Sealcoating is one of the nicest things you can do for your asphalt pavement. However, you need to ensure that your contractor prepares the sealant properly if you want long-lasting, beautiful results. One of the things that the contractor should be doing when he prepares sealcoating is adding sand to the mix.
Safety, Sand, and Sealcoating – Why Is Sand Used in the Mix?
Sealcoating arrives at the contractor’s in concentrated form. To use, the contractor must add water, sand and any special additives required for the specific job. The manufacturer specifies how much sand, water, additive and concentrated sealant should be combined to make a gallon of liquid sealcoating. If these components are out of proportion, the product will not perform properly when it is applied or after it cures.
What Is the Purpose of the Sand?
When sand is added to sealant, it reduces the sun’s glare and increases traction. Since there is less likelihood that a pedestrian will slip and fall on your pavement or that a car will skid into someone else’s parked vehicle, your potential liability is reduced.
Sand also makes the sealcoating more durable. Sealants without sand can deteriorate at an accelerated rate, and in many cases, the sealcoating will wear out in half the time of a comparable area coated with a sealant containing sand.
The sand particles are also important for smoothing out little flaws in the pavement. Sand grains can settle in hairline cracks or other tiny voids in the pavement, and after the sealcoating dries, the pavement will appear more even and smoother.
What Type of Sand Is Used?
Because it is one of the purest types of sand available, most sealcoating professionals use silica sand in the mix. However, whatever type of sand the contractor chooses, it must be filtered through a screen so that only grains meeting the proper size requirements are used. Oversized grains will quickly be dislodged by traffic, and once dislodged, they abrade the sealcoating much like sandpaper. Undersized grains can absorb excessive amounts of binder from the sealant, reducing the performance of the sealcoating.
If You Have Additional Questions
MH Greeson Paving is an asphalt and sealcoating contractor that provides an extensive range of asphalt-related services to customers in the greater Atlanta area and most counties in North Georgia. We specialize in asphalt maintenance services, including sealcoating, crack filling, pavement markings and pothole repairs. Our crews are highly qualified, experienced and skilled. We provide superior results at affordable rates. You can submit the online form to receive a free quote, or you can call us at 770-335-2983.
