Here’s a couple pics I think show a lot. The pic on the left shows the overall condition of my drive. 95% of it (represented on the left) is from 1997. The pic on the right shows my cement skirt up to the garage. That was added along with the center transition asphalt piece at the same time and its half the age of the 24 year old asphalt on the left. Both sealed every 3-5 years.
Nobody could convince me sealing asphalt is not a good idea.
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Did I miss it? No one mention the cracks that come from freezing and tree roots?
I’m not sure how taping the cracks and dropping seal coat couldn’t help prevent this?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Paul D wrote:</div>
As with anything, you will always get two opinions, for or against.There definitely seems to be differing opinions on this subject. I would like to hear how it goes when you do it Paul, if you don’t mind re-posting. I just moved into this house about a month ago, so I really have no idea if and/or when it was last done. The driveway itself seems to be in pretty good shape right now, and I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible.
Grant, I have lived in this house since 1989, in 1991 the city added curb & gutter to the street. City was offering to replace driveways at the same time for a reduced cost to the homeowner. I opted for the driveway replacement, never saw a bill for it, didn’t go on my taxes. That really pissed off my neighbor, he was so cheap he didn’t want to “spend the money”, then I told him what happened, suffice it to say, he was not happy. Sure the city just buried the cost back into the budget for the street repair. So my current driveway is what 30 years old? Yeah it has some cracking and what not, but still very useable. I believe that when sealcoating, it fills in all the little chips/holes where the asphalt starts breaking apart. When those are all filled in the the surface is smooth, that’s what protects the asphalt from coming apart. Weather/rain appears to be holding off for a few days, so my plan is to go use the leaf blower on it after work, and then start dumping the juice on it.
I was planning to do it myself, but a company stopped by today and bid $240 on it. I will probably take the offer, if it was over $300 I would do it myself. Even if it doesn’t do much to extend the driveway life at least it will look good the next few years.
Talking about State and County sealing with chips. Around my area they just spread oil and dump chips or pea gravel on it, no rolling it. Vehicle traffic packs down the chips. This leads to 2 grooves in the road where the wheels travel and pack down the chips. Now when it rains these grooves hold water because they are low spots in the road. Yep welcome to hydroplaning. 
I hate seal coated roads.
P.S. Welcome to chipped paint and windshields!
Grant, here is before and after pictures.
After.jpg
Before.jpg
How’s the saying go, you can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig
Grant, here is before and after pictures.
That looks really nice Paul. Even if it doesn’t offer a whole lot of protection, it looks damn good.
Grant, here is before and after pictures.
My before and after look the same. Nobody will ever convince me that sealcoating doesn’t extend the life. My previous driveway was the same. If you left it you would continue to pick up rocks when snowblowing or shoveling, eventually you’d be digging up chunks of it at a time. The sealcoating fills in those gaps between the rocks and thus you’re snowblower/shovel is gliding smoothly over the surface.
I was planning to do it myself, but a company stopped by today and bid $240 on it. I will probably take the offer, if it was over $300 I would do it myself. Even if it doesn’t do much to extend the driveway life at least it will look good the next few years.
That’s a really low price. How big is your driveway?
I paid $.36 a sq foot for a 3130 sq foot driveway.
That’s a really low price. How big is your driveway?
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Thank you Grant, another bonus of putting on a fresh coat of sealer, when old man winter comes in, and you get those sunny days, the fresh black helps with snow/ice melt.
I do think a second coat needs to be put down, but looks like the forecast is calling for periods of rain in the coming week, so holding off on that.
Stout93, I agree, this winter the blower & shovel will now be gliding over the asphalt, instead of me getting up a good “push” going only for the shovel handle to stab me in the belly when the shovel gets stopped.
the fresh black helps with snow/ice melt.
Ya that’s an advantage that asphalt has over concrete. I do think that a concrete driveway is a better long term material, but the snow and ice don’t melt as quick in the winter off it.
That’s a really low price. How big is your driveway?
I was quoted 280 and 190 for a 3-car wide driveway that’s about 45 feet long (not sure on the math with sq footage). A couple of my neighbors had theirs done this past week and it looks to be very nicely done so I am going to use the one they used. Their driveways actually had some cracks to fill too. Mine has none.
Grant, here is before and after pictures.
That looks very nice Paul
Thank you Ron, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY 
I’m going regret getting back in this but at least I found out there’s a party I should crash!
