What to Expect When You Get Your Driveway Sealed by Asphalt Seal King
So, you’ve made the decision. You’re tired of looking at that faded, grey, or cracking asphalt. You understand that in Bradford, a driveway isn't just a place to park—it's an investment under constant attack from UV rays and brutal freeze-thaw cycles. You've decided to protect that investment, and you’re considering Asphalt Seal King for the job.
But what happens next?
For many homeowners, hiring a contractor can feel like a "black box." You get a quote, a date is set, and you just hope for the best. You may worry: Will they do a good job? Will they make a mess? What am I actually paying for?
At Asphalt Seal King, we believe that transparency is the cornerstone of trust. You deserve to know exactly what you’re getting, why we do it, and what our professional process looks like from start to finish. This isn't just about "spraying some black stuff" on your driveway. It’s a meticulous, multi-stage restoration and protection process designed to add years of life to your asphalt and restore its beauty.
This is your behind-the-scenes guide. We're pulling back the curtain to walk you through every single step of the Asphalt Seal King sealing experience. From the moment you first call us to the moment you park your car on a beautifully cured, protected surface, here is exactly what you can expect.
The First Step: Your Free, No-Obligation Quote
It all begins with a conversation. When you first reach out to us, whether by phone at +1 (289) 803-7626 or through our online contact form, you won't be met by a high-pressure salesperson or a national call center. You’ll be talking to a local asphalt expert who understands Bradford’s specific climate and pavement challenges.
Our Initial Assessment
We’ll start by asking a few simple questions to understand your needs:
What is the approximate size of your driveway? (e.g., "fits four cars," "long and narrow")
What is the general condition? Are you mostly concerned with fading, or do you have significant, visible cracks?
Are there any heavy oil or chemical stains from vehicles?
How old is the driveway?
In many cases, we can provide a very accurate estimate using this information combined with modern satellite imaging tools. However, for driveways with more complex issues, we insist on an on-site inspection.
The On-Site Consultation
If an in-person visit is needed, one of our estimators will schedule a time to meet you. This is where our expertise truly shines. We are not just "measuring square footage"; we are diagnosing your driveway's health.
Our expert will be looking for:
The Type of Damage: Are those hairline "shrinkage" cracks, or are they deep, "alligator" cracks? The first needs a simple fill; the second indicates a potential sub-base (foundation) problem that sealing alone cannot fix.
The Cause of Damage: Are there low spots ("bird baths") where water is pooling? Is a downspout draining directly onto the asphalt? Identifying the cause is as important as treating the symptom.
Problem Areas: We will meticulously inspect oil stains to see how deep they are. We'll check the edges for crumbling or weed intrusion.
Your Transparent, Itemized Quote
Within a short time, you will receive a detailed, easy-to-understand quote. It will not just be a single, lump-sum number. We believe in transparency, so we will break down the costs:
Preparation & Cleaning: The cost for the extensive cleaning process.
Crack & Repair Work: The cost for all crack filling (often priced by the linear foot) and any asphalt repairs (like pothole patches) that are needed.
Primer/Treatment: The cost for specialized oil spot primers.
Sealing: The cost for the commercial-grade sealant application itself.
This way, you know exactly what you are paying for. We’ll answer any questions you have and then leave the decision to you. There is absolutely no pressure. We are here to be your pavement partner, not just a contractor.
Scheduling and Pre-Service Prep: Setting the Stage for Success
Once you give us the green light, we move on to scheduling. This is a critical step because professional asphalt sealing is a weather-dependent process.
Watching the Weather, Not Just the Clock
We need a specific window of cooperation from Mother Nature. For the sealant to cure properly, we need:
Dry Pavement: The asphalt must be bone-dry.
No Rain in the Forecast: We need at least 24 hours (ideally 48) of dry weather after the application.
Warm Temperatures: The ground and air temperature should ideally be above 10°C (50°F) and rising.
We will work with you to find a date that fits your schedule, but we will always keep a close eye on the Bradford forecast. If the weather looks bad, we will call you in advance to reschedule. We would rather wait and do the job 100% right than rush it and deliver a failed product.
Your "To-Do" List: How You Can Help
To make the day of service as smooth as possible, we will provide you with a simple "pre-service" checklist. This is vital for a successful job.
Clear the Driveway: Please ensure all vehicles, trailers, RVs, basketball hoops, potted plants, and any other items are moved off the driveway and into the garage or onto the street (if local bylaws permit) the night before.
Turn Off Your Sprinklers: This is one of the most common and damaging issues. Please turn off all lawn sprinkler systems at the controller. A sprinkler system that pops on during the night can completely wash away thousands of dollars of uncured sealant, leaving a streaky, diluted mess.
Reschedule Other Services: If you have landscapers, pool cleaners, or any other service scheduled, please have them skip that day or come before we arrive.
Plan for Kids and Pets: For their safety and the integrity of the sealcoat, please plan to keep children and pets inside or in the backyard during the service.
Taking these simple steps ensures our team can be 100% efficient and that your fresh sealcoat has a perfect, undisturbed environment to cure.
