Sealing Asphalt Drive

[MudDuck]

Doe's anyone have any advice on what to use to seal a driveway (asphalt) Got a neighbor who wants me to seal his driveway. Includes filling cracks, holes ect...Never done this before, don't even know what to charge.
I'm not sure where to post this thread but its residential.
Thanks for any advice.

[Rick2]

Advice? Hire someone that knows how to do it. That's what I'm doing next week.

[MMI Enterprises]

Ya seal them with oil as that is what they are.

[MudDuck]

See thats why I love this sight, especially the sight moto,,,,Educate, Integrate, Motivate,,,,Get nothing but solid sound "Education" advice while "Integrating" into the business to be "Motivated" by the experts here. You guys are awesome!!

[MudDuck]

Originally Posted by Rick2

Advice? Hire someone that knows how to do it. That's what I'm doing next week.

So your finally going to hire someone who know's what their doing eh?

[One Tough Pressure]

Henry 532 from Home Depot and an applicator. Very simple to do.

[MudDuck]

I'm going to need some patch for cracks and holes. I know theres "patch" stuff I've seen it somewhere I just can't remember where, lol. I don't want just some el cheap'o HO crap I want to try to get some of the real stuff I just don't know where to get it. Doe's that 532 work really well. This HO is one of my high end guys and could hire a "real" asphault outfit he just likes to throw anything he can to me. I want to make sure it doesn't come out looking like a bad HO DIY job, thats why I'm asking here for advice. Thanks Alan

[Rick2]

Seriously though, you might want to see how much the pros charge. It might not be worth your time to do it yourself. For example, when I was building my house I found it was cheaper to hire an insulation company to do my entire house than it was for me just to buy the insulation at Lowes.

[One Tough Pressure]

That Henry 532 is a good product. It stays black vs the old stuff that used to turn brown. I did a job 6 years ago and drive by on occasion to see how it looks and it still looks good. Just follow the directions on the can and do not try to skimp.
Cold patch asphalt is just that asphalt. The only difference in you doing it, vs a "pro" company is that they use a steam roller to set it in.
I have done many pot hole repairs with this stuff and tamped by hand with the 8" X 8" from HD, and it holds up well. The 532 is a slurry type coating and will help seal the cold patch in. $5.00 for a 60 lb bag.
So depending on how big this driveway is, it should not be a huge ordeal. Less than $100.00 in material is likely and then the tamper.
Just follow the directions and do not skimp.

http://www.thegrimescene.com/gallery/files/1/2/heavy_paint_1.jpg

http://www.thegrimescene.com/gallery/files/1/2/heavy_paint_2.jpg

[MudDuck]

Thanks Alan, The drive is approx 150ft, it's pretty big and wide, goe's into the front and then around to the back of the house. Goe's around about three quarters of the house. I'll look into the 532 at the HD. Anyone else with any advice either with the job or a product please chime in. Again thanks.

[power jet]

hi i've been doing asphalt for 20 years.just go to your local asphalt plant (where they make the real stuff(hot mix);call a paving co. to get the location.getone of the guys in a dump that just purchased some hot mjx to sell you a couple shovel fulls(give him15.00,he'll be happy)use atorch to LIGHTLY heat it up if it gets cold...heat it up too much or too long and you'll burn the oils out of it and it wont bond to the tack(glue)which should be applied to surface being patched.trnsport the asphalt wrapped in a piece of carpet to keep it hot.do the same for tack and sealcoat(throw somebody thats buying material there a little$$$.)bring some empty 5 gal. buckets with lids for the seal....(oh,let the tack turn black after applying it to the driveway 3 minutes or so if its sunny out.)tools>>small housebroom for applying tack.3foot wide squegee for applying seal.hand tamper for compacting asphalt(wipe some diesel on tamper so asphalt won't stick............price of typical driveway for sealing is10 to12 cents sq.ft. technique for sealing basically is to do it like your'e washing awindow back,forth not leaving lines(squeegee marks) orfoot prints ....allow 24 hours before driving on....and PLEASEdon't use cold mix home depot crap(it never sets up; no cold mix ever does)same with the seal hhhhhenry's it turns gray prematurely and gets hard and crusty and flakes off hope this helps powerjet pressure washing(oh, if the cracks are deep and wide enough you can tack the cracks and work the hot mix in there w/ a shovel ...otherwise prefill them w/seal or get crackfiller at the plant(they sell 5 gal. buckets)

[MMI Enterprises]

price of typical driveway for sealing is10 to12 cents sq.ft.

