How Do You Sealcoat An Asphalt Driveway That Receives Large Amounts Of Shade?
Sealcoating your home's asphalt driveway will help lengthen its lifespan by protecting it from the sun. Ultraviolet light from the sun and oxygen in the air will cause the surface of an asphalt driveway to oxidize, turning the asphalt brittle. Brittle asphalt is more prone to developing cracks and potholes. Asphalt sealcoat provides a protective layer over the surface of your driveway, slowing down the oxidation process.
Sealcoating an asphalt driveway is a simple process that involves spraying sealcoat over the driveway and waiting for it to dry. If your driveway is heavily shaded, however, then sealcoating your driveway can be more complicated. Excess shade can prevent the sealcoat from curing properly. To learn more about how shade affects asphalt sealcoating and how you can sealcoat a heavily shaded driveway, read on.
Why Does Shade Pose a Problem for Asphalt Sealcoating?
Asphalt sealcoat is manufactured with a high water content, which allows it to spread easily and completely coat the surface of an asphalt driveway. After the asphalt sealcoat is applied to the driveway, all of the moisture in the sealcoat will evaporate as it cures and binds to the driveway's surface.
If an area of your driveway is in full shade throughout the entire day, the water in the asphalt sealcoat won't evaporate quickly enough. The sealcoat won't cure properly, and it will remain semi-liquid instead of binding to the asphalt surface. The semi-liquid asphalt may stick to your shoes or the tires of your car, and it will typically have a gray appearance instead of the normal deep black appearance of an asphalt sealcoat. Since it's not bound to the asphalt, the sealcoat will eventually be washed away by the rain, leaving your driveway vulnerable to ultraviolet light from the sun.
How Do You Sealcoat a Driveway That Has Fully Shaded Areas?
If you can't remove the source of the shade (for example, by temporarily taking down a carport that's shading your driveway), then you'll need to use a fast-dry additive when sealcoating your driveway. Fast-dry additives are normally used when contractors sealcoat parking lots since they allow the parking lot to be opened to vehicle traffic more quickly. However, they can also be used to solve problems with full shade on your driveway.
When you put a fast-dry additive in an asphalt sealcoat, it causes a chemical reaction that eliminates moisture. It's no longer reliant on evaporation. The sealcoat will cure properly even in areas with full shade, ensuring that all of the sealcoat bonds properly to your asphalt driveway and won't be washed away by rain.
If you have a heavily shaded driveway and want to sealcoat it in order to protect it, contact an asphalt sealcoating service in your area that will put a fast-dry additive in the sealcoat. Using an additive will raise the cost of sealcoating your driveway, but it will ensure that the job won't be affected by the lack of sunlight that your driveway receives.
Reach out to a company that offers asphalt sealcoating services to learn more.