How Often to Seal an Asphalt Driveway
Most asphalt driveways should be sealed every two to three years. Driveways that take a hard winter, full sun or heavy traffic need it closer to every two years. A brand-new driveway should wait until it cures before its first coat. Around Pittsburgh and the surrounding counties, freeze-thaw cycles and road salt push most driveways toward the two-year mark.
Below is how often to seal an asphalt driveway like yours, when a new one can get its first coat and what weather sealer needs.
Sealing Every Two Years vs. Every Three Years
Pavement sealer maker SealMaster recommends resealing about every three years, and that's a good baseline. How often to seal an asphalt driveway in real life depends on what the driveway goes through between coats.
When to Seal Every Two Years
Full sun most of the day, which dries out the surface faster
Snow plows, shovels and road salt every winter
Deep freezes and big temperature swings that open small cracks
Heavy cars, trucks or a work van parked in the same spots
Oil and gas drips where cars sit
Water running across the driveway from a hill or a downspout
When You Can Wait Three Years
The driveway is mostly shaded
Only one or two cars use it
Water drains off quickly and doesn't sit in low spots
The last coat still looks black and even
If you're not sure, look at the surface. When the black has faded to gray and water soaks in instead of beading up, the last coat is worn through.
When Can You Seal a New Asphalt Driveway?
Not right away. New asphalt has oils in it that need time to work out. Most sealer makers call for at least 30 to 60 days of curing first, and some ask for a full summer.
In practice, most driveways paved in summer or fall get their first coat the next season. Sealing too soon traps the oils, and the surface can stay soft and scuff when you turn the steering wheel in place.
What Time of Year Should You Seal Your Driveway?
Sealer needs warm, dry weather to cure. Plan on 50 degrees and rising for a full 24 hours, with no rain in the forecast for a day. Very hot days cause trouble too. Above about 90 degrees, the top can skin over before the coat underneath dries.
Around Pittsburgh and the surrounding counties, that usually means late spring through early fall. Late summer and early fall are a smart window. A fresh coat going into winter helps the driveway hold up to plows, road salt and the freeze-thaw swings that open cracks. Cool October nights can end the season early, though, even when the afternoons feel warm.
Sealing season is over for this year, but spring dates go fast. Get on the spring schedule with a free estimate now.
Signs Your Driveway Needs Sealing Now
The surface has faded from black to gray.
Water soaks in and leaves dark patches instead of running off.
Small stones are coming loose on the surface.
Thin hairline cracks are starting to show.
Oil or gas spots are soaking into the asphalt.
If the cracks are wide or connected, sealing is too late on its own. Have someone look at the base before you spend money on a coat.
Can You Seal a Driveway Too Often?
Yes. Every coat adds a layer on top of the last one. Seal every year and those layers build up, then crack and peel off in sheets. Waiting two to three years lets the old coat wear down first. Then the new coat bonds to the driveway, not to a thick stack of old sealer.
What Sealcoating Does and What It Can't Fix
Sealer is a thin coat that sits on top of the asphalt. It slows down the sun, water, salt and oil that wear the surface out. It also brings back the dark color.
Sealer won't fix a driveway that's failing underneath. Cracks that join into a grid, low spots and potholes that keep coming back mean the base has given out. That needs a repair or a new driveway, and our post on when to replace an asphalt driveway explains how to tell.
How a Driveway Gets Sealed
A proper sealcoat job follows the same steps whether it's a short driveway or a long one:
Clean the surface so it's free of loose dirt, leaves and debris.
Fill the cracks with crack filler. Sealer alone won't hold a crack closed.
Treat oil and gas spots so the sealer can bond.
Apply two coats of sealer.
Keep cars off until the sealer has cured.
You can see what that work includes on our seal coating page.
How Long to Stay Off a Freshly Sealed Driveway
Keep vehicles off for at least 24 hours after the final coat. Cool or humid weather slows drying, so it can take longer. Walk around the edges and keep pets and kids off while it's tacky. We'll tell you when it's ready to drive on.
DIY Sealer vs. Professional Sealcoating
Store-bought sealer goes on thin and wears faster on busy driveways. Most homeowners skip the crack filling and edge work, which is where driveways fail first.
A crew cleans the surface, fills the cracks, treats oil spots and spreads two even coats with the right equipment. The coat lasts longer, so you're not redoing it every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should you seal an asphalt driveway?
Most asphalt driveways should be sealed every two to three years. Driveways with hard winters, full sun or heavy traffic need it closer to every two years.
Can you seal a driveway too often?
Yes. Seal every year and the layers build up, crack and peel off in sheets. Waiting two to three years lets the old coat wear down first.
How soon can you seal a new asphalt driveway?
Most sealer makers call for at least 30 to 60 days of curing. Some ask you to wait a full summer, and many crews wait until the next season.
What is the best time of year to seal a driveway?
Late spring through early fall. Late summer and early fall work well because the driveway goes into winter with a fresh coat. Sealer needs 50 degrees and rising for 24 hours, no rain for 24 hours and temperatures below 90 degrees while it goes on.
How long after sealing can you drive on it?
Keep vehicles off for at least 24 hours after the final coat. Cool or humid weather can stretch that out.
Does sealing fill cracks?
No. Sealer coats the surface but won't close a crack. Cracks get filled with crack filler first, then the whole driveway gets sealed.
How long does sealcoating last?
A coat usually lasts two to three years, which is why most driveways get resealed on that schedule. Full sun, heavy traffic and snow plows wear it faster.
Is sealing worth it on an old driveway?
It is if the base is still solid and the damage is on the surface. If the driveway has wide, connected cracks or low spots, sealing only covers them up for a season.
Book Sealcoating Before the Spring Rush
B&M Paving is a family-owned paving company based in Latrobe. For about 50 years we've sealed and paved driveways and parking lots in and all around Pittsburgh. We also work across Westmoreland, Washington, Butler, Indiana and Fayette Counties.
Spring is the busiest time for sealcoating, and the first warm weeks book up fast. Get your free estimate now so you're ready when the weather turns. Not sure how often to seal an asphalt driveway like yours? We'll look at it, fill what needs filling and tell you if sealing is the right call.
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