Happy Birthday Ron!
For what it’s worth at this point:
Fog Seal: A Emulsion Blend that’s suppose keep the Binders in the Pavement stable….. Looks like someone painted the asphalt black, it comes off on a few weeks and makes a huge mess.
Crack Seal: Emulsion binder that is applied to the crack in the asphalt to keep water from penetrating and undermining the Asphalt and Base…. Good to do every year or so if they are noticeable.
Slurry seal: An Emulsion blend of oils and Slurry that binds/smooths/and rejuvenates the Asphalt it can add 10 years to a road before a full repair is needed…. Good stuff and relatively inexpensive when compared to having to rebuild it.
Well I had mine sealed earlier this week and it turned out fantastic. The company was very flexible and came 3 days after I requested. I know some of you think its only for looks and offers zero protection but after looking at it up close in person, I think there is some benefit to protecting the surface.
I just got almost 3 inches of rain in just over an hour last night and the water was flowing over it like a river lol
driveway.jpg
Hot rubber crack filling before helps a lot also, people forget about that part of the seal coating.
I am in the process of resealing my asphalt driveway with concrete today. I can’t express how happy and excited I am. I didn’t mind resealing it myself in the past. I thought it was kind of fun. It was just so wavy it had to go.
I am in the process of resealing my asphalt driveway with concrete today. I can’t express how happy and excited I am. I didn’t mind resealing it myself in the past. I thought it was kind of fun. It was just so wavy it had to go.
Just drove by and noticed. When it’s complete lemme know and I’ll come by and spill some Corona on it for you. It’s good sealer. 
Blacktop is a mixture of sand aggregate and oil, when your surface is rough the rocks will stick up, which means the oil has separated from the rock or aggregate..It’s time to reseal to get the rock surrounded with oil. Now if you have open cracks time to seal them. It’s the oil that seals the blacktop the only reason the state or county puts rock down so folks can drive on the oil over the road. We used to wait at least 5 years on a new road before sealing, Now crack filling is another matter, fill those cracks, water is the number 1 enemy of a road. DK.
I am in the process of resealing my asphalt driveway with concrete today. I can’t express how happy and excited I am. I didn’t mind resealing it myself in the past. I thought it was kind of fun. It was just so wavy it had to go.
That’s the only way to do it right.
Blacktop is a mixture of sand aggregate and oil, when your surface is rough the rocks will stick up, which means the oil has separated from the rock or aggregate..It’s time to reseal to get the rock surrounded with oil. Now if you have open cracks time to seal them. It’s the oil that seals the blacktop the only reason the state or county puts rock down so folks can drive on the oil over the road. We used to wait at least 5 years on a new road before sealing, Now crack filling is another matter, fill those cracks, water is the number 1 enemy of a road. DK.
The only thing you got right in the whole post was the part about filling cracks.
Oil does not separate from the rocks. It’s already solidified so how the hell would it separate from the rock?
And the only reason for putting rock on the oil is so you can drive on it. Wrong again.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>catmando wrote:</div>
Blacktop is a mixture of sand aggregate and oil, when your surface is
rough the rocks will stick up, which means the oil has separated from the rock or aggregate..It’s time to reseal to get the rock surrounded with oil. Now if you have open cracks time to seal them. It’s the oil that seals the blacktop the only reason the state or county puts rock down so folks can drive on the oil over the road. We used to wait at least 5 years on a new road before sealing, Now crack filling is another matter, fill those cracks, water is the number 1 enemy of a road. DK.The only thing you got right in the whole post was the part about filling cracks.
Oil does not separate from the rocks. It’s already solidified so how the hell would it separate from the rock?
And the only reason for putting rock on the oil is so you can drive on it. Wrong again.
35 years of working on Highways, the post is factual, The sand and oil lets loose “wear” making the road rough and the bigger aggregate stick up. When you seal coat a road, the rock is only there so can drive on the road, It’s the oil that seals the surface. If this was not the case you would never have to seal a road .. Far as driveways, if it’s smooth it’s really not necessary to seal. If this wasn’t the case blacktop would last forever. Fill the cracks. DK.
Rodwork wrote:
I am in the process of resealing my asphalt driveway with concrete today. I can’t express how happy and excited I am. I didn’t mind resealing it myself in the past. I thought it was kind of fun. It was just so wavy it had to go.That’s the only way to do it right.
And looks so nice. Will be done today. 
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