KEEP YOUR ASPHALT SEALED

New asphalt should be sealed with a petroleum-based fog seal within the first year of installation, ideally on the day it is installed. The asphalt is then maintained by resealing it every 3–4 years thereafter, depending on sun exposure, weather conditions, and traffic.

Much of the information people hear from other paving contractors—or find online—suggests that new asphalt should not be sealcoated for about one year after installation. That guidance generally applies to cheap, water-based seal coatings commonly used by other paving contractors and driveway seal coaters. These are essentially the same products sold in five-gallon buckets at home improvement centers.

These products function as surface coatings that form a hard shell over the pavement rather than penetrating and sealing the asphalt itself. They are completely different from what we use and are not intended for application on new asphalt.

We use a petroleum-based fog seal (also known as a construction seal) that penetrates the asphalt and adds additional asphalt binder to the surface. This treatment helps protect the asphalt from UV exposure and oxidation, tightens the surface—reducing raveling and early surface wear—and seals surface pores and microscopic cracks to help prevent moisture intrusion.

Fog sealing also helps maintain pavement flexibility longer and improves the overall appearance of the asphalt by creating a uniform, consistent jet-black finish that helps the pavement retain its color for a longer period of time.

We have sealed roughly 70% of the new asphalt surfaces we have installed on the day of installation for several decades, with real-world results showing improved long-term pavement performance. While it is perfectly acceptable to wait up to a full year to seal new asphalt—particularly when managing a budget—when a fog seal is applied on the day of installation, we double the standard structural warranty from one year to two years, reflecting our confidence in the long-term performance benefits.

Below are citations from nationally recognized transportation agencies and pavement engineering authorities—considered definitive sources in the industry—that directly support and reinforce the use of fog seals on new asphalt and for ongoing pavement preservation.

Texas Department of Transportation / Texas Transportation Institute
Seal Coat and Surface Treatment Handbook
DOT engineering handbook
Texas DOT / Texas Transportation Institute
Section: Construction Seal

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Maintenance Technical Advisory Guide (MTAG), Chapter 6
State DOT maintenance technical guide
Caltrans current edition
Section: Fog Seals and Rejuvenating Seals – Construction Seal Use

University of Kansas Transportation Center
Construction Seal Fog Seal Guidance
University transportation engineering course material
KUTC
Section: Construction Seal Fog Seal

LIMIT HEAVY TRUCK TRAFFIC

Heavy trucks cause significantly more pavement damage than passenger vehicles, even on public roads designed for heavy traffic, which is why they are subject to the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax to help offset that damage.

Private roads and pipe stems are not constructed like public roads and are not paid for with tax dollars. They are privately built and privately maintained. Because of this, private roads are far more vulnerable to damage when heavy trucks use them frequently.

Why extra precautions matter

When heavy truck traffic is not managed on a private road, deterioration happens faster and repairs become necessary much sooner.

Construction traffic: document road conditions before and after work

If heavy construction vehicles will be using a private road, it’s important to document the condition of the road before and after construction. Simple video or photo documentation helps ensure that any damage caused by construction traffic can be clearly identified and addressed by the responsible party.

Limit unnecessary heavy truck traffic

One of the simplest and most effective precautions private road owners can take is to limit unnecessary heavy truck traffic. A common example is trash collection. When a private road or pipe stem is served by multiple trash companies, the road is subjected to multiple heavy truck visits every week

Coordinating and using a single trash collection service can significantly reduce heavy traffic and help extend the usable life of a private road.

Managing heavy vehicle access is one of the most practical steps property owners can take to reduce wear, control costs, and avoid premature repairs on private roads.

BACKFILL YOUR ASPHALT EDGES

Properly backfilling asphalt edges is critical and serves two essential purposes: edge support and improved drainage.

EDGE SUPPORT

To maximize the strength of our asphalt edges, our crews are trained to hand-finish and hand-compact every vertical perimeter edge during installation, making them as strong as possible at the time they are installed. Even when installed correctly, however, the edge remains the weakest part of any paved surface because it is elevated above the surrounding landscaping and has no side support unless it is backfilled.

Without proper support, new asphalt edges can crack and break—often quickly. This is why the edges of public roads typically terminate at a concrete curb or curb-and-gutter system or, at a minimum, are supported by a gravel shoulder. Asphalt edges require lateral support to prevent failure.

For this reason, proper backfilling is required to provide the necessary edge support and long-term performance.

For private paving projects, most property owners use quality topsoil to backfill asphalt edges, which is typically the best option. Soils with high clay content or shrink-swell tendencies should be avoided, as they can bond to the asphalt when wet and then contract as they dry, pulling against the pavement edge and contributing to cracking or movement.

IMPROVED DRAINAGE

In addition to structural support, proper backfilling plays a critical role in controlling how water moves to, across, and away from the pavement at the surface.

Because asphalt is designed to sit slightly elevated above the surrounding ground, water flowing toward the edge can become dammed up and unable to drain until it builds up high enough to flow over the asphalt edge. Over time, water can infiltrate and soften the base, wash out or undercut the base supporting the asphalt, migrate underneath the asphalt, and cause even greater damage during freeze–thaw cycles.

