Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why should seal coating be performed on my parking lot?
Sealing provides several benefits to pavement. First, it prevents it from oxidizing. Unsealed pavement will allow the asphalt binder that holds the pavement together begins to break down, which allows the pavement to oxidize and deteriorate. Second, it gives it a black appearance, which, in turn, allows snow and ice to melt faster since it absorbs the heat. This means possible lower snow plowing and salting bills. Third, it protects it from extreme heat, moisture and chemicals. A sealed parking lot also provides curb appeal to a property.

2. What is the benefit of applying the first coat of sealer with a squeegee machine vs. spraying?
It is important to get the minute pores, voids and hairline cracks filled with sealer in order to properly protect your asphalt pavement. There is no better way of achieving this than by using a squeegee machine. Applying the first coat of sealer by spraying will only coat the surface of your asphalt pavement. The sealer will sit on top of the asphalt, and will not get into the pores, etc. Therefore, it does not fully protect your asphalt, and it will wear off sooner.

3. What is the benefit of 5-7 pounds of sand per gallon in the sealer mix vs. the industry standard of 2-4?
By using a higher sand load, you will receive additional traction and durability out of your sealer. Traction is beneficial when the pavement is wet. Additional durability means that the sand will take the wear and tear prior to your sealer, therefore, extending the lifetime of your sealer.

4. What is the benefit of additives used in the sealer mix?
Since Hill’s Blacktop, Inc. uses a sand load of 5-7 pounds per gallon in the sealer mix, it is necessary to use Top Tuff™. It helps keep the sand in suspension while in the mixing tank. It also improves surface toughness, anchors the sand in for extended wear, reduces power steering marks, provides a blacker dried film, and enhances the resistance to oils, fuels, and grease. You should know that by using additives, it will thicken the sealer, and many contractors are known to use additives in order to “cut” the sealer with more water, since sealer is a water base product. This actually gives you an inferior product, as there is too low of a solid content in the mix. This will not allow the sealer to wear as well as it should, therefore, shortening the lifetime.

5. Are all sealers the same?
This can be a tricky question. First of all, any commercial contractor should be using sealer that meets federal specifications. However, you need to keep in mind that sealer is a water based product. Some contractors will actually cut their sealer with water beyond the manufacturer’s recommendation in order to save money. Hill’s Blacktop has been applying Seal Master™ brand sealers for over 20 years, and will NEVER cut it more than recommended by Seal Master™.

6. Why are there tire scuffs on my freshly sealed parking lot?
These are caused by the tires travelling over top of the sand. It is most obvious where turning occurs, and even more obvious when a driver turns their steering wheel without moving the vehicle. If possible, try to always have vehicles in motion when turning to avoid these scuff marks. These marks generally dissipate within a month, and should not be a concern to the customer.

7. Can we change our striping layout on our parking lot after seal coating?
Yes. However, it is highly recommended that we “black out” the existing lines first to help decrease them from reappearing back through the fresh sealer. It should be noted, however, that the existing lines will be noticeable through the sealer – due to the fact that paint adds height to the surface, so you may still be able to see an outline of where they were.

8. Will the sealer cover the oil spots / stains on the parking lot?
Initially, yes. However, even when treated with oil spot primer (which is a water based product that allows the sealer to “stick” to the oil spot), it will come off once a vehicle turns on the oil spot, or it is driven on a few times. Unfortunately, there is not good way to make oil and water mix.

9. How long does the parking lot need to remain closed to traffic when seal coated?
We ask that it be closed for a period of 24 hours – total. When seal coating your business, we are able to seal coat it on a Sunday, and you may re-open it Monday morning.

8. When is seal coating not recommended?
Seal coating is not recommended on parking lots that are heavily shattered. At this point, it would be more beneficial to overlay the parking lot with additional asphalt. It is not usually recommended in extremely high semi truck traffic areas either, unless a sealing program was implemented early in the life of the pavement.

9. How often is seal coating recommended?
Most of our clients are on a 2-3 year seal coating program. This does vary with several factors such as: the type of winter we have, the amount, type and frequency of traffic on the parking lot, and the condition of the pavement.

10. Why should crack filling be performed on my parking lot?
Crack filling is the best preventative maintenance you can perform on your parking lot. Unfilled cracks fill with moisture, then when the temperatures drop below freezing, the moisture in the cracks freezes and expands in the crack. This causes the crack itself to expand and become wider and longer. Overtime, when left untreated, the crack will turn into many cracks, which then becomes a pothole.

11. Is there a difference in cold crack filler vs. hot applied crack filler?
Yes, cold crack filler is the material that is available at the hardware store. It is not flexible enough to last much below freezing. Hot rubberized crack filler is designed to maintain a flexible band of crack filler that will contract and expand with the pavement with extreme temperatures. It should be noted, however, that it is not uncommon in Ohio to have some cracks re-open after the winter, especially after a winter where there was a lot of moisture, followed by several freeze / thaw cycles, or extremely cold temperatures for several days in a row. It is recommended that in order to protect the crack filler from snow plows, that the plowing contractor use shoes on the snow plow so that it can not dig into the crack filler and break the seal.

12. How long does the parking lot need to remain closed to traffic when crack filled?
Crack filling can actually be performed while your parking lot is open to traffic. However, in some cases, where traffic is extremely heavy and could pose a threat to our crews, we ask that sections be shut down to traffic while the work is being performed. It can be opened immediately after the work is completed, or in sections as they are completed.

13. When is crack filling not recommended?
Crack filling is only performed on cracks between 1/8” and 1” wide, and never in shattered areas.

14. How often is crack filling recommended?
It is best to get on an annual crack filling program. It is normal for new cracks to develop each winter in Ohio, and some existing cracks may need re-filled after the winter.

15. What is a “shattered” / “alligatored” / “gatored” area and what can be done with it?
These are all names for an area(s) on the parking lot that are severely cracked. At this point, there are two options: 1. do nothing and wait for the area(s) to grow in size or 2. cut out and patch the area(s). If the entire parking lot is shattered, an overlay would be recommended.

16. How can I get a free estimate from Hill’s Blacktop, Inc?
Easy – you can fill out the contact us form, email us at contact@hillsblacktop.com, or call us today at 740-548-5418.

17. Can I get a list of references for Hill’s Blacktop, Inc?
Absolutely. We are happy to provide you with our customer reference list – just ask us to include one when providing you with our free estimate.