Anybody seal coated a drive way recently?

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Driveway guy that laid the blacktop 15 years ago wants over $700

Big box store has buckets on sale for about $35 with an extra discount for 5 or more. Last time I did it, I used 7 buckets, but a couple of them were 'bonus' buckets with 7 gallons. Given that, I might need 8 or 9, so maybe $350 or so. Plus all the labor to do it which I don't have a lot of any more.

Driveway guy is a hot material spray on, oil based. Buckets are cold brush on, water based.

 

[sdifox]

Tar emulsion works better since it reflows the asphalt.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I don't think it's hot enough to really do that, though it might do it chemically.

But that's my issue. $350 or more for latex based buckets with a 10 year warranty (yeah, right!) plus a whole lot of sweat equity. Or $700 for them to do it while I watch.

Which will last longer, knowing I don't have a whole lot of years left.

 

[sdifox]

I don't think it's hot enough to really do that, though it might do it chemically.

But that's my issue. $350 or more for latex based buckets with a 10 year warranty (yeah, right!) plus a whole lot of sweat equity. Or $700 for them to do it while I watch.

Which will last longer, knowing I don't have a whole lot of years left.

It's chemical reaction. Coal Tar emulsion has been banned in several jurisdictions though.

 

[Dranoche]

Both will probably give you 5-10 years on appearance.

Of all modern seal coats, Coal tar will be the cheapest and will last the shortest. Coal tar will set relatively fast and is the most resistant to fuel and oil, but will fade relatively fast and multiple coats are prone to generating cracking as they oxidize and shrink. Asphalt emulsions retain color better and are more flexible, no/low VOC, but low resistance to fuel and oil. They'll be more expensive than coal tar. Rejuvenators can help to penetrate the surface of the pavement and restore some degree of flexibility by mitigating some of the surface oxidation. They're more expensive and you won't find them in a box store. Petroleum resins are the similar to asphalt-based products but with better resistance to fuel and oil, and are also relatively expensive and won't be available in a box store.

"Oil-based" is probably an actual oil sealer, which is cheap, high VOC, and possesses low resistance to petroleum products and UV. They've been banned in many places due to the VOCs and runoff potential. It might give some small rejuvenator-like effects in restoring flexibility, but will probably stink like hell for at least a week after application. I would pick a good coal tar sealer over this.

Ask the driveway guy what the product is and look up the safety data sheet to see what's actually in it. Check the SDS on the buckets as well.

A sprayed on product isn't necessarily better than a brushed or squeegeed product. Spraying is certainly faster for large areas. As long as the product goes down per the manufacturer's recommendations for temperature, surface preparation, and application you should be good.