Sealcoating is a time consuming and messy job. Thankfully, some professionals will come and sealcoat for you if you prefer. They have the tools and knowhow to do the job fast. However, sealcoating is not a complex task—learning it will only take a couple of days. If you choose to do it yourself, you’ll need to buy the necessary tools. Chances are you won’t have many of them at your immediate disposal, so know there will be some overhead involved.
Prepare for the Job
Assemble all your tools ahead of time so you are ready to go. You don’t want to interrupt the project with trips to the hardware store because you forgot something. At a minimum, you will need a bucket of sealer and a squeegee or brush. If you plan on sealing your driveway more than once, it may be worth investing in other tools that make the job easier. So, what tools do you needed to seal a driveway? You should obtain the following:
- Stiff bristled broom
- Paintbrush – for edges
- Squeegee
- Sealer
- Gloves
- Patching compound
- Oil stain remover
How to Seal a Driveway
Once you have all the tools, it’s time to get to work. The first thing you need to do is to check the weather. Pick a day when the temperature will be between 50 and 90 degrees and there is no rain in the future forecast. Drying will take two days, which is why it’s so important to make sure it won’t rain during that period. Next, clear the driveway of all debris—get rid of the dust, gravel, dirt, and leaves. Further, make sure you repair any cracks before sealing the asphalt so water and debris can’t get in. You wouldn’t put a band-aid on a cut before cleaning it, and you shouldn’t seal a driveway with huge cracks.
Once you patch up the pavement, it’s time to apply the sealer. Mix the sealant in multiple buckets and strategically place them around the driveway. This way, when one is empty, you can easily move on to the next without breaking your stride. Spread the sealer evenly over the entire driveway and let it dry. Afterward, you can use the empty buckets to create a barrier at the end of the driveway to signal cars and people to stay off the driveway. Further, if you see any spots that look like they could benefit from a second coat, go ahead and apply one. And remember: let the sealer dry for a minimum of two days before driving on it.
3 Responses
I thought it was interesting how you said that you should have a paintbrush for the edges. I didn’t think about how it could be a good idea to have something like that for something like sealing your driveway. It makes sense now that I think about it, since it seems it could help with being precise.
It’s great that you explained which tools are needed to seal coat a driveway. My brother wants to renovate his driveway and add a seal coat to it. I do believe it’d be better if my brother hired a professional for driveway remodels, so I’ll suggest it. I appreciate your advice on preparing a driveway before seal coating it.
Thanks for the information! Really appreciate it when somebody takes their time and making an easy-to-understand article I’m starting from the ground up in seal coating this year!