If you do plan to hire a professional company, it is wise to get a jump start on scheduling your sealcoating services. This is because fall-time is the busiest time of year for pavers. Many companies, mostly the ones that have been in business for quite some time, set cut-off dates because they cannot take on any more projects. Once winter hits, sealcoating is not an option any longer. Proper owners have no choice but to wait for early spring to come, and schedule their much-needed pavement maintenance services then.
If you are planning to seal coat your own pavement, then be sure to brush up on your pavement maintenance knowledge, as well as your inventory. Research the best sealcoats on the market and purchase all the needed supplies. Next, continue reading to learn some factors to consider before starting your fall paving project!
Temperature, Time, and Weather Factors
When it comes to seal coating on your own, be sure to review some important factors for a successful outcome. Most factors involve either temperature, time, and weather. But there are several others factors involving other focuses too. They are as follows:Ideal hours for sealcoating projects are generally all day. Start early in the morning, as soon as the sun rises, and you should have plenty of sun and daylight to finish the job.
Ideal temperatures for effective sealcoating should be 50 degrees and rising, which means the temperatures should climb as the day progress. If it’s too cold, sealcoat cannot dry or cure properly.
If you have to seal coat in temperatures at or lower than 50 degrees, be sure the work area will receive at least three hours of sunlight for full drying and curing purposes.
Avoid seal coating in the shade. Without abundant sunlight, sealcoat cannot dry or cure effectively. If you must seal coat in the shade, be sure to apply just before the sunlight hits, so that is gets at least 2 hours of sun. In areas that never get sunlight, you will have better chances of waiting until the spring when the ground is warmer to help with drying and curing.
Avoid sealcoat projects on cloudy days. Just like in the cold and shade, sealcoat cannot dry and cure properly on a chilly sunless day. The only cloudy days you can effectively sealcoat on are higher temperature days when the warmth is enough to dry the material.
If sealcoating at night, be sure the temperatures will not get lower than 65 degrees. This means it may be too late in the season for some states. Then, wait until late morning before walking on the fresh sealcoat so that it can get some morning sun.