EXPERT ADVICE All additives are not made equal , some may actually degrade the properties of the sealer if the polymers in them are not resistant to the destructive elements and chemicals . Additionally , additives are not “ cure all ”. They will not compensate for poor mix designs , e . g ., the ones using excessive water or sand / aggregate . The advice is to follow manufacturers ’ recommendations .
Highly Crucial - Do not intermix additives from different suppliers in a mix design .
Additives are specialty products , which are formulated with compounds having complex chemistries . Although recommended for the same end use , they may be materially different in their formulation from one manufacturer to another . It is , therefore , imperative to follow manufacturer ’ s instructions to the letter and never intermix different brands of additives in the same mix design .
If you are going to try a new additive it is a good practice to make a small test batch to see what happens when you combine the two different chemistries . Fill a 5-gallon pail with 4 gallons of your sealer mix ( with water and sand ), add the required percentage of the additive you want to test . For checking compatibility , observe the mixture over a period of 12 hours for any adverse change in texture or the viscosity of the mix . In some cases , incompatibilities may manifest as excessive thickening , coagulation of the mix ( like cottage cheese ) or excessive settling and separation which cannot be re-dispersed .
Too much of a good thing ? Using additives beyond the recommended amounts is commonly considered as a waste of money , e . g ., using more of a fast-drying additive may not necessarily make your sealer dry even faster . Not only for cost considerations , but chemically speaking , the components in an additive may begin to negate amongst themselves or worse yet , interfere with chemicals or surfactant components in the sealer concentrate . Following this thinking , it is advisable to discuss options with your supplier if you should buy additives for post adding or use their premium grade sealers which have additives and specialty chemicals “ builtin ” their sealcoatings . All the guess work ( type , amount , mixing , etc .) is eliminated when you buy premium grade sealers , where the precision , performance and accuracy are assured .
Additives are specialty products . They have to be used in sealcoating with proper understanding , following manufactures ’ guidelines and instructions .
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