Your new asphalt parking lot is a big investment, and getting it just the way you wanted it took a lot of time and work. So, the best way to protect that investment is with a good sealcoat. But what’s the best blacktop sealer to keep that clean, shiny, black asphalt-looking brand new? This is what you need to know.
The best sealer for asphalt is one that keeps your lot safe
Let’s be honest: there are a lot of different blacktop sealers on the market. Each one keeps your asphalt from breaking down over time pretty well, but there are some big differences between them. It can be hard to compare sealers directly because the companies that make them use their own secret recipes, but there are some general rules you can follow.
First of all, the best sealer for blacktop is probably one that has a filled-sealer formula. These asphalt sealers have more solid ingredients that fill in tiny cracks and holes left over from the paving process. This makes them better at protecting the asphalt from the weather than sealers with fewer solids. One more way to tell if a sealer is good is if it comes with a longer warranty than others. Even the best sealer for blacktop will wear out over time, so sealers with longer warranties are usually better.
Other ways that good and bad sealcoating products are different
When looking for the best blacktop sealer, you should look at the type of fill and the length of the warranty. There are also other things to think about. One is the cost of the sealer as a whole, either per bucket or per job, depending on how your paving contractor does business. Though this isn’t always the case, sealers that cost more tend to last longer and cover more area. When hiring a paver to sealcoat your driveway, you should always get estimates from at least two different companies so you can compare prices.
Be aware that in the long run, it might cost more to do it yourself than to hire a professional to sealcoat your asphalt. Paving companies can buy professional-grade sealers in large quantities, while you can only get them in 5-gallon buckets at your local hardware store. This means that if you hire a contractor, you might be able to get a better sealer for less money.
Don't do it on your own; get help from experts
Even with the information here, it can still be hard to choose the best asphalt sealer for your parking lot or driveway. Getting the right balance between cost and effectiveness isn’t easy, and neither is putting a sealcoat on yourself. Because of this, it’s best to leave it to the pros.
For sealcoating, it’s always best to hire a local paving contractor who has years of experience sealing asphalt against the weather. Not only will they get the job done right, but it will probably cost less than if you did it yourself. We call that a win-win situation.
