How long before I can drive on a freshly sealed driveway?

HomeGuide gives 12 to 72 hours for most driveway sealants to dry and cure before you park or drive on them. The spread depends on the product, the coat thickness and the weather. Ask the crew for the stay-off time of the exact product they use, and plan parking on the street for that window.

Does sealcoating fix cracks?

Only the smallest ones. Fixr says sealcoating does not fix a badly paved or neglected driveway, and that large cracks and holes must be patched before the seal goes on. Thicker fill-and-seal products can fill minor cracks; anything wider needs crack sealing first, or the cracks will show through the new coat.

Does a driveway need one coat of sealer or two?

Most driveways need one. HomeGuide says a contractor may suggest two coats where a driveway sees heavy traffic or heavier vehicles, and Fixr notes the second coat goes on about 24 hours after the first and costs less per sq ft than the first. Ask for coats to be listed on the quote.

Will sealcoat cover oil stains on my driveway?

Not by itself. Oil keeps bleeding through ordinary sealer, which is why stains are scrubbed and then treated with an oil-spot primer first. One primer maker says the primer must be completely dry before the sealer goes on, and that a second coat of primer resists bleed-through better.

Asphalt Sealcoating in St. George, UT

Typical cost: national guides put driveway sealing at $1 to $2 per sq ft, or about $355 to $800 for a 20 x 20 ft driveway.
Cure: 12 to 72 hours before you park or drive on it.
New asphalt: wait about 3 to 6 months before the first coat.
Reseal cycle: every 2 to 5 years for most driveways, sooner in strong sun.
Weather window: dry days between 50°F and 95°F, with no rain due for three days.

St. George Asphalt Co. books you in with an independent sealcoating crew for residential driveways: cleaning, oil-spot priming, filling small cracks, then a sprayed or squeegeed coat of sealer. Share the driveway's size, the year it was last sealed and whether it has oil stains or open cracks, and the crew can price the visit.

Driveway Sealcoating Types and Sealers

Black asphalt-emulsion sealer being spread across a residential driveway in front of a stucco home

Asphalt-emulsion sealers

The most common residential product. HomeGuide calls asphalt polymer emulsion durable and kinder to the environment than coal tar or fast-dry sealers, but notes it stains from gas and oil. Fixr's warning matters more here: asphalt-based sealer fades in the sun and UV breaks it down faster than coal tar, so it has to be reapplied more often in very sunny places.

Material only: about $0.08 to $0.20 per sq ft
Best for: sound driveways on a regular reseal schedule

Smooth dark gray acrylic sealer finish on an asphalt driveway beside desert landscaping

Acrylic and polymer-modified sealers

Acrylic costs more and is harder to spread, but both guides credit it with lasting longer. HomeGuide describes latex acrylic as non-toxic, stain-resistant and UV-resistant, able to fill deeper cracks and holes. Fixr says acrylic outlasts even coal tar without its high VOC levels. If the driveway sits in full sun all afternoon, the price gap is worth asking about.

Material only: $0.20 to $0.35 per sq ft
Best for: sun-exposed driveways and owners who want longer gaps between coats

Worn, porous gray asphalt driveway half covered with a thick black fill-and-seal coating

Fill-and-seal for worn, porous surfaces

When a driveway has gone rough and gray with the first small holes starting, Fixr points to fill-and-seal: a thicker sealer with aggregate in it that fills bigger cracks and shallow holes. It's the priciest material in Fixr's table at $0.35 to $0.50 per sq ft, and it doesn't fix structural damage. Open cracks still need crack sealing first.

Fresh black asphalt driveway several months old, with a sealcoat being sprayed on for the first time

First seal on new asphalt

New asphalt has to cure before it takes a sealer; Fixr says to make sure it is fully dried and cured first. The guides disagree on how long to wait: HomeGuide's sealing guide says 3 to 6 months, Angi about six months, Fixr up to six months for a full cure, and HomeGuide's driveway guide one year. Most fall in the six-month range, so a driveway paved in spring is usually ready by fall.

Oil stain on an asphalt driveway being brushed with clear primer before sealcoating

Oil-spot priming before the seal

Oil stains bleed through fresh sealer if they are simply coated over. Contractors clean off debris, oil and dirt before sealing, and stubborn stains get an oil-spot primer. One primer maker's instructions give the steps: scrub the stain with a stiff brush, detergent and water, rinse, brush on primer, add a second coat for more bleed-through resistance, then let it dry completely before sealing.

Small roller compacting fresh asphalt on a residential driveway

Why St. George homeowners and property managers call St. George Asphalt Co.

The estimate costs you nothing and commits you to nothing
Ask for thickness, base depth and tear-out on the written bid
Your job goes to one paving contractor, never a lead auction
Property owners pay nothing for the introduction

Driveway Sealcoating Cost

National guides put the full job, labor included, at $1 to $2 per sq ft (HomeGuide) and $355 to $600 with an average near $468 for a flat 20 x 20 ft driveway (Fixr). Labor alone runs $0.90 to $1.50 per sq ft. The rest of the price depends on what the driveway needs before the sealer goes down:

Sealer type
Coal tar is cheapest at $0.08 to $0.10 per sq ft in material, but HomeGuide notes many areas have banned it as a carcinogen. Acrylic and fill-and-seal sit at the top.
Cleaning
Power washing a driveway runs $100 to $260.
Weeds in cracks
Heavy weed control adds about $0.25 per sq ft.
Second coat
Cheaper per sq ft than the first, but it still adds to the total.
Minimums
Some crews have a minimum charge, so a short driveway can cost the same as a longer one.
Slope and access
Steep or hard-to-reach driveways take longer to seal.

When to Sealcoat in St. George

Reseal timing depends on sun as much as on age. Angi says every two to five years; HomeGuide's driveway guide says every two to three. Fixr says cheaper sealants can wear off in about three years and asphalt-based ones break down faster in strong UV, which pushes a driveway in full afternoon sun here toward the short end. HomeGuide ties the schedule to protection from oxidation, water and UV, so a surface that has faded and dried out is overdue.

The weather window is narrow on both ends. HomeGuide wants dry weather between 50°F and 95°F; Fixr wants ground at least 45°F and no rain for three days. Summer afternoons here run well past 95°F (the heat figures are on asphalt driveway paving), and monsoon storms can break a dry spell with little warning, as driveway drainage explains. Spring and fall give the widest window.

What to Ask Before the Sealer Goes Down

Product name
Ask which sealer brand and type goes on, and get its stay-off time.
Coats
One or two, and is the second priced separately.
Crack prep
Which cracks get filled first, and with what.
Oil spots
Are stains cleaned and primed, or sealed over.
Edges and concrete
How the crew keeps sealer off the garage slab, sidewalk and stucco.
Sprinklers
Ask when to turn them off and back on.

See parking lot sealcoating for a business or HOA lot rather than a home driveway.