Backfill should be brought up flush with the top of the asphalt edge so the edge remains fully supported and water is managed correctly at the surface.

If the surrounding ground slopes toward the pavement, the soil should be brought up even with the pavement edge and graded so water can sheet-flow harmlessly across the surface instead of running underneath it. If the surrounding ground is generally level or slopes away from the pavement, the soil should be built up to the edge and then tapered down away from the pavement, creating a gentle ramp that directs water away.

Both approaches are acceptable and effective. In both cases, the goal is the same: maintain full edge support while preventing water from getting underneath the asphalt.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION

The following video demonstrates proper asphalt edge backfilling techniques to help ensure full edge support and proper surface drainage:

MAINTAIN OVERALL PROPERTY DRAINAGE & GRADING

Proper edge backfilling controls how water interacts with the pavement surface, but overall property drainage determines how water is directed and behaves in the areas surrounding the pavement. Water must have a place to drain. While slope and grading are the primary factors that allow water to move away from the pavement, water must also have a clear, unobstructed path to exit the area. If water cannot drain effectively, it may remain in the soil long enough to migrate beneath the pavement and increase moisture levels in the base and subgrade below.

Ground that drains well generally does not present problems under normal conditions. Problems arise when water is delivered to an area faster than it can be removed, such as when site topography concentrates runoff from adjacent or higher areas, intense or prolonged rainfall overwhelms drainage capacity, underlying soils drain poorly, or otherwise adequate drainage paths are obstructed or interrupted.

Depending on the site, overall drainage may rely on proper grading and slope, open surface conveyance such as swales, ditches, and culvert pipes, surface collection systems such as catch basins, box drains, or channel drains, and subsurface drainage systems such as French drains, underdrains, interceptor drains, or underground downspout drains. These features are used to guide water along its intended path and allow it to exit the area. If slope is inadequate, interrupted, or obstructed, or if drainage features are not present, properly sized, maintained, or functioning as intended, water may collect and lead to ground saturation.

When the ground located near the pavement can no longer absorb additional water, excess water can migrate beneath the pavement through the soil, creating harmful subsurface drainage conditions
beneath the pavement. As water enters and saturates the base and subgrade, these supporting materials can lose strength and stability and become more susceptible to movement and deformation.
Freeze–thaw cycles during winter conditions can further aggravate these issues when soils remain saturated, increasing movement and instability beneath the pavement and allowing frost heaving to occur.

The goal is not just to slope water away from the pavement surface, but to ensure water has a continuous, unobstructed path to drain—whether by grading alone or with the help of drainage systems—so it does not collect or migrate beneath the pavement and compromise the base and subgrade supporting the pavement structure, leading to premature pavement failure under vehicle load.

INSPECT YOUR PAVEMENT

You should inspect your pavement in the spring and fall, and after severe weather or heavy vehicle loads.

Pavement is something most people see every day but rarely take the time to examine closely. Taking a few minutes to walk the pavement and look for early signs of cracking, edge damage, drainage issues, or surface wear can help identify problems early. Addressing small issues promptly helps prevent them from developing into larger, more costly structural problems.

VARY PARKING LOCATION ON NEW ASPHALT

During the first few months after installation—especially in hot weather—vary where vehicles are parked on new asphalt.

Parking in the exact same spots every day, particularly with heavier vehicles, can cause slight depressions to form while the pavement is still curing. Shifting tire positions by just a few inches from day to day helps minimize this risk.

SPREAD OUT STATIONARY WEIGHT

Place plywood or other load-spreading pads under trailer jacks, RV jacks, motorcycle kickstands, dumpsters, furniture, or any other item that concentrates weight on a small area of pavement, particularly if it will remain in place for an extended period.
These are known in construction as point loads—situations where heavy weight is concentrated over a very small contact area, which can damage or cause indentations in pavement, especially when it’s new or during hot temperatures. Spreading the load over a larger area with plywood or load-spreading pads greatly reduces the risk of surface damage or deformation.

CLEAN UP PETROLEUM SPILLS

Gasoline, motor oil, diesel fuel, and other petroleum-based fluids can stain and severely damage asphalt and tar & chip by breaking down the asphalt binder.

If a spill occurs, blot and absorb it immediately using shop rags or old towels, then apply cat litter or a similar oil-absorbing material commonly used for garage or driveway spills to help reduce penetration and staining.

CLEAN UP DEBRIS

Keep asphalt surfaces clean and free of loose gravel, rocks, sticks, and debris.
On asphalt in particular, driving over loose material can gouge or scar the surface, which can loosen the asphalt aggregate and cause surface raveling to begin.

CLEAR SNOW CAREFULLY

When clearing snow with a plow or snow blower, move slowly and carefully, keeping the plow and snow-blower blades slightly elevated so that they do not come in contact with the surface.
This helps prevent scratching, chipping, gouging, or damaging the pavement.