Pavements require a certain degree of maintenance and protection, and seal coating is one of the most fundamental steps you can take to prevent premature pavement damage and deterioration. But now that it is summer, many property owners are concerned about the extreme heat and how it might affect their seal coating application.

Continue reading to learn what you need to know about seal coating pavements in the hot summer sun, and who you can trust for the best industry advice and service.

Commercial Seal Coating Contractors 317-549-1833

There are many challenges that can arise from seal coating in hot weather. However, this does not mean you have to wait until fall to have your lot seal coated. With a licensed and skilled Indianapolis paving company on your side, you should have no trouble with your seal coating project. They have the knowledge, experience, and state of the art resources to accurately apply seal coat for long-lasting performance and protection. You should never attempt seal coating or pavement work on your own in hot weather; not just for your own safety, but for the structural integrity of your lot too.

Here’s What They Know:

Safety and Protection

When outdoor temperatures are high, pavement surfaces can be as hot as 120 degrees Fahrenheit or more. For this reason, paving crews use a wide range of personal protection equipment (PPE), including full-coverage clothing, eye protection, particle masks, chemical resistant boots and gloves, sun screen, and more. This is just one reason why you should always entrust sealcoating and pavement services to a licensed professional who is well-equipped to perform the job safely and accurately.

Flash Curing and Track Marks

Aside from safety, a few of the main challenges presented with seal coating in extreme heat include flash surface curing, stickiness, tracking marks, power steering marks, and more. In terms of flash curing, if the pavement is too hot, seal coats will not fill in the pores of the pavement before it can dry, making the application moot. Although a thin film is applied, it dries so quickly that it cannot actually permeate the surface of the pavement and do its job. The very surface of the film will instantly cure, leaving a middle layer of damp sealcoat that leads to tracking and power steering markings.

Prevention Strategies

Professional use certain industry practices to prevent problems like flash curing, such as always applying two coats of sealer; one light fog coat as a primer and surface cooler, and a second coat for ultimate adherence and protection. For squeegee applications, pros might fog the pavement with a mist of water to cool the surface and optimize adherence, being very careful not to form puddles.

Another method involves thinning out a seal coat product with a 50/50 water sealer mixture that does not contain aggregates. This approach is only used for the first coat of sealer, allowing it to soak through the pavement surface and into its pores, thus increasing adherence for the second coat of sealer. To prevent stickiness, professional know to never seal at dusk or night when dew levels are at a certain degree of the low temperature, and to always consider humidity levels when premeditating curing times.

Commercial Sealcoating in Indianapolis

ACI Asphalt Concrete 317-549-1833

Call ACI Asphalt and Concrete at 317-549-1833 for commercial sealcoating services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our licensed, bonded, and insured paving contractors provide a wide range of asphalt and concrete pavement repair and installation services at the most competitive prices in town. Request a free estimate or information, today.