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All In a Day's Build

Have you ever paid attention to just how much work the average contractor can get done in a day? They seem to work at lightning speed, but it's not because they are cutting corners. It's because they are experts, and in many cases, they are experts with a lot of experience. You could install cabinets, lay flooring, or wire a light fixture pretty quickly, too, if you had done it 500 times before! Because we really admire both the speed and dexterity with which contractors are able to work, we decided to write more about this topic for readers like you. You'll find those articles here.

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Tips For Sealcoating An Asphalt Parking Lot

27 May 2022
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog

Is your parking lot in need of a sealcoat and you're looking to do it on your own? If so, it will help to follow these tips so that you do it correctly. 

Trim The Overgrown Weeds

You are going to want to start by trimming all of the overgrown weeds that are on the asphalt surface. This includes grass that is growing along the edge of the parking lot and weeds that are growing within cracks. It is possible to use a weed trimmer to get deep into the cracks and save you the hassle of getting in there by hand. You'll then want to blow away all of the debris that is left behind on the surface, which can be done with a leaf blower.

Power Wash The Surface

There is going to be a lot of dirt and grime that is stuck on the surface of the parking lot. It is best to power wash the surface so that you can get the asphalt as clean as possible because the asphalt sealant will not stick to dirt. Make sure that you clean the parking lot on a nice day so that it can dry out under the sun. It will likely take a couple of hours for the surface to dry.

Fill The Cracks

The next step is to use an asphalt crack filler to fill in the gaps around all of those cracks in the surface. You want the surface to be as smooth as possible, and not leave places where the sealant can slide off the surface and collect in a crack. 

Dress Appropriately 

You'll want to dress appropriately for the asphalt sealant application process. Wear rubber boots or old shoes that you do not mind getting dirty, because it will be quite messy to walk on the surface while applying the sealant. 

Cut The Edges In

Sealant can be quite messy, so you should take the time to cut in the edges of the parking lot with a bristle brush. This ensures that you are not getting sealant on surfaces where you don't want it, since you are carefully applying it to the edges of the parking lot. 

Spread Out The Sealant

The sealant can be applied directly to the asphalt in small amounts by only applying a couple of gallons at a time. Use a wide squeegee to make sure that you are spreading out the sealant as wide as possible, which will speed up the application time. It will help to push the sealant over the surface a few times so that it has good coverage over the asphalt. 

For more information, contact a professional company, like Carolina Striping of North Carolina Inc.