Asphalt Sealcoating. Why NOT to do it yourself! Minneapolis MN

Posted In: Seal Coating

Published On: February 11 2017

Written By: Seal King

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If you’re in the Minneapolis, MN area there is no doubt your driveway has seen its share of torture. From our extreme heats to our below negative degrees, the weather can be hard to bear and not just for the citizens of this state but also for our property. Many homeowners love the thought of ‘DIY’ projects. They spend less (hopefully), they do the work and they get to see the return of their work and have pride in it. While there are a lot of household ‘DIY’ options, the professional sealcoating experts at Seal King would like to advise you that driveway repairs, patching and sealcoating may be a job best left to the professionals.

Seal King has seen many things, in our over 20 years of experience in the asphalt maintenance business but our team agrees that one of the most unsightly experiences we see time and time again is a failed ‘DIY’ asphalt sealcoating attempt. Our trained, proficient and skilled asphalt specialist can salvage the driveway but it might not be immediate…so you might have to live with the outcome for a couple days and depending on the weather, maybe a little longer. But some of our greatest customers have learned from their own experience and stick to other ‘DIY’ projects and leave their driveway up to us every couple of years.

Equipment Needed to Sealcoat

The first step in the fun, ‘DIY’ experience will be going to the local hardware store, trying to find a comparable product to what the professionals use and lugging that large, heavy bucket or two all the way home; as well as all the needed supplies: safety glasses, edger, broom, leaf blower, masking tape, metal stirring paddle and a good sealcoating brush.

It’s important to also make sure what you buy and use for this one project, you hope to not need to complete again for years, is not cheap…if a sealcoating brush breaks on you or your metal stirrer doesn’t appropriately mix the sealant, you’re in for one heck of a time. Many manufactures suggest a full body protective suit because the sealant can be harmful if there is skin contact, eye contact, it’s ingested and even the fumes of most store bought asphalt sealants can be hazardous.

Now that you’re loaded with a bunch of extra stuff needing storage, the process can start.

Sealcoating is Messy

Every aspect of sealcoating is messy, especially a ‘DIY’ sealcoating application. Our professionals use asphalt sealant that is mixed in a climate controlled facility. There is a very meticulous science to mixing sealant and our liquid meters measure the exact amount needed, of each ingredient. While the store bought sealants need to be mixed due to separation and they sometimes require adding ingredients, which can easily become a messy task; applying the asphalt sealcoating alone will ruin your shoes and usually gets on clothes.

Once you take your first step on that sealant, to disperse it and try to level it, smoothing out any sags, bumps or drips – make sure to not step on anything else! If you step off your driveway and onto your grass your shoes will not only coat your lawn with sealant but grass will stick to the bottom and once you step back onto your driveway, it will forever be riddled with blades of grass. The same can be said for the curb or any hard surfaces that you don’t intend to sealcoat, you’ll end up with large shoe prints that may never fade away….talk about an eye sore.

The Sealcoating Process is Precise

Our experts deal daily with driveway maintenance and sealcoating, preparation is every important, it allows for a smooth finished product that brings a major curb appeal to your home. If you’ve experienced a failed ‘DIY’ repair and sealcoating project, you’ve learned from a neighbor’s mistake or you just don’t want to risk a possibly embarrassing outcome – contact the Seal King professionals today at 952-469-6639 or fill out this online form for a free quote!