I heard a recent job about 30k' costed a retail store near on $100k with striping included so I don't know how 10-15 cent at all fits in to the scheme of things.Sounds aweful cheap using even the cheapest or thinest of oil/seal.
One thing is for sure... when these jobs get done it all gets tracked in off shopping cart wheels for anywhere from days to months later.

[big mike]

Trust me, I used to seal my driveway every other year myself, and its a pain in the rear. Just hire someone and you'll be money ahead. It's relatively cheap. My drive is 20' wide with a 12' side extension that goes around one side of my garage. 75' long, last time I had it done (last spring), it cost $190.
They came in and had it done in about 1 hour, where it would take me several. Some things are actually cheaper to hire out (just ask any of my deck customers!!)

[MudDuck]

Originally Posted by power jet

hi i've been doing asphalt for 20 years.just go to your local asphalt plant (where they make the real stuff(hot mix);call a paving co. to get the location.getone of the guys in a dump that just purchased some hot mjx to sell you a couple shovel fulls(give him15.00,he'll be happy)use atorch to LIGHTLY heat it up if it gets cold...heat it up too much or too long and you'll burn the oils out of it and it wont bond to the tack(glue)which should be applied to surface being patched.trnsport the asphalt wrapped in a piece of carpet to keep it hot.do the same for tack and sealcoat(throw somebody thats buying material there a little$$$.)bring some empty 5 gal. buckets with lids for the seal....(oh,let the tack turn black after applying it to the driveway 3 minutes or so if its sunny out.)tools>>small housebroom for applying tack.3foot wide squegee for applying seal.hand tamper for compacting asphalt(wipe some diesel on tamper so asphalt won't stick............price of typical driveway for sealing is10 to12 cents sq.ft. technique for sealing basically is to do it like your'e washing awindow back,forth not leaving lines(squeegee marks) orfoot prints ....allow 24 hours before driving on....and PLEASEdon't use cold mix home depot crap(it never sets up; no cold mix ever does)same with the seal hhhhhenry's it turns gray prematurely and gets hard and crusty and flakes off hope this helps powerjet pressure washing(oh, if the cracks are deep and wide enough you can tack the cracks and work the hot mix in there w/ a shovel ...otherwise prefill them w/seal or get crackfiller at the plant(they sell 5 gal. buckets)

Thanks PowerJet, I was hoping I could get some of the real stuff for patch. Your info helps a lot and I appreciate it. I might PM you for more info if I may. Big Mike I can't see how you could get anyone to come to a location with equiptment and set up and work with hot asphalt and sealer for 190.00. After product and paying at least one helper you couldn't be making more than 100.00 bucks. I just can't see someone doing that type of work of for that. Most of us here wouldn't pull up jerk down a surface cleaner and wash the same drive with water for that kind of profit. I'm not saying it didn't happen but sounds like a 99.99 house wash guy to me...But again I admit I don't know anyting about asphalt'n. I just want to take care of this HO, I do a heck of a lot of no bid work for this guy, he just calls me in the end ask what he owe's, cuts a check on the spot.

[MMI Enterprises]

Mud, that works out to like $1.26 a foot so that is sure higher than what was said earlier. There are lots of types of coating jobs I can do for $1 and be sitting pretty. Not sure this is one of them if messing with the hot stuff or thickness though.
Powerjet, was that a typo in the price ya said??