Your property says a lot about you and your business. Your parking lot and other drivable surfaces are the first things your customers and prospective customers see, so you want that sea of asphalt to look pristine and convey the image of a professional and proud business.
You owe it to your bottom line, too. A properly maintained asphalt surface not only looks good but, more importantly, lasts longer and requires less maintenance.
Professional commercial asphalt sealing is the key to optimizing the look and life of your commercial asphalt.
Why is it so challenging for a commercial surface?
Your commercial asphalt surfaces take a significantly greater beating than residential surfaces.
Commercial surfaces usually experience a higher volume of traffic, and often that traffic consists of larger vehicles that frequently carry heavier loads. That’s a lot of wear-and-tear, and it inevitably results in cracks that make your property less attractive and your business look less professional.
How to maintain appearances and avoid unnecessary expense?
You can protect your investment and enhance your business image with commercial asphalt sealing. There are two important steps in this process:
Filling and repairing cracks and potholes
If you already have some cracks in your asphalt, the first step is to fill and repair them. This step is critical because small cracks or minor potholes can quickly grow into larger ones over time with continued vehicular traffic. Poorly maintained asphalt will require more extensive repair procedures and higher costs in the long run.
You will save a lot of money by addressing small indentations before they become potholes and small cracks before they expand.
The first step is to clean each crack and pothole thoroughly so that the material that will be used to fill will be able to adhere. This involves:
- Removing any vegetation by the root.
- Removing all dirt, debris, loose aggregate, or sand that is in or on the sides of the crack or pothole. This is usually accomplished with compressed air and, in difficult situations, a wire brush.
- Drying the surfaces.
Once the area has been properly prepared, each crack, indentation, and pothole is filled with recycled asphalt pavement that has been treated so that, once hardened, it will bond when it is compacted.
Sealing the asphalt
Even if you have no cracks in your commercial asphalt surface, it’s a good idea to have it sealed. This will help prevent cracks from developing, improve appearances, and help extend the life of your surface.
Properly sealing your commercial asphalt surfaces is important because the sealant enables the asphalt to remain flexible by protecting the binder that holds the asphalt together. If you don’t seal your asphalt, you are inviting it to become brittle and crack, which will be unsightly, possibly dangerous, and will definitely shorten the life of the asphalt.
Sealing involves thoroughly cleaning the surface so that it is free of vegetation, debris, and other unwanted materials. This is essential so that the sealant can adhere to the surface.
Once the area is thoroughly cleaned, the sealant is applied over the entire surface. The two most common sealants are coal tar or asphalt emulsion. These are applied in thick liquid form and are equally effective.
How long does it take for the asphalt sealer to dry?
It depends on the temperature and humidity, but you can usually walk on the sealed surface after 24 hours.
You can usually drive on a sealed surface after 48 hours, but if the weather is exceptionally cool, humid, or cloudy it’s a good idea to wait for 72 hours.
If you are ready to give your commercial property the glow up it deserves, then get in touch with our commercial asphalt sealing experts. Whether you need sealing or repair work, our experts are available to improve your property. Contact us today to get your free estimate on the work.