How often should you seal a driveway?

Short answer

Seal the driveway every 2 to 3 years for asphalt, every 2 to 5 years for concrete. A new asphalt driveway is the exception: it has to cure for at least 6 months before its first coat, or the sealer traps the oils that are still working their way out. The job takes 120 to 240 minutes, mostly spreading, and the sealer and crack filler cost $50 to $150. A sealing company charges $150 to $400.

Why it matters

Asphalt is stone held together by a tar-like binder, and the binder is what the sun and the rain attack. Ultraviolet light dries it out, water gets into the surface and freezes, and the driveway goes from black to gray to cracked to crumbling. A sealer is a thin coat that takes the sun and the water instead, and it wears off, which is why it goes on again every few years.

Concrete is tougher but still porous. Water soaks in, freezes, and pops the surface, and road salt carried in on tires makes it worse. Oil soaks in and stains. A concrete sealer keeps water and oil on the surface where they can be rinsed away. On either material, the real saving is at the end: a sealed driveway reaches the long end of its 15 to 30 year life, and an unsealed one needs replacing at $3,000 to $10,000 years sooner.

When to do it more often

The schedule splits by material, and there's one case that delays it rather than bringing it forward. New asphalt needs at least 6 months to cure before its first seal, and many contractors say to wait through a full summer. Sealing too soon locks in oils that should have evaporated, and the surface stays soft.

Beyond that, the driveway tells you. If water soaks into the surface instead of beading on it, the last coat has worn through. A driveway that gets a lot of sun, or sees road salt every winter, lands at the short end of the range.

What you need

A push broom, to clear the surface and to work sealer into rough spots
A squeegee or an applicator brush, for spreading the sealer evenly
Driveway sealer, enough for the area in a thin coat
Crack filler, in a pourable bottle for hairline cracks or a caulk tube for wider ones

Steps at a glance

Pick a stretch of dry, warm days, with no rain in the forecast for the drying time on the sealer's label.
Clean the driveway thoroughly, pressure washing if it's been a while, and let it dry fully.
Fill every crack with crack filler, and let it cure as the label says.
Stir the sealer well, pour a line of it across the top of the driveway, and spread it down with the squeegee in a thin, even coat.
Work in sections toward the street, so you finish at the open end and don't paint yourself into the garage.
Block the driveway off and keep cars off it for the full drying time, which is often a day or more.

You're done when the whole surface is an even color, the cracks are filled, and the sealer has cured hard enough to drive on.

Signs it's overdue

Asphalt that's faded from black to gray.
Cracks, especially a web of small ones across the surface.
Water that soaks in instead of beading.
Edges that crumble when you step on them.

DIY or pro

This is a moderate job, and the physical part is spreading the sealer evenly across a large area before it starts to set. The crack filling is the part that matters most and the part people skip: sealer bridges nothing, and a crack sealed over opens again in a season. Do the cracks properly and the sealing is just a long afternoon.

A sealing company charges $150 to $400 for an average driveway, applies the sealer with a sprayer that leaves a more even coat than a squeegee, and often uses a commercial sealer that lasts longer than what's sold by the bucket. On a large driveway, or if you'd rather not spend a weekend covered in tar, that's reasonable money.

Safety

Chemicals: driveway sealers are solvent-based or coal tar-based, and both are harsh on skin and lungs. Wear gloves, old clothes and closed shoes, work in open air, and keep children and pets off the driveway until it's cured. Coal tar sealers in particular should be kept out of storm drains and off the lawn, and some areas restrict them.

FAQ

How soon can you seal a new asphalt driveway?

Wait at least 6 months, and many contractors say a full summer. Sealing too early traps oils that need to cure out, and the surface stays soft.

Is driveway sealing worth it?

Yes. A thin coat every few years keeps sun and water off the surface, and a sealed driveway lasts years longer than an unsealed one that costs $3,000 to $10,000 to replace.

Can you seal a driveway that has cracks?

Fill the cracks first. Sealer doesn't bridge a crack, and one that's sealed over opens again within a season.

How long does driveway sealer take to dry?

Read the label. Most need a day or more before cars go back on, and they need dry weather the whole time.