Like most things in the garden, they need maintenance and your tarmac driveway is no exception. In simple terms, if you don’t use a tarmac sealer to protect and preserve the tarmac on your driveway, you will eventually end up having to replace it, a costly exercise that could be avoided with the simple application of tarmac sealer and a little effort.
A tarmac sealer (also sometimes referred to as tarmac paint) is a water-based emulsion with a base (usually asphalt) that is combined with fillers and additives to provide flexibility and strength. Tarmac sealers act as a shield for your driveway to help prevent water penetration, damage from UV rays, weather damage and chemical corrosion (including petrol, vehicle coolants and oil).
To understand why tarmac sealers are important it is important to know about the composition of the material.Tarmac is made of a mixture of stone aggregate and a liquid binder. The binder acts like a glue with the aggregate and allows the hardened result to set to the contours of the surface it is being applied to.
Over time, tarmac degrades due to exposure to sun, rain, freeze/thaw cycles,de-icing salts, fuel, oil, wear and tear etc which dry it out and damage it. The binder or “glue” holding the aggregate together will break down resulting in cracks in the top layer which, If left untreated, will allow water penetration causing more cracks, ruts and potholes and the eventual breakdown of the tarmac. Tarmac sealers bond to the existing binder to shield it from further degradation, they are not a 'topping' and do not replace lost binder.
By edging, cleaning and repairing all damage first and then applying a tarmac sealer, the tarmac can be protected and further damage prevented ensuring a longer lasting and aesthetically pleasing driveway.
You can read more about tarmac repair, pothole repair and tarmac restoration and Blackjack Surface Technology provide a complete range of tarmac sealers to help you protect your tarmac drives and pavements along with all the necessary applicators and accessories ,driveway cleaners, crack fillers and pothole repair kits to ensure you can do the job right first time. And, if you don’t want to do it yourself, we also offer a driveway cleaning and sealing service, where we’ll do all the hard work.