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Bedford Sealcoating - sealing NH driveways since 1996
What to expect after the driveway is sealed.
We have some things you may want to keep in mind after the driveway is sealed. These are the most common concerns are listed below. If we sealed your driveway, and you have a question please do not hesitate to call us. Remember we guarantee the driveway one year from the date it was sealed.
Two days off the driveway?
We ask our customers to refrain from driving on the driveway for at least two days, three or four days is better but with careful driving two is enough. If you have a contractor who says to stay off the driveway more than five days, it is only because he wants to make sure his sign stays up longer. It is true that some sealers take as long as thirty days to fully cure but we find that the sealer will set up enough for light to moderate vehicle traffic after two days time. On the other hand you should avoid delivery trucks, construction equipment or other large vehicles for at least two weeks or preferably longer.
The texture of your driveway will be similar to what is was before sealed.
Sealcoating a driveway will definitely increase the curb appeal of your new driveway, sometimes dramatically, what it will not do is give you a new driveway. Imperfections on the surface of the driveway will reappear after coated. The purpose of the sealer is to provide a protective layer between the elements and the pavement, not to be applied so thickly as to smooth out all the surface imperfections. If applied too thickly the sealer will tend to crack on the surface, or peel, which over time will reduce the sealer's effectiveness and make the driveway look worse not better.
Sealer "mustache along grass edges"
We use a spray application when applying the sealer to your driveway. So before we spray the driveway, we will use special sealcoating brushes to apply the sealer near your garage, siding, concrete or brick walkways and fences. This is to avoid sealer "over-spray" from coming in contact with those areas mentioned. We do however spray right up to the grass edge leaving a " mustache" of sealer along the edge where the lawn meets the driveway. This will not kill the grass and after you mow your lawn once or twice the sealer mustache is gone completely.
In the case of bark mulched areas we will push the mulch off the edge of the driveway before applying the sealer.
Turning marks
In the first week after your driveway is sealed the sealer still be in the process of curing and the surface of the sealer will be susceptible to turning marks or tire tread marks. This is due to the increase of friction from the tires to the pavement when a fast or sharp turn (or even worse, a stationary turn) of the tires is made.
The best way to avoid tire marks is to take it easy, go a little slower than normal and to take wide turns.
The important thing to know is that normal tire marks created will generally fade and disappear after a few weeks.
If your see a mark with bare pavement or with raised edges then give us a call and we will come back and touch it up.
Discolored areas of sealer
During the spring and fall when the temperature is on the cooler side there can be a discrepancy in the curing rates of the sealer. Areas that are open to the sun will cure faster than shaded areas. This can lead to the sealer looking uneven or discolored. As the sealer cures overtime it will become uniform as the discolored shady areas eventually catch up.
Our residential services area includes the following towns:
Bedford, Amherst, Auburn, Bow, Candia, Chester, Derry, Dunbarton, Goffstown, Hollis, Hooksett, Hudson, Litchfield, Londonderry, Merrimack, Milford, Nashua, New Boston, Pelham, Salem, and Windham, New Hampshire.
More questions? To see our residential information sheet