The Day of Service: Our Professionals Arrive
When our Asphalt Seal King crew arrives, you’ll immediately notice the difference. We show up in clean, professional, branded vehicles, and our team will be in uniform.
The Initial Walk-Through and Site Protection
If you're home, our crew leader will knock on your door to introduce themselves, do a quick final walk-through with you to confirm the scope of work, and answer any last-minute questions.
Then, our first priority is protecting your property. We treat your home as if it were our own.
Masking & Taping: We meticulously use tape, plastic, or protective boards to mask off the bottom of your garage door, any interlocking patio stones or walkways that meet the asphalt, and any concrete curbs.
Property Protection: We are extremely careful around flower beds, gardens, and landscaping.
Safety Zone: We’ll set up safety cones at the end of the driveway to alert traffic and pedestrians.
This prep work ensures that the only thing that gets sealed is your driveway, with crisp, clean edges and no overspray.
Phase 1: The Deep Clean (The Foundation of a Lasting Finish)
This is, without question, the most important phase of the entire process. You cannot seal a dirty driveway. Any sealant applied over dirt, dust, or vegetation is guaranteed to peel and flake off. Amateurs use a garden hose; we perform a deep, mechanical-grade cleaning.
Step 1: High-Power Debris Removal
We begin by using high-powered, commercial backpack blowers to clear the entire surface of leaves, pine needles, twigs, and any loose dirt.
Step 2: Steel-Blade Edging
This is a critical step that many "blow-and-go" companies skip. Our team will use powerful, steel-blade edgers to cut a clean, deep edge along all grass and garden borders. This removes all the built-up weeds and grass that have grown over the asphalt.
Why is this so important? It ensures we can seal the entire pavement surface, edge to edge. It prevents weeds from growing back through the side, and it stops water from creeping in under the edge of the pavement, which is a primary cause of crumbling and failure.
Step 3: Mechanical Wire Brushing
For any areas with caked-on mud, algae, or moss (common in shady spots), we use heavy-duty power brooms or mechanical wire wheels. These aggressively scrub the pavement to remove any contaminants that are bonded to the surface.
Step 4: Deep Crack and Crevice Cleaning
Finally, we use our high-power blowers again, this time with a focused nozzle. We walk the entire driveway and blast every singl0e crack and crevice with high-pressure air. This removes the fine dust, sand, and silica particles that are deep inside.
Why air and not water? We avoid power washing whenever possible. Power washing can force water into the cracks and sub-base, and that trapped moisture is the enemy of a good seal. By using air, we ensure the cracks are perfectly clean and bone-dry, ready for the crack filler to achieve a perfect, permanent bond.
By the time we are done with this phase, your driveway will be cleaner than it has been in years, with every edge defined and every crack prepped for repair.
Phase 2: The "Surgery" (Professional Crack and Asphalt Repair)
Now that the "wounds" are clean, it’s time for the "surgery." This is where we address all the structural failures before we apply the protective "skin" of the sealant.
The Gold Standard: Hot-Pour Rubberized Crack Filling
For any cracks 1/4-inch or wider, we use the best product on the market: hot-pour, rubberized crack sealant. This is the same DOT (Department of Transportation) grade material used to repair highways.
The material starts as a solid, rubber-like block, which we melt down in a specialized, high-temperature kettle to over 350°F. We then apply this molten rubber into the prepared cracks.
Why is this 100x better than DIY filler? The cold-pour "fillers" from a hardware store bucket are acrylic-based and dry hard and rigid. The first time your driveway contracts in a Bradford winter, that rigid filler cracks and pops right out.
Our hot-pour rubber stays flexible forever. It bonds tightly to the walls of the crack and acts like a permanent, flexible "band-aid." When your asphalt expands in the summer, it stretches. When it contracts in the winter, it compresses. It moves with your driveway, keeping water out, season after season.
Fixing Potholes and Alligator Areas
If your quote includes driveway repairs for potholes or "alligator" cracked areas (which signal a foundation failure), we will address them now. This typically involves using a saw to cut out the failed section, excavating the compromised base, rebuilding it with new, compacted gravel, and then patching the area with new, hot-mix asphalt. This is a structural fix to ensure the entire driveway is stable.
Phase 3: Priming & Treating (Handling the Tough Spots)
With the driveway clean and the cracks filled, we address the chemical "problem children": oil and fluid stains.
The Problem: Asphalt is a petroleum product. Oil, gasoline, antifreeze, and transmission fluid are also petroleum distillates. This means they are solvents—they actively dissolve your driveway, turning it into a soft, mushy, unstable mess.
The Amateur Mistake: A "blow-and-go" company will spray their sealant right over these spots. What happens? The sealant will never adhere. It’s like trying to put a Band-Aid on a greasy arm. Within weeks, the sealant will lift, flake, and peel right off the stain, leaving the ugly, damaged spot exposed again.
The Asphalt Seal King Professional Process:
We vigorously clean the stained areas with industrial-strength degreasers and wire brushes to remove as much of the contaminant as possible.
We then apply a specialized oil-spot primer. This is not sealant. It is a chemical bonding agent designed to do two things:
It penetrates and neutralizes the remaining petroleum residue.
