Overlay And Sealcoats
Asphalt driveways obviously look the best when they are fresh and black. Over time, asphalt can't fade and stain. Basically, it needs to be refinished every once in a while if you want it to look new. There are a few different ways that you can refinish asphalt surfaces. Most people don't want to actually do any work on their ready mix in asphalt because it is messy and difficult. In actuality, it can be quite simple if you use certain methods. If you want to fix it yourself, you can apply a seal coat.
Sealcoating Your Asphalt
A seal coat finish is going to be the easiest and cheapest fix but is also going to be the most temporary. That is, you will need to reapply the seal coat finish every few years. Whenever you are working on asphalt, it is going to be difficult because you need to bend down to do a lot of the labor.
You can make the job a little easier if you invest in a squeegee broom. It is basically a large squeegee on a long broomstick, which enables you to spread out most of the seal coat without having to bend down. Squeegee brooms have a wider blade, making the job go much quicker than using handheld tools.
Basically, the process for applying seal coat involves pouring it on to the surface and then spreading it out with the broom. Sealcoat is a watery gel, that will more or less level itself out. You just use the squeegee to spread it out and make sure it penetrates every square inch of the asphalt.
Overlay Repairs
If you are not willing to do this project yourself, you can pay professional to apply an overly finish. An overlay is a thicker, more protective repair. It is basically just adding a thin layer of asphalt on top of your existing surface. The asphalt is heated up as it is spread using special machines. This thin layer will also help to fill small cracks, but it isn't going to actually repair large holes.
Whether you use a seal coat or an overlay, large holes will need to be professionally patched beforehand. Most people choose to invest in an overlay finish simply because it is more durable, and they don't want to do the work on their own. But, if you don't need to do any major patching, applying a DIY seal coat finish is a cheap and easy option.
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