Pour with ASTM 3405 joint material.
A
anon_1eeb2b426hv3y
Guest
Come on, player. You of all people should know the ladies like 1/3 nerd!
Yes, practical CFL, providing the continuity and consolidation of the mix material is not interrupted. The depth of the conduit, not providing suitable encasement protection, is the key to eliminating a weak area across the paved area. I don’t know the geometry (vertical/horiz) of your proposed construction, but, are you convinced that the conduit can’t be lowered to a suitable depth below finished grade.
We all know that ro exposes hisCome on, player. You of all people should know the ladies like 1/3 nerd!
I loved the charm of slowing down and going over the cobblestone streets of south hills Pittsburgh,nothing like it as a kid.
I’m starting to have a warm, sexual sensation in my groin area.
