Outdoor Living

Prepare Your Driveway For Winter's Blast

(MS) - Winter's freeze-thaw is on its way soon, and a neglected driveway will fall prey to the icy claws of winter. Inspect your driveway now for cracks and holes that will invite the damage a harsh winter can deliver.

Patching and sealing your driveway is easy. When done properly, your efforts will provide the protection your driveway needs to survive winter and emerge as a beautifying entry to your home's exterior. Preparation to sealcoating is a critical step that should not be overlooked. You can eliminate more than 90 percent of potential winter damage by following these steps: PREP (Clean), PATCH (Repair) and PROTECT (Seal).

1. Clean and repair all cracks and holes the day before sealcoating. Neglecting this step promotes further driveway deterioration. Winter freeze will cause additional damage to an already weakened surface. Look for products like Driveway Essentials, Crack Stopper and RePave to make driveway maintenance easy and long lasting.

2. Turn buckets upside down prior to opening to promote easier mixing (make sure that the lids are securely attached). Many blacktop sealcoatings require thorough mixing before and during application, to ensure consistent color and coverage. However, recent scientific advancements have developed "gel-like" coatings that require no stirring and apply smoother and faster than their non-gel counterparts. A superior gel sealer, like Pro-Gel by Gardner, provides this technology with a six-year warranty.

3. Beat the heat. Applying the sealer in the morning hours of a warm day allows easier spreadability and proper time to dry. If your driveway is more than 85 F, lightly mist the surface to cool down and aid in spreadability of the material.

4. Use a brush/squeeze applicator to apply sealcoating, not a roller.

5. Apply sealer in a side-to-side motion. Start from your home and work to the street. This will hide imperfections and improve the look of your driveway. Two thin layers are recommended rather than one thick layer. See the manufacturer's label for drying times between layers.

6. Place empty buckets at the end of the driveway. This is the easiest and most cost-effective protection for blocking your newly coated surface. When surface has cured, dispose of buckets in an environmentally responsible manner.

For more information on getting the best results for your driveway, visit www.gardner-gibson.com.

5 Quick Tips:
STEP 1 - Rinse driveway.
STEP 2 - Use driveway cleaner.
STEP 3 - Treat oil with primer.
STEP 4 - Apply crack/filler patch.
STEP 5 - Apply sealer.