How to Choose the Best Sealer for your Asphalt Driveway

by Kevin Smith Author

Sealing your asphalt driveway is important to maintain it in good condition and extend its lifespan. There are several types and grades of sealer available on the market. How do you choose? To know which kind is suited to perfectly protect your pavement, take a look at the advantages and drawbacks. Let’s begin.

Coal Tar

These have been king and considered the best driveway sealer for the past 20 years. Made from coal tar and other additives, they are easy to apply, durable, long-lasting, and resistant to the elements, gasoline, oil, and water. However, they contain high amounts of volatile organic compounds, strong fumes, and odors, which are hazardous to the health and the environment. They also can become very hard, brittle, and unable to flex with the asphalt, once fully cured. They no longer contract and expand, at about three months in from the time of application, so they are prone to spider web cracks.

Asphalt

As the name suggests, these are asphalt-based. They are more expensive than the previous sealer. You will need to re-apply them more frequently, but they are much safer to your health and the environment. They are also more durable, once fully cured, because they have more solid content and are more flexible than the previous. They are also better absorbed by the asphalt, because they are made from the same material, contracting and expanding at the same rate so there are lesser cracks.

It will take around 30 minutes, up to one day, for them to be absorbed and dry completely. Some brands dry within four to eight hours, so inspect the product specifications and drying-time. The amount of sunlight and temperature will also affect how fast it sets. Make sure there are no puddles or pools when you apply it. You can also make them dry faster by blowing fans on them.

Acrylic

These are made from acrylic and other synthetic materials. They offer the same protection as coal tar, but contain lower volatile organic compounds, making them safer. They also have a longer lifespan than the two previous sealers; you will only have to re-apply every seven years. They also come in many colors, such as green, red, black, or clear options.

However, they are expensive. You cannot use this type of sealant if you previously coated your driveway with coal tar or latex. They are not suitable for all surfaces. You also can’t use them on pavements with spider cracks or areas with little sunlight or under the shade.

Fast-Dry

These types are suited for high-traffic driveways, businesses, and public areas, like hospitals, gas stations, major roads, and parking lots. They are fully cured within less than an hour, and penetrate deep into the asphalt, creating a tough bond and stronger finished product. However, they are costly. You may choose to apply them to repair critically damaged areas and then follow the application with a more affordable sealer.

If you want to protect your asphalt pavement from the wear and tear of traffic, snow, freezing weather, rain, sun, wind, and other elements, choose the best driveway sealer.