MARVIN JOLES
IN THE MIX
THE CLEAN
TRUTH:
Why Surface Prep Makes or Breaks Your Sealcoating
MARVIN JOLES
I am an advocate for doing it right the first time. Why? Let me tell you. There is a Silent Killer of your sealcoating jobs. One you might not even know is there until months later. In the asphalt maintenance world, most failures don’ t happen because the product was bad from the plant, or the spray wand didn’ t have the right tip in it. They happen because the surface wasn’ t clean enough before the first drop of sealer hit it. Think about it: sealcoating is not paint. It’ s a protective barrier that needs to bond with the asphalt surface at a microscopic level. If dust, dirt, oil, or vegetation is in the way, you’ ve just created a layer between the sealer and the pavement that acts like Teflon. That bond will fail. Sometimes in months, sometimes in days, and sadly in some pictures we see online … in hours.
Dirt Doesn’ t Just Sit There my Friend, It Works Against You
A speck of dust might seem harmless, but here’ s the reality:
• Dust and grit act like tiny ball bearings, preventing sealer from anchoring to the asphalt pores. Grab the steel broom and get some elbow grease behind it.
• Loose aggregate left behind from traffic wear is like laying sealer on marbles. The material shifts and flakes right off. If you are going to take the time to blow the surface off, be thorough.
• Oil stains create invisible“ bond breakers.” Without proper degreasing, your sealer will bead up and slide off like water on a waxed car hood.
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