Many driveways in Hermantown look brand new while others down by the Lakewalk are crumbling into a pile of aggregate. Sealcoating is important, and property owners around Duluth, MN have many questions about when and how to perform Asphalt Sealcoating correctly. Winters in Duluth, MN are severe, and asphalt takes a beating from freeze-thaw cycles and heavy snowplows. Fortune Asphalt Duluth answers these questions every spring, and Fortune Asphalt Duluth provides Asphalt Sealcoating services for homes in Duluth, MN to keep pavement intact.
How often do I actually need to sealcoat my driveway in Duluth?
Property owners do not need to perform Asphalt Sealcoating every single year, despite what traveling crews might tell you. Every 2 to 3 years is usually the correct schedule for residential asphalt in Duluth, MN. If your driveway gets baked by the sun on an open slope or takes heavy runoff during spring melt, you might lean closer to the 2-year mark. Walk out and look at your asphalt. If the rich black color is fading to a dusty gray and you can see tiny aggregate stones popping up on the surface, it is time for Asphalt Sealcoating.
When is the best time of year to get it done?
Timing is important in the Northland because the weather window for Asphalt Sealcoating is short. Property owners want to aim for late spring through early fall when daytime temperatures stay consistently above 50 degrees and the night air does not drop too low. If you try to lay sealer too late in October when the damp lake air rolls in, the Asphalt Sealcoating will not cure right. The material will stay tacky, track into your garage, and peel off the second the first snowplow hits it. Fortune Asphalt Duluth provides Asphalt Sealcoating services for homes and businesses in Duluth.
Can I sealcoat over cracks and potholes myself?
Property owners can try, but they are just covering up deeper issues. Asphalt Sealcoating is a liquid surface treatment designed to protect the binder in your asphalt from UV rays and moisture penetration. It has zero structural strength. If you have cracks wider than a quarter-inch or potholes sitting in your wheel tracks, you must fill and patch those first before any Asphalt Sealcoating project. Otherwise, water gets underneath, freezes, expands, and destroys the patch anyway.
How long do I have to keep my car off the driveway?
Plan on parking on the street or up on the grass for at least 24 to 48 hours after Asphalt Sealcoating. That timeline depends entirely on humidity, shade, and temperature. On a warm July afternoon with a stiff breeze coming off Lake Superior, the Asphalt Sealcoating might dry fast. If your driveway sits down in a shaded hollow where the morning dew hangs around until noon, give the Asphalt Sealcoating the full two days to cure. Rushing back onto fresh sealer leaves permanent tire scuffs and tears the protective film right off.
Will sealcoating fix my faded, rough asphalt?
Asphalt Sealcoating will bring back that dark, rich look and make the surface smooth and easy to shovel come January, but it will not fix structural damage. If your base is sinking or your asphalt is alligator-cracking into a spiderweb pattern, Asphalt Sealcoating is just cosmetic at that point. Property owners need a more serious fix before applying Asphalt Sealcoating to the surface. For Duluth homes, Fortune Asphalt Duluth is here for all your Asphalt Sealcoating needs.
Is DIY sealcoating from the hardware store any good?
Those 5-gallon buckets of water-based emulsion from the big box store are fine if you want a weekend project and do not mind performing Asphalt Sealcoating again next year. But commercial-grade coal tar or high-end asphalt emulsion applied with professional spray rigs or squeegees lasts longer and bonds deeper. When you want the work done right without staining your boots and your siding, call Fortune Asphalt Duluth for Asphalt Sealcoating work in Duluth, MN, and let us get your pavement protected before the next freeze hits.