For Quality Sealcoating OR Is The Way To Go

By Dorothy Cole


Sealcoat is a thin film of black material, which gets applied to paved surfaces. The name sealant is often used to refer to it too. The material is used for improving the aesthetic appeal of the paved surfaces it is applied. However, its chemical composition has proved to be dangerous to human and animal life as well as the environment. The material is a bituminous liquid mixture. When one is in need of services that perform sealcoating OR should be the place to visit.

Today, three key types of sealcoats are manufactured. These three types include coal tar-based, asphalt-based, and acrylic sealcoats. The final finish the material imparts onto the surface it is applied is deep black in color. Research categorizes asphalt-based sealcoat as friendlier to the environment as well as animals and human beings. On the other hand, coal tar-based sealcoat contains a lot of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which makes it a huge environmental pollutant. It is also cancer causative agent when inhaled for a long time.

This substance finds a lot of use on high-friction surfaces of various types, especially those that have a lot of human and vehicular traffic. The material serves various purposes. The first application is that it acts as a protective layer, ensuring that petroleum products such as automobile oils and gasoline do not react with road surfaces. When applied, the substance prevents further reaction and damage from happening.

Sealcoats are not crack-filling agents and should not be used for filling cracks on surfaces. All cracks on the surface will have to be filled before the sealcoat is applied. Another purpose served by the substance is that of acting as an anti-skid surface. Sealcoats have anti-skid properties that help to improve the level of friction on surfaces so that vehicles and people do not slip while moving on them.

The sealcoat must be applied once in a few years for the cover to remain consistent. There are many factors that wear away the sealcoat on surface over time. Such factors include friction from traffic, rainfall, strong winds, and snow plowing and shoveling. Wear is highest in sections of the road with the highest traffic. Speed of wear determines frequency of application.

As the sealcoat wears off surfaces, it ends up in various water bodies such as lakes, ponds, and rivers. There, it may negatively affect aquatic life or even end up in the ecosystem in some cases. Flakes of the sealcoat may also be blown into other places like lawns and homes. Flakes that end up in homes are very dangerous because they increase interior PAH levels and people inhale the dangerous fumes.

The application process is done using various methods. In one method, a squeegee is used to apply using hands. Another method uses a self-propelled squeegee machine while another one uses a pressurized spray equipment. The machine must maintain continuous agitation for the maintenance of consistency in the sealcoat mix.

Usually, surfaces are applied with two layers of the material. After the first coat is applied, some minutes are allowed before applying the second one. The surface remains unusable until a 24-48-hour curing period has elapsed. The surfaces needs to be cleaned and then dried well before application.




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