Customers ask asphalt contractors a variety of questions, but there are two subjects that tend to arise frequently. One is whether sealcoating will make their pavement slick. Another involves the reasons behind adding sand to the sealant mix.
Will Sealcoating Make the Pavement Slippery?
There is only one scenario in which sealcoating makes asphalt pavement slick: if the asphalt paving contractor did not add sand to the sealcoating mix. Sand in the sealant mix improves traction substantially. Pedestrians are less likely to be injured in a slip-and-fall accident, and cars are less likely to skid out of control. When you reduce the chances that someone could be injured on your property, you reduce your potential liability. The primary reason that sand is added to sealcoating is to make pavements safer by improving traction.
What Are the Other Reasons to Add Sand?
Sand in sealcoating reduces glare, which is another important safety benefit. Sand also makes the sealcoating last longer; it helps all of the different ingredients form a stronger bond that can withstand ordinary wear better. Sealcoating that does not have the correct amount of sand can deteriorate in less than half of its normal life expectancy. If your sealcoating fails, your pavement is at greater risk.
In addition, sand helps asphalt sealcoating create a smooth, unbroken surface. The sand can fill minor surface flaws that often develop in asphalt pavement as it ages.
Why Do Some Contractors Refuse to Add Sand?
Some sealcoating contractors worry that sand will shorten the life of their equipment. Others have shoddy equipment that cannot spray sealants containing sand. Novice asphalt sealcoating contractors may not have the proper equipment, such as an agitator to keep the sand suspended evenly throughout the sealant. Regardless of their reason, however, the result is that they are short-changing their customers by not giving them work that is of adequate quality.
B&E Coating Services is an asphalt pavement and sealcoating contractor, and we only know one way of doing business: give the customer extraordinary results at competitive rates. We offer a complete range of asphalt paving and repair services to customers throughout Michigan. We can handle all of your asphalt sealcoating, asphalt crack repair, and any other paving needs, and we offer pavement marking and parking lot striping as well. Contact us today to request a free estimate. You can either call our Big Rapids sealcoating contractors at (989) 352-7305 or submit the online form.