It creates a new, clean, adhesive surface that our asphalt sealant can bond to permanently.
This extra, non-negotiable step is the only way to guarantee your sealant will last and that those ugly stains are gone for good.
Phase 4: The Main Event (Applying the Commercial-Grade Sealant)
Finally, it’s time for the transformation.
Step 1: The "Cut-In" (Detail Work First)
Before any large-scale application, our team gets on their hands and knees. We use specialized, fine-bristle brushes to "cut in" all the edges of your driveway by hand. We carefully brush the sealant along the garage door, all walkways, any patio stones, and against the house. This ensures a perfectly crisp, razor-sharp line with zero overspray or "splash" on your property.
Step 2: The Squeegee & Spray Application
This is where our process truly excels. We use a "hybrid" approach tailored to your driveway's specific needs, leveraging the best of both methods.
The Squeegee (For Penetration): For most driveways, especially those that are older or more porous, we will start with a heavy-duty squeegee application. We pour the sealant onto the driveway and use the squeegee to force the material down into every pore, micro-crack, and void. This ensures a deep, penetrating, protective layer that bonds with the asphalt, rather than just sitting on top of it.
The Spray (For Uniformity): A spray application is then used to apply a perfectly uniform, beautiful "second coat" or "finish coat." This ensures there are no brush marks and provides a consistent, deep black finish that is the hallmark of a professional job.
The Product We Use:
We do not use the watered-down, low-solid, acrylic "paint" you find in big-box stores. We use a commercial-grade, asphalt emulsion sealant. It's a premium product fortified with two key additives:
Silica Sand: We mix a specific ratio of high-grade silica sand directly into our sealant. This provides essential traction, making your driveway far less slippery when wet.
Polymers: We add a liquid rubber polymer to the mix. This enhances the sealant's durability, flexibility (for winter), and resistance to UV rays, oil, and gas.
This combination creates the toughest, most durable, and most beautiful finish possible.
Phase 5: Curing & Clean-Up (The Final Result)
Our job isn't finished until your property is perfect.
Immaculate Clean-Up
Once the application is complete, our crew begins a meticulous clean-up.
We remove all of our tape, boards, and protective plastic.
We double-check your garage, walkways, and lawn for any drips or overspray (and clean it if we find it).
We collect all of our tools and materials.
The only thing we leave behind is a beautiful driveway.
Cordoning Off the Driveway
This is the final, vital step. We will block the entrance to your driveway with high-visibility "CAUTION" tape. This is not just a suggestion; it is essential for the curing process.
Your "After-Care" Instructions (The Curing Process)
The sealant needs time to "cure," not just "dry." Curing is a chemical process where the water in the emulsion evaporates, and the asphalt and polymer solids link together to form a hard, durable shell.
DO NOT walk on the driveway for 24 hours. Footprints, or even a pet's paw prints, can be permanent.
DO NOT drive on the driveway for 48 to 72 hours. We will give you a specific timeframe based on the weather. Hot, sunny days mean a faster cure; cool, cloudy days mean a slower one.
Why the wait? Driving on the sealcoat before it's fully cured will leave permanent, deep tire tracks and "power steering scuffs" (half-moon marks from turning your wheels).
First Few Weeks: It's normal to see some light "scuffing" from tires, especially on very hot days, for the first 2-3 weeks. This is the seal "seasoning" and is not a sign of failure. These light marks will fade and blend in.
For more information on this chemical process, you can read consumer guides from trusted sources like the Pavement Coatings Technology Council, which helps homeowners understand how these products work.
Your Long-Term Protection: Our Commitment to You
Our relationship doesn't end when the tape comes down. We stand by our work. As your local Bradford asphalt partners, we are here for the long haul.
We will provide you with a full receipt, warranty information, and a recommended maintenance schedule. While our commercial-grade sealcoat is incredibly durable, it is a sacrificial layer designed to take the beating that your asphalt would have taken. To keep that protection high, we recommend a new sealcoat every 2-3 years.
This preventative maintenance plan is the single most effective way to ensure your driveway lasts 20-30 years, saving you tens of thousands of dollars on a full replacement.
See the Asphalt Seal King Difference for Yourself
As you can now see, a professional sealcoating job from Asphalt Seal King is far more than a "coat of paint." It is a comprehensive, technical, multi-stage process that involves:
A professional, transparent consultation.
Meticulous site protection and prep work.
A deep, mechanical-grade cleaning and edging.
Surgical-style, hot-rubber crack and asphalt repairs.
Chemical priming of all oil and fluid stains.
A detailed, hand-brushed "cut-in."
A heavy-duty application of sand-and-polymer-fortified commercial sealant.
An immaculate clean-up and clear curing instructions.
This process is the only way to properly protect your driveway, restore its curb appeal, and safeguard your home's value. Don't trust your property to a "blow-and-go" amateur. Invest in a process, and a partner, you can trust.
Ready to experience the Asphalt Seal King difference? Call us today for your free, no-obligation quote.
Call: +1 (289) 803-7626
Or book your free estimate online on our Contact Page.
