Home·Driveway Sealcoating
Driveway sealcoating for
Sierra driveways.
Clean the surface, treat what needs treating, seal the cracks, then roll OverKote over the top. The coating takes the sun and the plow wear so your asphalt does not.
How a driveway goes
Four steps, and
the order matters.
- 1
Clean it down
Sealer bonds to asphalt, not to dirt, pine needles, or the old gray oxidized layer. The surface gets blown and swept clean first, and anything growing in a crack comes out.
- 2
Treat the problems
Oil-soaked spots get treated so the sealer will stick to them. Soft or failed areas get called out before we coat, because a sealcoat over failing asphalt just hides it for a season.
- 3
Seal the cracks
Crack work always comes before the coating. A sealcoat bridges a crack for a few months and then splits along the same line, so the cracks get closed first.
- 4
Coat and cure
OverKote goes on, and then it has to dry. Cure time depends on sun, shade, and how cold the night is — which up here matters more than the calendar.
Why driveways up here fail early
Truckee driveways tend to be steep, shaded, and long. Grade sheds water toward the pavement instead of away from it, and shade keeps the surface damp for days after a storm. Damp asphalt with an open crack in it is exactly what freeze-thaw needs.
Add a plow blade every winter and altitude sun every summer, and an unmaintained driveway ages faster here than the same asphalt would in the valley. That is the whole argument for keeping a coating on it.
When to do it
Sealcoating season runs roughly June through September, because sealer needs warm, dry pavement to cure. Summer books up early, and shaded driveways need the warmer part of the season, so calling in spring gets you a better slot than calling in August.
Common questions
How long before I can drive on it?
Plan on staying off it for the rest of the day, and longer if the driveway is shaded or the nights are cold. We will give you the number for your driveway before we leave, because cure time here depends on sun and temperature more than anything else.
How often does a driveway need sealing?
Every two to four years for most Sierra driveways. Snow, plows, and altitude UV strip a coat faster up here than in the valley. If the surface has gone gray and the texture feels rough and open, it is due.
Do you seal the cracks first?
Always. A sealcoat rolled over an open crack splits along that same crack within a season. Crack work comes first, then the coating goes over a closed surface.
Does shade change anything?
Yes. Shaded driveways dry slower, hold moisture longer, and grow more organic staining, so they want a warmer stretch of the season and a longer cure window.
More in the pavement FAQ and the guides.