A new blacktop parking lot looks great. The black is much more attractive than the ugly gray of concrete, and it provides great contrast for the parking space stripes that crisscross the space. This appearance can easily be maintained by regular sealcoating. Sealcoating in Columbus will also protect the asphalt from deterioration caused by the weather, fluids that leak from cars, and wear.
Even though many companies offer sealcoating, the end result is not the same. That’s because some companies use superior methods and coating materials, while others will use methods that only do a superficial job. Corner-cutting companies will also cut their sealants beyond the recommended amount, which results in a seal that is thin and short-lived.
Good blacktop companies will start with a sealer that can not only do the job, but stand up to ongoing wear. This sealer strength begins with a good product such as SealMaster, but is improved by the addition of more sand than is the industry norm. Most companies only use 2-4 pounds of sand per gallon, but ones like Hill’s Blacktop use 5-7 pounds per gallon. This transfers the wear to the sand rather than the sealer itself.
Another good practice is the use of a squeegee machine rather than a sprayer. The squeegee forces the sealant down into the minute crevasses of the asphalt, but a sprayer only applies sealer to the very top of the pavement. Needless to say, squeegeed sealer provides much more protection and has a better bond with the underlying surface.
While good practices do much to improve the value and durability of sealcoating in Columbus, there are a few things customers should have done first in order to get the best possible results. One important preliminary step is to have asphalt cracks fixed. Proper crack filling provides more resistance to re-cracking than plain sealer can.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the locations of old parking lots stripes will show through since the paint has increased the surface height. Therefore, while changing the stripe layout is possible, the best visual results will come from painting new stripes exactly where the old ones were. Keeping these things in mind will help ensure that your newly-sealed parking lot is not only better protected, but looks great as well.
