Sealer Questions

How do you get water into a full 55 gallon drum to mix?

Mix the drum of sealer thoroughly as-is. Then take a 5 gallon pail and scoop out two buckets worth of sealer and store it in 5 gallon pails or another empty drum or tank. Then add in two pails of water into the drum. Make sure you do this in a gravel parking lot or area where you don’t have to worry about spillage. Also be sure to have a 5 gallon pail of water and some sponges or rags handy for any cleanup.

How many square feet does the sealer cover?

We carry commercial-grade DOT spec sealer with a coverage rate of 100 square feet per gallon.

5,500 square feet per 55 gallon drum.
22,000 square ft per pallet of sealer and
27,500 square feet of coverage per 275 gallon tote

Can I spray sand with the 130 or 230 Gallon Spray Systems?

Our spray systems work only with Refined Coal Tar (Commercial Grade) Water-Based Sealer and we have specifically tested our systems with the coal tar sealer we sell on our site.

If you use:

Asphalt Emulsion sealer,
a sealer with sand,
or oil based sealer,

the spray system will not work: the pump will need repair and you may even blow the engine.

If you use the wrong sealer your warranty is voided in the same way as if you were using diesel fuel in a gasoline engine for your truck.

When is it too warm or too cold to apply sealer?

Temperatures must be 55 degrees or warmer for 3 hours after application for it to dry properly. Cure times will be longer in cooler conditions. The hotter it is, the faster the water evaporates from the sealer and the dry time can be as fast as 30 minutes. Try not to apply if hotter than 105°F.

How long does sealer need to dry before it rains?

Ideally sealer should dry for a couple of hours before it rains. It may need more time if it's very cloudy and humid.

How long does it need to dry before I do a second coat?

There is no need for two coats, but if you're doing two coats, do them a week apart so the sealer has time to cure completely.

Is DSF a quick dry additive?

No. DSF is the “Quick Drive” all in one additive. DSF accelerates cure time chemically. All other additives still require the suns passive curing process to dry and eventually cure sealcoating.

Does DSF contain any hardeners?

No. DSF does not contain any acrylic or brittle polyvinyl resins like some products. DSF rubberizes the seal coat as it cures where hardening additives cause the seal coat to become brittle which causes premature cracking or flaking.

We do not recommend using any other additives when using DSF. DSF is an all in one additive offering all the features and more of other additives combined. Your money would be wasted to use two products for the same result.

Why should I dilute my sealer?

Asphalt is like a sponge which can only absorb so much sealer. Thicker isn't better if it doesn't get absorbed. We recommend between 25-30% dilution to get good even coverage at maximum efficiency.

How much FSA should I use with my Asphalt Sealer?

Here is the recommended ratio:

Sealer Concentrate: 100 Gallons
FSA : 2- 5 Gallons
Water: 10 to 30 Gallons

If your spray system is designed to work with sand (AK's Drum, Tote, Portable, 130 and 230 gallon systems do NOT work with sand) then you can also add:

Sand: 300-500lbs

In cold weather increase the amount of FSA to 7-10 gallons.

I'm getting foam on top of my sealer.

The cause of this is over-agitating the sealer. Only recirculate your sealer for 2-3 minutes max at the beginning of the day and maybe for a minute at the beginning of each job.

What would the reason be that you would cut it 20% vs 30%? I'm looking at purchasing some 55 gallon drums of coal tar, but curious on this. I have never bought concentrate.

The reason to dilute it are to get more coverage rate for your dollar. If you're looking for the best outcome for your job and you are trying to meet a DOT Spec, use it as shipped (already diluted 20%). However, if the asphalt is in pretty good shape, you can put an additional 20% of water (11 gallons per 55-gallon drum) in it to get more coverage. You would still maintain a commercial standard up to that level. We don't recommend any dilution past that amount.

If I use coal tar sealer with gem seal rapid set, would there be any issues when cleaning up pump and line?

You can put the rapid set into the material, but the material needs to be used completely within 48 hours. After you have finished using it, do a fresh water flush as usual.