If your driveway has seen better days and replacing it is not in the budget then filling in the cracks and applying a new coat of sealer may be just what you need to spruce things up.

How To Apply Asphalt Driveway Sealer

Get it clean. There are several ways to do this but you need to get rid of any oil, or grease residue, dirt and debris. Using a degreaser like Krudd Kutter ä water and a broom to scrub the surface is the first step. Then you can either use a pressure washer to really make quick work of it or a little more scrubbing and then rinse with water.
Patch and fill in any cracks. Using an asphalt filling material in either a gallon jug or caulk tube fill in all the cracks wider than an 1/8” use a plastic putty knife to smooth things out. Larger dips or missing material need to be patched using an asphalt patching material. After these steps you need to wait about 48 hours for things to cure.
Apply the sealer using either a broom or squeegee. Make sure you buy enough material for the square footage of your driveway. Typically a 5 gallon bucket covers around 300-400 square feet. Pour the material onto the surface of the drive and then pull it evenly over the surface. Working your way from one end to the other. Let dry for 48 hours before driving onto it.

Try and apply sealer on cooler day ( 75 degrees or lower) out of direct sunlight to slow down the drying time for better grip.
Wear an old pair of shoes you don’t care about because they will get ruined.
Take your time applying the sealer you do not want to splash up against walls and garage doors.

For more tips, go to Tips.acehardware.com

Published: 9/1/2020