How to Close up Your Driveway Before Winter
We’ve reached a time of year where colder and wetter weather is becoming more frequent, but there are still days mild enough to complete outdoor work at the last minute before winter arrives. And if you’ve noticed that your paved driveway looks a little (or a lot) worn out every spring, you might be wondering what you can do to prevent that from happening this year.
Well, according to Mark Clement’s article on ThisOldHouse.com , it could be a year to close up the driveway. Here’s what it is and how to do it.
What is roadway sealing?
First of all, what’s the point of sealing the driveway? According to Clement , he “creates a membrane that protects concrete or other substrate from the damaging effects of the sun, gasoline, rock salt, oil and ice.” So it is true that roadway seals have year-round benefits, but they tend to be associated with something to do before winter because of how much rock salt and ice can be made in one season.
How to close up a driveway
Clement explains that dry weather and temperatures above 50 degrees are the best conditions for sealing a roadway, adding that the project could be completed over the weekend. Start by driving your vehicles outside and cutting any grass that borders or grows on your driveway using a trimmer.
Then remove grease and dirt from the roadway. “This part of the job requires general degreasing, which can be applied with a pressure washer with a detergent reservoir, although a garden sprayer will work as well,” writes Clement .
If you have oil or gas stains that could push off or discolor the sealant, he suggests cleaning them with a special cleanser and a stiff-bristled brush. Then repair large cracks and potholes in the driveway. Clements provides more detailed instructions on how to do this in his article.
It’s time to get your sealant out. First, use a 4-inch paintbrush (which you don’t mind throwing away) to apply sealant to the edges of the driveway – similar to, according to Clement, painting the edges of a room before pulling out the roller and filling in the large middle zone.
When this is done and you are ready to move to the rest of the carriageway (called the “field” in this context), follow the directions on the sealant and refer to Clement’s article for additional advice.
When you’re done, Clement advises blocking the driveway with cones or used sealant to prevent others from driving on it. If you are using a quick-drying sealant, keep pedestrians off the road for about an hour. But Clement says that for a two-layer system, it must be free of cars and pedestrians for up to 48 hours.