How to Apply Asphalt Driveway Sealer

Here are some general things to know about do-it-yourself driveway sealing:

• If this is your first time, opt for a pre-mixed driveway sealer so you’re pouring right from the bucket with no blending or mixing required.
• Asphalt sealers cure in just a few hours, but the driveway can’t be used for vehicle traffic for 24 to 48 hours.
• The temperature outside must be a minimum of 60 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 24 hours before and after making your repair.
• Don’t apply if rain is forecasted a day before or after the seal-coating day.
• If you live in an area prone to morning dew or fog, stop the coating process before 3 pm to prevent wash-off the next morning.
• Two thin coats of driveway sealer dry more evenly and provide more protection than a single thick coat.
• Don’t apply sealer on a driveway that slopes more than 20 degrees, or it’ll ripple and slowly flow off the driveway.
• Allow six months for other asphalt repair products, such as crack or pothole filler, to fully cure before sealing.

Each bucket of driveway sealer will have a label stating how much asphalt it’ll typically cover with one coat. The permeability of your pavement affects the accuracy of this estimate. This means that an older, more porous asphalt driveway may cost more to seal because it’ll soak up more of the sealer and you’ll have less coverage per bucket than the labeling suggests. Be sure to measure and buy the best driveway sealer amount for your driveway’s size and surface condition. Play it safe and buy enough so you don’t run out midproject.