Is it Worth Sealing an Old Driveway?
If your driveway has seen better days, you might be considering resealing it. Some people think that it’s only worth sealing driveways that are fairly new, or that aren’t coming towards the end of their lifetime, and others think that for as long as it’s your driveway, you should be taking care of it properly, but who is right?
Well, it’s a matter of personal opinion. You need to think through all of the pros and cons, and take into account all of those small bits of information to make this decision, but we understand that it can be hard. That’s why we want to help. Down below, we’re going to be diving into the complexities of deciding whether it’s worth sealing an old driveway with driveway paint or sealant, or not.
Why Seal A Driveway?
Sealing a driveway is a way of protecting it. You apply a sealant or driveway paint to the surface, and it helps to extend the lifespan of the drive by protecting it from damage that it would otherwise be susceptible to. If you think about it, driveways are open to so much damage, and if you don’t do anything about this, then you’re going to have to replace the entire thing every couple of months, or if you’re lucky, you could get a few years out of it.
There are a number of driveway coatings, sealers and paints, that can be used to complete this process, and it’s worth researching each of them to figure out what would be best for your drive. Typically, this depends on the materials that were used to create your driveway in the first place.
Signs Your Driveway Needs Sealing
When determining whether it’s worth sealing an old driveway, you need to look at a number of different factors. First, if you have an asphalt driveway, for example, then you need to be looking for any kind of cracks or holes, sometimes known as alligator cracking. If you notice this, it’s a sign that your asphalt is drying out and potentially even becoming brittle, which is a sure sign it needs sealing.
A sign that you might not have known to look out for is how the surface is drying after there has been rain or another kind of water on it. If it’s drying in an uneven way, meaning that there are parts drying faster than others, this likely means that the water is getting under/into the driveway where your sealant has gone.
Check the surface also, because any kind of stains or rough/uneven terrain is a sign that the sealant is going. If you once had a nice, smooth driveway, you now have rough, rocky parts of it, this means the sealant is going and you need a new one.
These are not the only signs, there are others, but these are the most important ones to look out for. When trying to determine if it’s worth sealing an old driveway with driveway coatings, you need to consider the age of the driveway as well as the condition, If it’s coming to the end of its life anyway and there’s a new driveway on the horizon for you, it might not be worth it to seal what you already have.
Pros Of Sealing An Old Driveway
Some of the pros of sealing an old driveway include, but are not limited to:
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Extending the life of the driveway - over time, asphalt and concrete surfaces will deteriorate, but with a sealant barrier, you could have years before this happens
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Making it look better - a coat of sealant can enrich and deepen the colour, depending on whether you have asphalt or concrete, and give the whole area a nicer aesthetic
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Protecting it from damage - the new coat of sealant will act as a barrier, protecting the driveway from water, snow, UV rays and others, keeping the surface intact
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More cost-effective than replacing it
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Makes cleaning and maintenance easier
If your driveway is old but you have no intention of upgrading to a new one, then looking into driveway sealants is your best option. You will find that your driveway looks far better, that it is easier to drive on, and that you won’t find yourself in a position where you are forced to get a new one.
Cons Of Sealing An Old Driveway
To be honest with you, there aren’t that many cons to sealing an old driveway. One of the most common issues is the need for resealing. Sealant only lasts a few years, so this will need to be done again in the near future.
As well as this, a lot of sealants contain chemicals that are not good for the environment, so if you want to go for a more eco-friendly approach, a new driveway is likely the better option.
Finally, if the sealant is applied during cold or wet weather, this could hinder the effectiveness and adhesion, as well as the potential for trapping moisture under the coating, causing mould.
Invest in Driveway Sealing
So, is it worth sealing an old driveway? We believe so, yes. You need to take care of your driveway, if for no other reason than the fact that you could easily damage your tyres driving on it if you are not careful. Taking into account all of the facts and all of the considerations that should be made, driveway sealing is always worth doing.
Hopefully, you have found this article informative and now have a stronger understanding of some of the different considerations that you should make if you are thinking about sealing an old driveway. You need to think this through carefully and make a decision that best reflects your individual situation. If you require further information or support in making your decision, contact our experts.
