Pavecon recommends applying a protective sealcoat to the asphalt 12 months after the streets have been constructed. This will allow for the new asphalt to fully cure and ensure a good bond with the new sealcoat material. After that, sealcoating procedures should be completed every 3 to 4 years, depending on traffic and wear patterns which are unique to each property.
Newly sealcoated and striped asphalt is usually drive-able within several hours after its application. As a precaution, however, we usually close the newly sealed areas to traffic for 24 and up to 48 hours, since there may be some areas which take longer to dry, such as in shaded areas, areas with moisture, and during colder weather.
Seal coat is an oil-based product. As such, it undergoes a curing process by which it hardens and “sets”. During this time, the newly sealcoated surface is vulnerable to minor tire scuffs and marking. This is normal and temporary. As the pavement cures, the scuffs will be pressed and smoothed back into the surface by vehicle traffic. If the new coating is actually removed and you can see the exposed rock underneath, then a small sealcoat touch-up will be necessary. Pavecon can gladly inspect the pavement for this type of damage and perform the touch-ups under warranty.
This is a common concern after sealcoating. Our personnel know to inspec
t newly sealed areas for sufficient dryness before re-opening these to vehicle and foot traffic. Sealcoat which has been driven through too soon looks far different than the normal tire marking and scuffs to be expected in newly sealcoated asphalt pavement. If this does occur, it is very rare and is usually caused by someone who has gone out of their way to remove our barricades and then intentionally driven through the wet sealcoat. When this type of damage does occur, the tire treads are imprinted into the surface, like driving through mud. This can be improved and smoothed out somewhat with the client’s permission, but this additional work may require a charge for time and material if Pavecon is not at fault for the damage. Pavecon can perform an inspection as needed.
Over the years, some areas of asphalt pavement (usually parking areas) can become saturated with petroleum-based products, such as motor oil or transmission and brake fluids. These fluids are absorbed into the asphalt, which acts as a sponge for these fluids. This saturation prevents the new sealcoat from bonding properly to the surface. Our personnel do their best to prepare the surface for the new sealcoat, but areas with deep, heavy saturation cannot be cleaned past the surface, since this would damage these soft spots. In these areas, a new asphalt surface patch or complete removal and replacement may be needed to properly address the problem. Pavecon cannot warranty the sealcoat which has been applied over areas with deep fluid saturation, since a proper bond is not possible without good, dry, porous asphalt for it to stick to.
Over the years, some areas of asphalt pavement (usually parking areas) can become saturated with petroleum-based products, such as motor oil or transmission and brake fluids. These fluids are absorbed into the asphalt, which acts as a sponge for these fluids. This saturation prevents the new sealcoat from bonding properly to the surface. Our personnel do their best to prepare the surface for the new sealcoat, but areas with deep, heavy saturation cannot be cleaned past the surface, since this would damage these soft spots. In these areas, a new asphalt surface patch or complete removal and replacement may be needed to properly address the problem. Pavecon cannot warranty the sealcoat which has been applied over areas with deep fluid saturation, since a proper bond is not possible without good, dry, porous asphalt for it to stick to.
In areas where the paving machinery can be used, the asphalt texture on the surface will look smoother. In smaller, tighter areas, such as along the edges of curbs, gutters, swales, and near garages, use of the paving machine is impractical or impossible. Here, the asphalt must be spread using hand tools. This leads to some separation of the sand from the rock material, giving the surface a rougher texture, even after compaction. This will not reduce the structural integrity of the pavement. These aesthetic variations are considered normal and will become much less prominent once the new pavement has been sealcoated, and even more so as the tiny crevices between the rocks are sealed in the years to come. Some minor surface raveling (loose rocks) is also a normal, common part of the curing process in any new asphalt installation. This will cease once the asphalt has been sealcoated, since this binds the surface rocks in place.
Rubber crack sealing cannot erase or eliminate the appearance of cracks. Asphalt crack sealing consists of applying either a hot or cold rubberized
material only into the cracks which are wide enough to accept the material into the crack. Even after crack sealing procedures have been completed, the cracks will remain visible, since the soft rubber settles into the crack. If you attempt to “top off” or completely fill a crack all the way to the surface, this buildup becomes vulnerable to ripping and tearing by tire turns. Also, asphalt pavement swells and contracts during the hot and cold seasons (respectively), so the cracks often become more or less visible according to seasonal temperature changes. So although there is a cosmetic limitation to what the rubber crack sealing can do, the rubberized material penetrates the cracks to form a bond inside the walls of the cracks, and the subgrade remains adequately protected from water intrusion.
Rubber crack sealing cannot erase or eliminate the appearance of cracks. Asphalt crack sealing consists of applying either a hot or cold rubberized
material only into the cracks which are wide enough to accept the material into the crack. Even after crack sealing procedures have been completed, the cracks will remain visible, since the soft rubber settles into the crack. If you attempt to “top off” or completely fill a crack all the way to the surface, this buildup becomes vulnerable to ripping and tearing by tire turns. Also, asphalt pavement swells and contracts during the hot and cold seasons (respectively), so the cracks often become more or less visible according to seasonal temperature changes. So although there is a cosmetic limitation to what the rubber crack sealing can do, the rubberized material penetrates the cracks to form a bond inside the walls of the cracks, and the subgrade remains adequately protected from water intrusion.
Areas of “alligatoring” (failed asphalt, consisting of interconnecting cracks which resemble an
alligator's back) cannot be crack sealed since the heavy buildup of rubber would be very vulnerable to tire damage from vehicles. Especially in hot weather, these areas would turn into a gooey mess, with the rubber being removed and tracked around the pavement (think of a large piece of bubble gum on a busy sidewalk on a hot day). Also, the thick rubber crack sealant cannot penetrate cracks which are less than 1/8” wide, so it is useless to apply the sealant in these areas. Cracks which are narrower than 1/8” in width tend to be shallow, hairline surface cracks anyways (as opposed to structural cracks, which are wider and go all the way down to the sub-grade), so these narrow cracks are not likely in danger of water intrusion into the sub-grade.
As the milling machine mixes the cement powder, asphalt, and base together, dust is a normal part of the process and should be expected. Pavecon adds water to the mixture to help minimize the dust. Once the mixing process is complete, you will have a new structure that is stronger than original pavement.
Cement-stabilized bases may, though not common, get small cracks that reflect through in the asphalt surfacing. If some cracks develop, they are not the result of a structural deficiency, but rather a natural characteristic of cement-stabilized bases. In most cases, reflection cracks are narrow (less than 6 mm) and will not adversely affect the performance of the pavement.
As new concrete cures, it is prone to minor hairline shrinkage cracks. These are normal in new concrete pavement installations. If the normal shrinkage cracks were to grow and chip off, break away, or become a structural issue rather than a cosmetic one, then the repair would be done under warranty.