Will Asphalt Sealcoating Cover Oil Stains?
Asphalt sealcoating delivers a variety of benefits at an economical cost. Sealcoats can help protect against damage from automotive fluids, cover minor surface flaws, and return faded asphalt to its original dark color. However, sealcoats should never be applied over untreated oil stains. Oil and other petrochemicals will prevent the sealant from bonding to the pavement properly, so the sealant will wear off very quickly. Furthermore, the petrochemicals will continue to inflict pavement damage until they are properly addressed.
Will Asphalt Sealcoating Prevent Oil Stains From Damaging a Pavement?
Sealcoating, also known as asphalt sealing, is the application of a liquid sealant over the top of an asphalt pavement. When the sealant dries, the particles in the mix knit together to form a hard protective shell over the pavement. If oil is leaked onto a sealed pavement, this hard shell slows the rate at which the oil can reach the pavement itself. This gives you more time to remove the oil, but the oil and other vehicle fluids will eventually eat through the sealant and begin softening the pavement. Before you know it, these soft spots can turn into massive potholes that are filled with the crumbs of what was once a solid piece of pavement. Even if you were to achieve adhesion with a paint or sealant, unless you have treated the oil stain, all you will accomplish is to conceal the damage that is being done to your pavement until it becomes impossible to ignore.
How Do Asphalt Sealcoating Contractors Deal With Oil Stains?
The first step is to clean the stain, and this is something that you could do yourself if you want to expend the elbow grease. If the stain is fresh, cat litter or another absorbent material is placed over the afflicted area, then swept away the next day. A solution is prepared that consists of water, a detergent, and a degreaser. This solution is worked into the stain with a brush, allowed to work for 20 or 30 minutes, and then scrubbed and rinsed. This step may need to be repeated several times before the stain is removed. In some cases, the stain cannot be cleaned sufficiently to allow a sealcoat to bond. When that happens, contractors usually apply a primer over the clean, dry stain so that the sealant has something to bond with. If the oil has already penetrated into the pavement, it may be necessary to have your asphalt maintenance contractor install a patch or an overlay to arrest the damage.
Trust Affordable Striping & Sealing for Superior Asphalt Maintenance
We are a locally owned company with an enviable reputation for always delivering exceptional work and remarkable customer service with professionalism and integrity at affordable prices. Affordable Striping & Sealing offers a variety of paving services, including sealcoating, parking lot design, asphalt crack sealing, parking lot striping, asphalt repairs, road striping, traffic signs, thermoplastic striping, and bumper blocks, to customers throughout the Las Vegas Valley. If you would like to receive a free quote, you can submit the online request form, call 702-222-9009, or email Estimating@AffordableStriping.com.
