A great driveway sealing job is 80% preparation and 20% sealer. Anyone can pour black liquid on asphalt — the difference between a seal job that lasts three years and one that flakes off by spring is what happens before the sealer goes down. Here’s exactly how we do it, step by step, so you know what to expect on job day.
The 5 Steps of a Proper Driveway Sealing Job
Step 1: Inspect
Every job starts with a walk-around. We’re looking for the things that determine whether sealing is even the right call: hairline cracks versus structural cracking, low spots where water pools, oil stains, crumbling edges, and any signs the asphalt base itself is failing. If we spot alligator cracking or base failure, we’ll tell you straight — sealing over a dying driveway is money down the drain, and we’d rather lose the job than sell you one that won’t hold.
Step 2: Deep Clean
Sealer only bonds to clean asphalt. We blow off loose dirt and debris, then power-wash the surface to strip embedded grime, moss, and mildew. Oil and grease spots get a dedicated degreaser treatment — sealer applied over an oil stain will peel, guaranteed. This is the step most cut-rate operators skip, and it’s the number one reason cheap seal jobs fail early.
Step 3: Crack Fill
Hairline and medium cracks get filled with a hot-applied rubberized crack filler (for larger jobs) or a quality cold-pour filler, worked into the crack so it bonds on both sides — not just skimmed over the top. Crack filling is always a separate step from sealing, never mixed into the sealer itself. Filled cracks need time to set before the seal coat goes on.
Step 4: Seal
We hand-apply two thin, even coats of commercial-grade sealer with a squeegee — not a sprayer. Hand application lays down a thicker, more uniform film, and it forces the sealer into the asphalt’s pores instead of misting over the top. Edges are cut in neatly by hand for a crisp border against your lawn, walkway, and garage apron. One thick coat might look fine on day one, but two thin coats cure harder and last longer.
Step 5: Cure
The job isn’t done when we leave — it’s done when the sealer cures. We tape off the driveway and let it set undisturbed. Plan on 24 hours before foot traffic and 24–48 hours before driving on it, depending on the sealer type and weather. We’ll tell you the exact window for your job before we pack up.
What Happens on Job Day
Here’s the typical timeline for a standard double-car driveway in the GTA:
- Arrival & walkthrough (15 min): We confirm the scope with you, note anything that’s changed since the quote, and agree on where to park while the driveway cures.
- Masking & protection (20–30 min): Grass edges, interlock borders, garage door bottoms, and walkways get masked or shielded. Sealer on your lawn is a brown dead stripe for a season — we don’t let that happen.
- Cleaning (30–60 min): Blow-down, power wash, degrease oil spots.
- Crack filling (20–40 min): Fill, tool smooth, allow to set.
- Sealing (45–90 min): Two hand-applied coats, edges cut in.
- Final walkthrough (10 min): We walk the finished driveway with you, confirm the cure time, and tape it off.
Most residential jobs are done in 3–5 hours, start to finish — a single visit, no return trips.
What We Mask and Protect
Before a drop of sealer comes out, we protect everything that isn’t asphalt:
- Lawn edges and garden beds along the driveway
- Interlock, concrete, and paver borders
- Garage door frames and the bottom of the garage door
- Front steps, walkways, and porch edges
- Anything parked nearby gets moved or covered
If sealer ends up where it shouldn’t, that’s on us — and it doesn’t happen, because masking is part of the job, not an extra.
Cure Times: When Can You Use Your Driveway?
- Foot traffic: usually fine after 12–24 hours
- Cars: 24 hours minimum for water-based sealer, 48 hours for oil-based — longer in cool or humid weather
- Full hardness: sealer keeps hardening for several days; avoid sharp turns and dragging heavy objects for the first week
We’ll give you the exact window for your specific job and sealer before we leave. When in doubt, give it the extra day — it’s always worth it.
When We Won’t Seal Your Driveway
Honesty is part of the process. We’ll recommend against sealing — and tell you why — if:
- The asphalt is less than 6–12 months old (new asphalt needs to cure and off-gas first)
- There’s widespread alligator cracking or base failure (sealing won’t fix it; resurfacing or replacement is the honest answer)
- The pavement temperature is below 10°C or rain is coming within 24 hours (the sealer won’t cure properly)
- The surface is so deteriorated that the money is better saved toward repaving
A contractor who seals anything you point at isn’t doing you a favour. We’d rather earn your trust — and your call back in three years.
What Does It Cost?
For a typical GTA double-car driveway, professional sealing runs $250–$400 depending on size, condition, and how much crack filling is needed. See our full driveway sealing cost guide for the complete breakdown — we publish our ranges because you shouldn’t have to guess.
Ready When You Are
Every job we do follows this process, in this order, no shortcuts. Request your free quote — we’ll assess your driveway, give you a straight answer on what it needs, and a firm price before any work starts. Serving Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Aurora, Newmarket, Stouffville, and surrounding York Region communities.